G is for Gut Health

We often talk about our gut, using terms like “gut instinct”, or it takes “guts”.

But what is the gut?

And why all this talk about Gut health? 

In the context of a healthy gut, it's referring to both our stomach and our intestines. The area of the body where we digest our food and house trillions of invisible organisms. (I don’t recall my biology teacher explaining they lived in my gut.)

It's where various bacteria, fungi, viruses, and others tiny microbes, that we cannot see, live.

Together they are referred to as the microbiota.

The science on this is relatively new. Much of it only discovered in the last 15 years.

Why is it important? 

Every single bite of food we eat, travels down and meets up with our gut microbes. It’s an expansive community of microorganisms that are not passive observers and play many important roles in our body.

These microbes require energy.

Our food becomes their food.

And what we eat each day has the potential to keep balance and harmony.

Specifically eating a wide variety of fiber-rich foods that will feed the wide diversity of microorganisms. 

This is how we maintain a healthy gut microbiome, and how we support our immune system to fight off disease. 

• 70% of the immune system resides in the gut.  Being out of balance can make it hard for our immune system to do its work. 

• Scientists also estimate 90% of the "feel good" brain neurotransmitter serotonin is produced in the gut.

We now understand that our gut health can impact both our immune response and our brain health. 

What can you do?

Talk to your doctor about it.

Eat a wide variety of live foods, the vegetables and fruits that contain the rich soluble and insoluble fibers. 

Get more informed. Read: "Fiber Fueled" by  Dr. Will Bulsiewicz.