Surely if you fuel your body with good wholesome food and omit junk food that's all you need to do? Not necessarily the case! There's something you need to know...there's a war in your body and it's in your gut!
When your digestive system is functioning effectively, you will encounter a number of health benefits. These benefits can either be obvious or subtle, depending on prior dietary habits. If your digestive system is not functioning optimally this may result in poor nutrient absorption and utilisation, and irregular digestion periods (may be either too fast and thus not allow adequate time for absorption; or too slow which may result in constipation or faecal impaction). Maintaining a healthy digestive system will benefit a number of areas, such as:
Toxin elimination
Energy and stamina
Immunity
Hormone regulation
Whilst all of the above are crucial, I want to explore on one of them in particular. IMMUNITY. This is a pertinent topic at the moment given the global pandemic, where having a strong immune system could make a significant difference. This is also intriguing topic for me because auto-immune conditions seem to have run in my family. I've seen them a little in action. Through learning and discovery I have found out that there is so much we can do to help our immune systems run better i.e. through better nutrition choices.
FUN FACT! The digestive system represents up to 70% of the entire immune system!
The digestive system overall plays an important role in the body’s immune system. It is understood that the greater the diversity and quantity of gut flora, the greater the immune defence. Therefore, a healthy balance of ‘good’ bacteria, which assists in combating and breaking down threats to the body, is imperative in ensuring the body remains healthy and balanced. This is something I'll explore next.
THE IMPORTANT ROLE OF GUT BACTERIA
Gut ‘flora’, also known as gut ‘bacteria’, gut ‘microbiota’, or gut ‘bugs’, plays a pivotal role in digestion and immunity. Bacteria live in the nose, on the skin and in the ears, and also reside in the human gut. It is estimated that the digestive system contains up to 35,000 different species of bacteria, all of which work symbiotically to perform a number of very important roles.
Gut bacteria assist in nutrient metabolism, drug metabolism, structural maintenance of the gut mucosal barrier, and protection against unwanted bacteria, viruses and pathogens. Overall poor gut health has been associated with a number of diseases, these include:
Inflammatory Bowel Disease
Irritable Bowel Syndrome
Obesity
Diabetes, and
Allergies
11 THINGS YOU CAN DO TO MAKE YOUR GUT HAPPY
The composition of your diet and your environment can have a significant impact on overall health whether positive or negative. As the digestive system is in a state of balance between good and bad bacteria, lifestyle factors such as smoking, lack of exercise, stress, and obesity can significantly reduce the ability of the digestive system to achieve key functions. It's not all doom and gloom! There are choices you can make that can improve your gut health immediately. Here are my top 11 changes that you can make today!
Consume whole foods: Consume a couple of vegetarian meals each week: Meat, in particular, red meat, can be tough for the digestive system to break down, and providing the system with a break every so often is beneficial.
Ensure adequate consumption of fibre: In terms of what is consumed to support digestion, it is important to start with eating sufficient fibre. Make sure that at least half of your plate is made up of fibrous vegetables. The fibre in vegetables not only acts as prebiotics for gut bacteria, but also adds bulk to the stool, slows digestion of sugars, and improves satiety. Tip! Some examples of highly fibrous fruit and vegetables include: Berries (strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, blueberries), Dark leafy greens (broccoli, cabbage, green beans). According to Better Health Victoria, most Australian adults consume between 20-25g of fibre per day against a recommended intake of 25-30g. This means that most of the population are not eating sufficient quantities of vegetables, fruits, grains, nuts, seeds, beans, and legumes, which all contain fibrous material to support digestion.(1) (2)
Ensure adequate intake of fluid and limiting caffeine: Consume adequate fluids based on your weight (30-35 mls per kg), activity level, and season, and reduce intake of fluids that may negatively impact hydration, such as caffeine and alcohol. Tip! To increase water intake, drinking soda water or adding a squeeze of lemon and/or lime to non-carbonated water can help increase palatability. Setting regular reminders to drink may help you get into better habits.
Exercise regularly: Approximately 30-60 minutes of moderate to high-intensity cardiovascular exercise daily, and 1-2 resistance training sessions per week), are recommended. Physical activity can improve BTT (bowel transit time) and therefore decrease the likelihood of acute or chronic constipation.
Use caution when eating before sleep/bedtime: Leave a gap of at least 60 minutes (or greater) between your last meal of the day and sleeping (or lying down). This allows time for food to leave the stomach and be fully digested, reducing the risk of indigestion, heartburn, and reflux. You may also benefit from eating a smaller meal in the evening which will take less time to digest.
Maintain a healthy weight: Achieve a healthy body weight through dietary changes that focus on fibre rich, unprocessed foods. This can help improve digestion by improving overall diet quality and reducing stress on the digestive system created by excess body fat.
Manage stress and incorporate relaxation techniques: Take time for yourself and relieve stress. This may be talking to a trusted person, a referral to a health professional, taking time out to do an enjoyable hobby, or even taking a nap.
Reduce or eliminate smoking and alcohol intake: Reduce and eventually give up smoking. Contact your GP for cessation support and reduce alcohol by perhaps having alcohol-free weeks or making changes to your purchasing habits. Tip! A regular wine subscription with delivery is convenient, but is it helpful if your goal is to reduce alcohol?
