Top Reasons Why You Should Take Care of Your Gut

Sharon Moore July 03, 2015

We’ve been reading a lot of articles about why we should take care of our heart and our brain. But there’s another very important part of our body that needs equal attention: our gut. And here are the reasons why:

1) Because your gut houses life-saving bacteria.

You know that your body is made from tons of cells, ten trillion cells in fact. But did you know there are 100 trillion bacteria in your body? Yes. That’s right. These bacteria perform very important functions, from digesting food to synthesising vitamins, and enhancing our immune system. Without bacteria in our body, we would never survive. Scientists call these bacteria as microbiome which has a major role to play in human health. Your microbiome tells so much about your health, such as your cancer risk, and how your body assimilate nutrients from food. It could even say something about your personality and behaviour.

2) Because it is important for nutrient absorption.

Your gut plays a major role in absorbing nutrients from the food you eat. Most of nutritional deficiency cases are related to an unbalanced gut microbiome. Just because you are eating healthy does not mean that your body is getting enough nutrients it needs. Ensuring that your gut is in optimal condition is essential if you want to get the most out of the food you eat.

3) Because your gut health relates to your mental health.

Researchers from Arizona State University found a link between autism and gut health. They learned that people with autism typically have different gut bacteria. In many cases, these people are missing hundreds of beneficial bacterial strains that are found in mentally healthy people.

4) Because your gut predicts the strength of your immune system.

Scientific studies found that without the right balance of beneficial bacteria in the gut, the immune system cannot function well. The live microorganisms in our gut are responsible for protecting our body from various health problems, including inflammatory diseases like cancer, chronic fatigue syndrome, obesity and depression.

5) Because your gut affects your brain.

Your gut and brain are more connected than you thought. The gut microbes, endocrine function, which controls your hormones, are linked to the neural pathways of the brain. 70 % of the neurons that leave the brain are in the gut. Gut microbes also have a direct access to the brain through the Vegas Nerve. Moreover, gut microbes send direct messages to the brain because they produce neurotransmitters of their own.

6) Because your gut affects your weight.

Many people struggle with maintaining a healthy weight just because their gut is not functioning properly. Metabolic syndrome, which is characterised by imbalance in the amount of good bacteria in the gut, leads to belly fat, high blood pressure and Diabetes 2, or Pre-Diabetes.