Usually in How to Beam I pick a wellness and health trend that isn't all that factual and point out some scientific, cultural, and political discrepancies or bias. Of course I looked at gut health the same way and what’s super exciting to me is that this trend seems legit. So legit that there is a lot of research and money going into exploring our microbiome and all of its awesome and mysterious ways. I firmly believe that in 20 years we will look back at this time as the dark ages for what we knew about our microbiome and all the healing power it has!
Let’s Start with Some Definitions:
When people talk about “gut health” they are really talking about the health of their gut microbiome. The gut microbiome is all of the microorganisms (bacteria, viruses, protozoa, and fungi) and their collective genetic material present in the gastrointestinal tract. There are microorganisms in other parts of your body, but the majority resign in your GI tract, (the place where you digest food). Gut flora and gut microbiota are oftentimes used interchangeably with gut microbiome and refer to the microorganisms but not their collective genetic material. Don’t get too hung up on the jargon, they are all often used interchangeably. Your microbiome is present at birth and can change throughout your lifetime. Every human has a unique combo of anywhere between 10 trillion and 100 trillion microbial cells. Estimates vary, but there could be over 1,000 different species of microorganism making up the human microbiota.
Probiotics are live microorganisms promoted with claims that they provide health benefits when consumed, generally by improving or restoring the gut flora / microbiota
Prebiotics are compounds in food that induce the growth or activity of beneficial microorganisms such as bacteria and fungi.
Let’s Move On To The Science:
There is so much more research to be done on gut health and humans gut microbiomes. The research that has been done strongly supports the claim that a diverse and flourishing gut microbiome is connected to our brain health, a stronger immune systems and digestive system. Scientists are putting a lot of time and effort into figuring out the direct connections but it's difficult to see cause and effect with such a variety and diversity of gut microbiomes. What they originally focused on was just characterizing what the gut microbiome is and how it relates to health. Now they are geared towards more specifics. I will give a general overview of the science. If you want to read more this article does a great job.
The Brain - Gut Connection: Gut health has been linked to anxiety and depression and to neurological conditions like schizophrenia and dementia. There is obviously a lot more science and research that needs to go into this, but there is a lot of evidence to suggest that gut health does relate to mental health. Most studies have been done in animals and the neurological communication mechanism is unclear. Click here for an interesting study.
The makeup of gut bacteria also varies between lean and overweight people, suggesting that it may play a role in causing obesity in the first place.
Scientists and biotechs are looking at the human microbiome for real life therapeutics
Signs of Bad Gut Health?
I would like to just point out that these symptoms are also symptoms of so many other things but your gut health could be contributing to them or really making them worse. Think about your diet and how many of these you have and if it’s a real issue talk to your doctor.
Intense sugar cravings
Unexplained weight loss or gain
Digestive issues (IBS, constipation, heartburn, diarrhea, bloating)
Unexplained mood disorders like depression and anxiety
Autoimmune issues (thyroid issues, rheumatoid arthritis and type 1 diabetes)
Sleep issues
Skin rashes and allergies
Unexplained fatigue or sluggishness
What to Eat?
Probiotic Foods: Select fermented food including yogurt, kefir, kombucha, sauerkraut, pickles, miso, tempeh, kimchi, sourdough bread and some cheeses, apple cider vinegar
(look out for pasteurization of any of above, which can remove some healthy bacteria)
Prebiotic Foods: Underripe bananas, raw garlic, onions, spinach, oats, raw leeks, blueberries, chia and flax seeds, whole grains, apples, dandelion greens, raw asparagus, pulses, dark chocolate, jerusalem artichokes
A Word on Supplements:
I could not let this entire post go without pointing out one flaw/exploitation by the wellness industry. Be careful! The vitamin / supplement industry is not regulated the same way as other drugs. Most supplements have NOT proven to be beneficial and certain bodies can reject the supplements or they do not even make it to the GI tract. Since microbiomes are so specific to the individual, a one size fits all pro/prebiotic is not going to help. Talk to a doctor before buying one, if anything to save money and resources. Personally I alway feel more comfortable getting my nutrients directly from the source itself - food. I am very untrustworthy of the vitamin/supplement industry in general. There are little regulations, little scientific support and overall just not enough conclusions for me to think it is worth it. Obviously do what makes you beam and your own research when it comes to gut health, vitamins and food.
Conclusion
As a biopsychology major my four years at college were spent trying to figure out how our biology affects our psychology. Nutrition and food always played a large part in that for me. Wellness often goes hand and hand with happiness, but mental health and mood disorders are more nuanced than that. We cannot ignore the biological root of depression, anxiety and a host of other mental illnesses when we talk about wellness. Sometimes no amount of working out or journaling can relieve someone from their pain. This science is really important to me because it offers possible insight into the biology behind our minds and can give humans another tangible way to make them feel better that will affect their biology and as a result their mind. I had the honor of having the former Dean of Tufts Nutrition School as my advisor and she was more excited about the microbiome than any other health trend we discussed.
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