BY JOYCE WONG JIN YI
DO YOU know almost 80% of your body’s immune system and health reside in your gut? From your cardiovascular health to your brain health, your gut plays a crucial role. Whether you are dealing with a heart or brain problem, the first place you most often have to look is the gut. When you want to have a healthy body, pay attention to your gut. Let’s discover the uniqueness of the gut, leaky gut, what triggers leaky gut and what you can do to have a healthy gut.
To understand the entire mechanism, you need a bit of basic gut knowledge, starting with how it works. The gut is an organ system that covers the digestion process. The intestines are where the hard work of digestion takes place. It functions as the primary surface of nutrient absorption. They are lined with microvilli, microscopic cellular membrane bulges that increase the intestine’s surface area where nutrient absorption occurs.
[ihc-hide-content ihc_mb_type=”block” ihc_mb_who=”unreg” ihc_mb_template=”3″ ]The intestines are covered by the intestinal epithelium, a single layer of cells that separates the contents of the intestines from the body. The intestinal epithelium acts as a barrier, preventing harmful substances such as macromolecules, toxins, and microorganisms into the bloodstream. When this intestinal epithelium tight junction gets torn due to inflammation, larger molecules called macromolecules, toxins, and antigens can pass through the intestinal epithelium into the bloodstream. This condition is referred to as intestinal permeability or a leaky gut.
What are the main culprits to cause the leaky gut? There is a wide range of underlying causes. Food particles, environmental factors, stress, hormone changes, drugs, pathogens, toxins from daily self-care products, and infections are the most frequent triggers.
Another vital factor that plays a crucial part in developing, regulating, and maintaining the intestinal barrier is the gut microbiome. The trillions of microorganisms in the human digestive tract – known as the gut microbiome – have been linked to immunity, metabolism, mood, the endocrine system, and cardiovascular health. The gut’s microbiome can weigh up to 5 pounds -nearly twice as much as the brain. When the intestine contains the right balance of good and bad bacteria, our gut is in a state of symbiosis. An imbalance of the microbiome is referred to as dysbiosis.
To promote the restoration of a healthy gut microbiome, scientists have identified prebiotics and probiotics. Foods that nourish and promote a healthy gut microbiome are called prebiotics. Most prebiotics is dietary fibres. For a food ingredient to be classified as prebiotic, it must resist digestion, be fermented by intestinal microorganisms, and stimulate the growth/activity of beneficial bacteria. Examples of food with high prebiotics are artichokes, banana, shiitake mushrooms, potatoes, asparagus, plantains, raw garlic, onions, honey, kiwi, chicory root, and dandelion greens.
Probiotics are live microorganisms that provide health benefits when consumed in appropriate amounts. Yogurt, and other fermented foods, including kefir, kimchi, kombucha, and sauerkraut, contain a wide range of probiotics. Remember to consume food that is rich in prebiotics and probiotics.
Want to explore more ways to restore your gut health? Check out my wellness masterclass here: https://www.joyce-wong.com/wellnessmasterclass. For the first 100 sign-ups, you will get FREE 1 Year of membership in my wellness inner circle and a Free 1 hour 1-1 coaching session with me. See you inside! [/ihc-hide-content]
