Gut health has been a hot topic in the world of health and wellness for a while now. In fact, a lot of research has been done on the importance of maintaining a healthy gut for weight loss and proper nutrient absorption.
Don’t worry, it’s not rocket science. Your gut microbiome is, quite simply, all the microorganisms in your intestines. The large intestine houses up to 95% of the body’s microbes. This includes bacteria, fungi, viruses, and other microscopic organisms.
Now, you might be thinking – isn’t bacteria bad for the body?
Well, not exactly. The gut microbiome has a diverse ecosystem of good microbes, neutral microbes and bad microbes.
The ‘good’ microbes are made up of gut bacteria that work hard to help digest food, support the body’s defence system.
Meanwhile, the ‘bad’ microbes are the ones you have to watch out for because they can negatively impact the body. However, bad bacteria can exist in the human body without casing harm in low levels.
That’s why a healthy and balanced gut microbiome is ideally made up of 85% good microbes and 15% of bad microbes.
We already know that 70% of the body’s immune system lies in the gut and that a healthy gut is crucial for nutrient absorption in the body.
But did you know that a good, healthy gut microbiome is also responsible for:
If there in an imbalance with too many ‘bad’ microbes in your gut, it can affect your overall health and well-being. It’s not just about avoiding tummy upsets after eating something particularly unhealthy.
In fact, your gut health can severely impact your health in several ways, including health concerns such as:
Let’s take a deeper look at how gut health is linked to these health concerns and more importantly, what you can do improve your gut health in Part 2: 4 Easy Steps To A Healthier Gut.
