Healthy Gut, Healthy you: The science of good gut health

You know those days when your stomach is just not feeling fine.

Everything around is perfect, but you aren't enjoying any of it. The uncomfortable feeling and unbearable pain. Gloomy, and sick are the words.

Yes, that's exactly when you know you need an expert.

Do we really realize how important the gastrointestinal tract is to the overall health of a human being? What science textbooks have taught us is that it transports food from the mouth to the stomach, converts it into absorbable nutrients and stores energy to keep our bodies going, and shuttles waste back out of the body. Important. Very important, agreed! But over the years, scientists and medical experts have discovered how this system is linked to numerous aspects of our health and performs a much greater function than just digestion! All disease begins in the gut, and a healthy gut is a healthy you!

Could someone imagine that our gastrointestinal system could affect immunity, emotional stress, chronic illnesses, and common health concerns like Type 2 diabetes and cholesterol? Our gut health is linked to nearly every facet of our lives right from our immunity to our mood, and that's a serious point to note. The secret to this lies in the microbiome, which refers to the makeup of bacteria and microorganisms in the gut. And research shows that our food, lifestyle, and stimulus greatly affect this system, and hence gut health.

The question arises, how can you tell if you have health problems in your gut?

Well, when the microbiome is thrown out of balance for any reason, it’s often easy to tell. Some of the common signals include bloating, stomach pain, gas, diarrhea, or even nausea. However, the good news is that these imbalances often fix themselves after a short time. Only if they become chronic, which is some of the many cases, you may require a medical diagnosis and treatment to deal with the exact situation.

That being said, it is also important to know how imbalances happen in the gut. Some bacteria in the microbiome fight inflammation, while others promote it. Normal functioning of a gut is ensured when these two types keep each other in check. But when that delicate balance gets skewed, inflammatory bacteria can take over, producing metabolites that pass through the lining of the gut and into the bloodstream, spreading the inflammation to other parts of the body as well. That's the most common heath concern leading to many other diseases. Studies also suggest that the varying makeup of the microbiome (in lean and obese people) may play a role in causing obesity. While specific types of bacteria in the gut can lead to other conditions as well including lower immune function, chronic asthma, and associated allergies; like type 2 diabetes, heart diseases, and even some cancers.

It doesn't end here. Gut health has even been linked to anxiety and depression, and neurological conditions like schizophrenia and dementia. This is commonly attributed to the gut-brain axis, a pathway through which e-cig signals from the gut reach, and invariably affect the neurotransmitters in the brain and vice versa. Could you imagine that?

Even medication including over-the-counter painkillers you might consume to get relief from acid reflux or other conditions is found to be directly associated with changes in the microbiome.

The next very important question that arises is how can one maintain good gut health?

The best way to do that is by making basic lifestyle changes including good and timely food (a balanced diet that too consumed at the right intervals during the day), regular exercise, lots of water, and a good night's sleep. This will at least get you started on a healthy life. While adopting a healthy good habit, it is also ideal to let go of any unhealthy practices like smoking, excessive alcohol intake, and consumption of drugs.

Sangsara's Gastro Capsules are also a great addition to a healthy lifestyle and happy gut. Regular intake of the capsules naturally improves Digestion and Colon Cleanse without any side effects.

Your gut health is the key to your overall health. Let the journey begin as the healthy outside starts from the inside.