The Link Between Gut Health and Overall Well-Being – A Comprehensive Overview

Your gut is full of different strains of bacteria that help you to digest and absorb nutrients; however, if these organisms get out of balance, they will make you uncomfortable and you’ll be sick.

‘What we now know is that there is a two-way network between your brain and your gut,’ says Scharf. ‘Part of your nervous system is actually in your gut, and the microbes in your gut make lots of neurotransmitters – serotonin, gamma-aminobutyric acid – all these things that influence your mood.

Stress Management

I feel something’s off in my stomach’ or ‘I am queasy’: what you can say about your emotions has deep connections to gut health. Stress, anxiety and depression can all cause problems in this area; your gut and brain speak to one another across an autonomic nervous system (ANS), a vagus nerve, adrenergic hormones or a bone marrow-mediated pathway if digestive health goes awry.

You can help counter stress-related biological influences with high-fibre, fruit and vegetable-rich diets, probiotics, and plenty of quality sleep. Chronic elevated stress levels have even been linked to the overgrowth of pathogenic bacteria and a decrease in beneficial members of a microbiome.

And because stress magnifies the problem, meditation, mindfulness and regular physical exercise help reduce stress. Avoid processed food that contains more sugar and artificial ingredients and less fibre. And increase your fibre intake. Your good bacteria will thank you.

Digestive Health

Your gut system helps to keep you healthy by breaking down food and liquid into nutrients for cells utilisation. A poorly functioning stomach could lead to acidity, constipation and indigestion posing a risk to your wellness.

Diet is one of the most important variables in maintaining healthy gut bacteria. Try to eat a balanced diet of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, unflavoured dairy, and lean meat, while consuming as few processed and refined foods (sugar, salt or unhealthy fats) as possible.

Drinking lots of water is another easy way to keep your digestive system functioning. There are studies showing that people who drink more are likely to have a greater variability of gut microbes than those who drink less.

Mental Health

Many good things flow from gut microbiome digestion and metabolism – fuelling your cells, hormones and immune system – while a healthy gut is also a vital component of weigh loss and maintenance, healthy digestion and even cognitive health.

Your gut contains about 10 times more bacteria cells than all the cells in your body, and friendly bacteria helping digestion overwhelm harmful ones in most cases. They are protected by the so-called gut barrier.

Dysbiosis is associated with too much bad bacteria and not enough good ones. Your gut microbes are in direct contact with your brain and are producing neurotransmitters such as serotonin, dopamine, nitric oxide and enkephalins – which are natural opioids for the body. Restoring the balance is achieved through eating more foods containing prebiotics and probiotics. Also, a lifestyle filled with getting more restful sleep and better stress management will shift more towards a balanced gut microbial environment.

Bone Health

You might think that the purpose of your digestive tract (GI) – what doctors call your intestinal tract (IT) – is to digest and absorb food. However, it is also your body’s primary communications centre, its immune system commander in chief.

When there are too many of the wrong kinds of bacteria thriving in your gut, you’re likely to feel the discomfort of bloating, gas, constipation and diarrhoea. Your risk of autoimmune conditions, including rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue, also increases noticeably.

The most basic way to boost gut health is to eat right. That means getting lots of fibre, fruits and veggies as well as healthy fats; limiting ultra-processed foods that are made mostly with sugar, salt and unhealthy fats should be a priority.

Besides your diet, other contributors to maintaining a balanced gut microbiome include getting a good amount of sleep and managing stress levels well; avoid smoking and pharmaceuticals that might interfere with it.