When your gut is healthy, the rest of your body often hums along happily.
That’s because your gut influences everything from yourdigestionto your brain and yourimmune system.
Signs your gut needs support.
Your gut is home to trillions of bacteria along with yeast and viruses that live among these bacteria.
Collectively, these microorganisms are called your gut microbiota.
Their collective genes make up the gut microbiome.
Although everyones gut microbiome shares some similar characteristics, there are also vast differences.
Here are some common factors affected by gut health, and how to optimize yours.
And this can push out the good bacteria in your gut, contributing to even more gut imbalance.
Supplementing with thistype of probiotic straincan help improve digestion.
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Mood
Your gut microbiomeplays a vital role in your mental health2and theway you respond to stress.
There are also neural communication channels between the gut and brain (i.e., gut-brain axis).
For example, research shows that suboptimal gut balance cannegatively affect learning and memory4.
Skin health
Skin health needs can represent underlying gut health needs.
That’s because gut is in direct communication with your skin through whats called the gut-skin axis.
Itplays a role in skin homeostasis5and physiologic pathways that keep your skin clear and healthy.
But different types of microbes like different foods.
For example,yeast thrives on sugar6,Bifidobacterialove dietary fiber, andBacteroidetesprefer fats.
Immune health
Your gut microbiomedirectly influences your immune system.
When yourgut is healthy, your immune system is healthy.
In fact, approximately 70% of the immune system resides in your gut!
When the gut is imbalanced, this can affect immune function and health.
What causes gut balance issues?
Poor diet is one of the biggest causes of gut imbalance.
Your diet is so important that it can causeundesirable changes in gut health10even in a short period of time.
However, while diet is certainly important, it isnt the only thing that matters.
The foods you eat have a direct effect on the balance of bacteria in your gut.
Fiberand complex carbohydrates feed the good bacteria, while sugar and processed foods encourage gut imbalance.
Research shows that taking aprobiotic supplement12can support overall digestive health.
Probiotics can also provide nutritional support forfunctional GI needs12like occasional gas and bloating, while encouraging regularity.
The key to good gut health is identifying and eliminating your food triggers to allow your gut to thrive.
Too muchstress can lead to immune reactions15that contributes to gut imbalance.
And this effect is seen with any punch in of stressphysical, emotional, and environmental.
Luckily, there are lots of things you’re able to do to help improve your gut health.
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