Straight from the gut.
Scientists are starting to conclude that your overall health has more to do with what’s going on in your gut than anyone ever imagined. Concerned about your ongoing wellness and vitality? Maybe it’s time for a gut check.
a few facts about your gut microbiome • You can carry up to 2 kilograms of microbes— or 4.5 pounds—in your gut. 1 • Nutrients you eat—like fibre, vitamins, and amino acids—are processed by the microbes in your gut into beneficial metabolites, like short-chain fatty acids, histamine, and serotonin. 2 • Two-thirds of your gut microbiome is unique to you. That means the exact composition of that microbiome is based on your genetic makeup and on factors like the food you eat, the air you breathe, and your environment in general. 2 • 95% of your body’s serotonin supply (which helps in the regulation of mood, appetite, and sleep) is produced in your gut, according to the American Psychological Association. 1 • 80% of immune cells reside in the gut, and your immune system is greatly influenced by conditions in the gut. 3
You may think of your brain as the control centre of your body. And you’d be right—mostly. Because what researchers are finding is challenging the notion that the brain is the only part of your body calling the shots. Emerging research paints a picture of your gut not only communicating directly with your brain, but also influencing your health more than experts thought—even your mental health! In fact, gut health has now been linked to anxiety, learning and memory, appetite and satiety, and mood and emotion. It’s all happening in your digestive tract’s microbiome. That’s the fancy word for the ecosystem of trillions of bacteria that live, work, and talk to each other inside your gut. We’re just now beginning to understand this complex environment and the full scope of its connection to the rest of your body. Your overall wellness, as well as your susceptibility to a wide variety of health conditions, appears to depend to some extent on the makeup of your gut microbiome.
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JULY 2018 | MELALEUCA.COM
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