Gut Health: How Your Gut Affects Every Part of Your Body
It’s hardly a secret that the gut is essential for your health. Your gut does some pretty big jobs from transporting food from the mouth to the stomach to converting what you eat into nutrients and storing energy. But in recent years, scientists have discovered that your gut health is much bigger and more complex than previously thought. It’s been linked to countless aspects of health from the immune system and mood to chronic illnesses. Your gut health is more important than you might think, and here’s why.
The Human Gut Microbiome
Let’s start from the beginning and look at what gut health really means. The gut is the long tube that goes from the mouth to the back passage. When talking about gut health, someone is usually referring to the balance of bacteria in your gut microbiome. Your gut microbiome is made up of trillions of microorganisms that live in many parts of your gastrointestinal tract1.
These microorganisms include bacteria, fungi, viruses, and genetic material. A person has hundreds of species of bacteria in their gut. While some bacteria is good for you, other types can be harmful. A healthy gut contains a balance of friendly bacteria and immune cells that help to ward off potentially dangerous bacteria and viruses. A gut with a diverse range of microbes helps fight off infections as well as perform its usual digestive jobs.
How Does Your Gut Health Impact Your Body
Your gut microbiome starts developing from a very young age. Because we all experience different environments and life events, everyone has a unique blend of bacteria in the gut2. So, how exactly does your gut health impact your body?
Gut health is revolutionising the way many experts approach health. Looking after your gut is one of the most effective ways to promote health in multiple areas. It might be strange to think of bacteria living in your body and actively wanting it to be there. But the gut microbiome and digestive system play a big role in your overall health.
The human gut is complex and can impact almost every part of your body, such as:
- Skin
- Mood
- Immune system
- Heart health
- Sleep
- Brain health
Scientists have started to draw links between diseases like diabetes, obesity and heart disease and the bacteria in your gut. Your gut helps to control your brain, your immune system, and the way you digest certain foods3. So, your gut can actually affect several key bodily functions.
What Influences Your Gut Health?
Fortunately, there are plenty of things you can do that promote a healthy and diverse gut. In general, behaviours that you associate with a healthy lifestyle are great for your gut. Things like managing stress, eating a wide variety of foods with lots of fruit and veggies, regular exercise, and consistent quality sleep, all support a healthy gut.
Although it’s easy to think that your diet is the main player in gut health, there’s a lot of other factors that influence your gut. While your diet has a significant role in shaping your microbiome, it’s important to look at daily behaviours that can affect your gut4. Lowering your stress levels, staying hydrated, eating fermented foods, or taking a probiotic supplement can all be beneficial.
Probiotic supplements contain live strains of bacteria to support a healthy gut. Our Bio Cultures Complex Advanced Multi-Strain Probiotic contains 45 billion CFU (colony-forming units). With 17 bacteria strains, our supplements provide maximum strength. Our Bio Cultures are formulated in the UK and are 100% vegan and vegetarian friendly.
Your gut consists of trillions of bacteria, fungi, and microbes that all play a big role in your health. An unhealthy gut may contribute to weight gain, increased infections, and sleep problems5. While experts continue to explore how gut health impacts your health, a well-balanced diet, quality sleep, and regular exercise can help support a flourishing gut.
