The thousands of microbes living in your intestine are known as the intestinal microbiome, and they play a huge role in your well-being. Cleveland Clinic Gail Cresci microbiome expert describes these microbes as “small pets living inside your intestinal tract”. They help decompose food, regulate inflammation, support immunity and even produce essential compounds such as vitamins and hormones.
Since intestinal health is essential to overall health, it is important to pay attention to the signs that this can be unhealthy. Once you are aware of this imbalance, it is important to take measures to improve it, which we describe below.
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Signs of an unhealthy intestine
“If you are inflated or if you have a lot of gas, you can have a composition and a disturbed function of the intestinal microbiome,” said Cresci, adding that the only way to know with certainty is to measure it.
Other signs of an unhealthy intestine may include:
- Vomiting or stomach aches
- Fatigue
- Difficulty sleeping
- Food intolerance
- Skin irritation or problems
Research has linked skin problems such as acne and psoriasis to the intestine. Studies also examine how the intestinal biome has an impact on reproductive health and hormone levels.
How to keep your intestine healthy
It is important to see a doctor to determine the deep cause of your health problem and exclude other conditions. Bringing changes to your diet or routine that can improve your intestine and overall health is a good first step.
Cresci also said that there was no exact standard for the perfectly healthy intestinal microbiome, because everyone’s composition is so different. Keeping this in mind, here are four things you can do to help keep it on the right track.
1. eat these foods suitable for the intestine
The intestinal microbiome prefers foods that we cannot digest. This includes foods with a lot of fiber, such as fresh fruit, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, seeds and nuts; The foods that we already know that we should eat for their nutritional properties.
According to CRESCI, foods rich in sugar and fat and low in fiber should be removed from your intestine or consumed in lower quantities. “These are all associated with the consumption of a Western diet, which is also associated with a disturbed microbiome,” she said.
Beyond a healthy diet in intests healthy food for the heartEating fermented foods can help replace good microbes and their metabolites. Cresci lists yogurt, kombucha and kefir as examples.
2. Note the medications you take
It is a well -known fact that the taking of antibiotics disrupts, at least temporarily, the family of “good” prosperous bacteria in your body. Certain common side effects of taking antibiotics include nausea, diarrhea and the development of yeast infections. If you are prescribed an antibiotic or you have recurring infections that often make you take antibiotics, ask your doctor what you can do to help minimize the disturbance of your microbiome.
The other drugs that can disturb our microbiomas, says Cresci, include those that modify the pH of the stomach and take acid. The examples include inhibitors of the proton pump, AKA IPP and H2 receptor antagonists or H2 blockers, which are used to reduce acid reflux symptoms and could be available on the counter.
By keeping a trace of the drugs you take, you can help identify the cause of your symptoms and (with the signature of your doctor), take appropriate measurements or substitutions if intestinal health is a problem.
3. Find the RIGHT Probiotics or supplements
In addition to incorporating more yogurt or fermented foods in their diet, some people may search for a probiotic in the hope of balance their intestine, because they are designed to imitate an intact microbiota. If you plan to take a supplement, including probiotics, Cresci told CNET that it was important to know that probiotics are specific to the strain, and “each strain has its own method of action”.
For example, some probiotics are designed to help people with diarrhea induced by antibiotics, but that will not work for a person who took them for a regularity of the intestine.
“You want to take the one that has been studied for everything that is your problem,” she said.
In addition, unfortunately, keep in mind that probiotics will not completely replace what you eat.
“If you have poor diet and want to continue to eat a poor diet but want to improve your microbiome, a probiotic will not help you,” said Cresci. “You must also do the other part.”
Whole grains, fruits and vegetables are excellent food choices if you want to start curing your intestine.
4. Move your body every day and prioritize sleep
“Get Better Sleep” or “More exercise” may seem tired advice, but improve your sleep hygiene and pressing more physical activity are proven and real means to improve your health, including your intestinal health.
Exercise can help your intestine in different ways, including by improving your circulation, helping your metabolism and helping your digestive muscles, according to the Cleveland Clinic. If you fear running or you don’t have time to go to the gymnasium, don’t worry: there are small ways to take your body in the habit of moving every day or at least more frequently.
Sleeping well is another general well-being advice linked directly to the health of our guts. According to Cresci, our microbiome adheres to circadian rhythmAlso. So, if we eat when our intestinal microbiome is not ready, we will not be installed to correctly treat the nutrients in our food.
The absence of sleep also triggers an increase in stress and cortisol, which have negative mental and physical impacts.
“There is a lot of things with the intestinal-end-up interaction, so that it signals in the microbiome, and vice versa,” said Cresci.
The most fundamental is perhaps the fact that when we are exhausted, we do not have the energy to check many of the things that keep us healthy, in particular by doing the exercise or by finding a nutritious meal – which both have an impact on our intestinal health.
“When you are sleepy, tired, exhausted, you tend not to do the things we know how to be good for microbiomas,” said Cresci. “So it can be perpetuated in a way.”
