Things you didn’t know about your gut: Bacteria can determine the best diet for you

IF YOU think your gut is only good for processing the food you eat, think again. The bacteria in there does everything from controlling your weight to influencing your mood.

IF YOU think your gut is only good for processing the food you eat and expelling wastes, think again. Here are six facts about your gut that may surprise you.

1. WE ARE MORE BACTERIA THAN HUMAN.

The human body is crawling with trillions of microorganisms (which are far too many to count), outweighing actual human cells, with the majority residing in our gut — a long tube that comprises of the oesophagus, stomach, intestines and your rear end. And due to the sheer number of these tiny critters, there’s little question as to how these microbes can have such an impact on our health. However, not all bacteria are bad. In fact, most are good, including those that colonise our gut to help us break down and absorb food, with some bacteria working to increase levels of vitamins in food making food more digestible.

2. GUT FLORA CAN DETERMINE WHAT YOU WEIGH

Different diets work for different people, and now research is showing how gut bacteria can help identify which diets are best for weight reduction and reducing the risk of certain diseases. In a recent Swedish study, obese subjects were instructed to eat a lower calorie, higher protein diet and results showed that those with a more diverse mix of bacteria had a significant improvement in their metabolic health — keeping diseases like diabetes and heart disease at bay compared to those with a lower mix of microbes. Researchers in this study suggest that tailored dietary advice may be given in the future based on individual gut flora.

3. GUT FEELING

The old adage “trust your gut” rings true after all, as scientists are now discovering that the brain-gut connection isn’t lead by our brains as previously thought. Instead, the gut’s lining harbours an independent network of nerve cells (more than the spinal cord) known as the enteric nervous system, which is equipped with its own reflexes and senses, controlling gut behaviour independently of the brain. This is the reason why our gut’s nervous system is often nicknamed the “second brain”.

4. AFFECTS IMMUNE HEALTH

Digestive health directly impacts your immune health, and vice versa with roughly 70 per cent of your immune system’s defence cells located in the gut. What’s more, gut bacteria are known to aid the production of certain vitamins, such as vitamin B and K which play a major role in immune health.

5. INFLUENCE YOUR MOOD

Your gut has a big say in how happy you feel. How? Your gut is home to the largest concentration of mood-altering neurotransmitters such as serotonin. Little wonder as to why common gut woes can lead to depression, insomnia, forgetfulness, and even loss of appetite.

6. STRESS MESSES WITH YOUR GUT

Our stressed-out lifestyle may be our stomach’s biggest enemy. Being under a great deal of stress or feeling anxious could impact the way our bowels contracts and function, including cramping, bloating, diarrhoea, or constipation — common symptoms with sufferers of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Not only does stress affect the physiological function of the gut, but excessive exposure to stress has been shown to actually reduce microbial diversity in the large intestine.

KEEPING YOUR GUT IN GOOD SHAPE

The best way to establish and maintain a healthy gut is get sufficient sleep, regular exercise, avoid unnecessary medication, excessive stress, and include fibre-rich fruits, vegetables, legumes and wholegrains, and foods containing naturally occurring healthy bacteria (probiotics), such as fermented foods (kombucha, kefir, sauerkraut, yoghurt).

Kathleen Alleaume is a nutrition and exercise scientist and author of What’s Eating YOU?

Nutritionist Kathleen Alleaume reveals what your gut is telling you.

Originally published as Things you didn’t know about your gut: Bacteria can determine the best diet for you