Masticate (chew) appropriately while eating meals: During meals it is important to ensure that you eats at an appropriate speed and chew your food properly to provide a solid foundation for initial mechanical digestion. As the food is exposed for a longer period of time to the saliva when chewed properly, the digestive enzymes in the saliva allow a greater breakdown of the food. Therefore, making the digestion process easier on the stomach and small intestine. This, in turn, allows for better absorption of energy and nutrients. Tip! Try putting down your knife and fork between mouthfuls. While there is no hard and fast rule, it is important to ensure that food is chewed properly to allow it longer exposure to salivary digestive enzymes and better mechanical digestion. (3)(4)
Use supporting nutrients/supplements where needed (probiotics, prebiotics, glutamine, and zinc): For most people, the digestive system requirements can be met through the consumption of a healthy and balanced diet, and limiting consumption of unhealthy options such as foods that are deep-fried or high in sugar or trans fat. In some instances, probiotic-rich foods and supplements can assist in providing a balance of the gut flora. Probiotics are defined as a ‘microbe with demonstrated health benefits in humans when ingested in foods’. (5)(6)(7)(8).
Probiotics: Probiotics work to inhibit the growth of pathogens, secrete antimicrobial substances, and are involved in toxin inactivation too. As probiotics are better understood, they are becoming more widely used in both the prevention and treatment of gastrointestinal infections as well as antibiotic-associated diarrhoea diseases. While these can be consumed in capsule form, they are also found in fermented food such as sauerkraut, kombucha, kimchi, kefir, and certain yoghurts. As probiotics are live bacterial cultures, their benefits vary significantly based on the type of bacteria being consumed. Some probiotics provide a positive benefit for digestion of foods while others are natural immunity boosters.
Prebiotics: In addition to the beneficial effects of probiotics, it is also important to look at and ensure adequate consumption of prebiotics. Prebiotics are non-digestible (by the host) food ingredients that have a beneficial effect through their selective metabolism in the intestinal tract, or to put it more simply; they are food for the probiotics. Many prebiotics occur naturally in fibrous foods such as:
Raw garlic
Leeks
Artichokes
Onion
Asparagus, and
Banana.
A balanced diet containing both prebiotics and probiotics will maintain a healthy balance of bacteria within the digestive system, to assist in the breakdown of food and to ensure a healthy and functional immune system.
Glutamine: Glutamine is an amino acid that assists with the maintenance and support of the intestinal lining. It is mainly found in animal products (such as chicken, beef, milk, and yoghurt) and sufficient intake may help maintain healthy digestive function.
Zinc: Zinc is essential for healthy digestion as it helps maintain the lining of the intestine, is required for the action of enzymes, and regulates insulin production, storage and release, among many other uses. The recommended daily intake of zinc is 11mg for men and 8mg for women per day from meat, fish, beans, and nuts.
Have a balanced and good mix of all macronutrients (protein, fats, and carbohydrates): Each macronutrient can have a different effect on digestive health, depending on the type of food or composition of the meal they are found in. For instance, a protein only meal with no carbohydrate or fat accompanying it may result in excess gas production and small, hard stool formation. A fat only meal may result in fast gastrointestinal transit and loose stools.
So there are so many things we can do, we can make simple common sense choices to help our gut health and our immune system. As a registered Nutrition Advisor, with the National Council of Australia I work with clients, to devise Nutrition plans that are conducive to achieving better gut health. If you would like to discuss your nutrition choices and how you can potentially make improvements to your nutrition please feel free to in touch through the following contact form.
Disclaimer: This article and all our content is intended for general information only. It is not intended as medical advice. If you believe you have a medical condition, including one discussed in any of our content, you should see your doctor or other registered healthcare professional without delay. DO NOT use our content to diagnose yourself.
References:
Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2015). 4364.0.55.001 - National Health Survey: First Results, 2014-15. [online] Available at: http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/Lookup/by%20Subject/4364.0.55.001~2014-15~Main%20Features~Daily%20intake%20of%20fruit%20and%20vegetables ~28 [Accessed 31 July 2021].
Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2016). 4364.0.55.012 - Australian Health Survey: Consumption of Food Groups from the Australian Dietary Guidelines, 2011-12. [online] Available at: http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/Lookup/by%20Subject/4364.0.55.012~2011-12~Main%20Features~Lean%20meats%20and%20alternatives~13 [Accessed 31 July 2021].
Woda, A., Foster, K., Mishellany, A. and Peyron, M. (2006). Adaptation of healthy mastication to factors pertaining to the individual or to the food. Physiology & Behavior, 89(1), pp.28-35.
Andrade, A., Greene, G. and Melanson, K. (2008). Eating Slowly Led to Decreases in Energy Intake within Meals in Healthy Women. Journal of the American Dietetic Association, 108(7), pp.1186-1191.
Collado, M., Isolauri, E., Salminen, S. and Sanz, Y. (2009). The Impact of Probiotic on Gut Health. Current Drug Metabolism, 10(1), pp.68-78.
Gibson, G., Probert, H., Loo, J., Rastall, R. and Roberfroid, M. (2004). Dietary modulation of the human colonic microbiota: updating the concept of prebiotics. Nutrition Research Reviews, 17(02), p.259.
White, A. (2017). L-Glutamine for IBS. [online] Healthline. Available at: https://www.healthline.com/health/digestive-health/l-glutamine-for-ibs#side-effects [Accessed 31 July 2021].
Gastrointestinal Society. (2018). Are you getting enough Zinc? [online] Available at: https://www.badgut.org/information-centre/health-nutrition/zinc/ [Accessed 31 July 2021].
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