Why A Healthy Gut Equals A Healthy Body

Have you ever wondered what the optimal diet is for health? Having a healthy gut has been linked to a healthier body with impacts as far reaching as our brains and heart[1]. So what is a healthy gut and how can our gut bugs influence our health?
 
Your gut microbiome is a community of trillions of bacteria that live deep inside the large intestine. These ‘gut bugs’ are vital for health and wellbeing due to their incredible ability to break down the food we eat, releasing beneficial substances into our blood. When we eat plant foods, our bodies cannot break down the part of the plant called the fibre. This fibre moves through our gut into our large intestine where our gut bugs feast on it, releasing beneficial fatty acids (such as butyrate) into the blood. Butyrate has a number of health properties and has been linked to boosting the immune defence system of the body[2], and strengthening the gut mucous lining[3] (good bye leaky gut). Alternatively, when we eat large amounts of animal protein, our gut bugs produce a substance called TMAO which has been linked with cardiovascular disease[4].
 
Here are 3 simple tips for good gut health:
 
1.Eat a variety of plant foods – aim for 30 different plant foods per week. This includes wholegrains, vegetables, fruits, nuts and seeds.

2.Replace some meat with vegetable protein – try substituting meat in dishes like spaghetti or curries with cooked lentils or beans.

3.Eat foods rich in prebiotic fibres (fibre proven to stimulate our good gut bugs). Find these in garlic, onion, leeks, pistachios and asparagus.
 
*This article was originally published in Flannerys Magazine and was written by author Carly Barlow for Gwinganna Health Retreat

[1] Singh et al. J Transl Med (2017) 15:73 DOI 10.1186/s12967-017-1175-y

[2] Schulthess et al., (2019).The Short Chain Fatty Acid Butyrate Imprints an Antimicrobial Program Macrophages. .Immunity 50, 432–445.

[3] Singh et al. J Transl Med (2017) 15:73 DOI 10.1186/s12967-017-1175-y

[4] Ibid.
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