Have you heard the expression “gut health”? Gut health has become a popular buzzword in the health and nutrition industry. It has become a popular shorthand to discuss how dieting & supplements can potentially improve our ability to process nutrients and remove waste from our bodies. This article will discuss gut microbiomes, what influences them, and how they impact your health.
What Is Your “Gut”?
A few years back, the gut might have been a shorthand for your abdominal area. Someone might refer to a gut as your belly. And in a dieting world, you might see products to
“get rid of your gut”. But in modern health and nutrition, the term gut is beginning to take on a meaning regarding the digestive system. The gut includes the gastrointestinal system. This is a group of organs that are part of the digestive system and are responsible for both breaking down foods & removing waste. A microbiome refers to a home for microorganisms. In natural science, we might look at a forest as an example of a biome. For bacteria, we look at a singular gut to discuss a microbiome. Like the forest, there are ways to measure the health of your gut’s microbiome and how the micro-organisms living inside us are helping us digest.
What Impacts Your Gut Health?
It might be strange to think, but we have millions of tiny organisms inside us. In a way, we are to them what our planet is to us. Ideally, these microorganisms are also working to keep us functioning for their own benefit. And in many cases, that is what they do. Bacteria in our stomachs and intestines help break down food and make it easier to process what we eat. Digestive health problems like diarrhea, constipation, bloating, and IBS can be caused by a lack of this bacteria and the bacteria not interacting well with our bodies. There are foods you can eat that will promote the growth of healthy bacteria. For example, yogurt and other dairy products allow healthy bacteria to grow and thrive. If you have ever taken an antibacterial drug to help fight a bacterial disease, your doctor might recommend eating yogurt and similar foods to replenish the good bacteria.
Get Your Gut Health Back on Track.
A healthy diet and exercise are the best ways to improve your gut health. There are also treatments out there that can do the same. Colonic hydrotherapy is perfect for those wanting to jumpstart their gut health journey, for it cleanses out toxins and promotes healthy bacteria in the colon. Book a colonic hydrotherapy appointment with Inner Health today! Our staff works hard to provide a comfortable environment for our clients and amazing results.