Gut Health in a Nutshell
Written by Kirsten Ahrendt
Today I’m talking about GUT HEALTH! Which is a big reach for me because as a kid I grew up eating McDonalds, Slim-Jims, and white bread with Miracle Whip. It was the 90’s…what can you expect?
I’ve since learned a few things about nutrition and Invictus recently partnered with a company called SEED, so I was intrigued. SEED makes a gut health supplement that they call a “synbiotic”, which is unique in the realm of gut health, as it’s a probiotic + prebiotic in one. Since I didn’t understand why that was cool or necessary, I decided to level up my knowledge in order to be a little more “well read” and a lot less “meathead” when it comes to understanding what gut health is and why I (and our entire community) should care about it.
Below, I’ve listed some of my references if you want to read smarter people than myself describe these things. If you don’t have hours to carve out for gut health, here are some basics that I learned.
Gut Health in a Nutshell
Microbiomes
We each have unique microbiomes living on us and in us. The gut microbiome is like an 11 trillion living microorganism city made up of bacteria, fungi, viruses and more.
Probiotics
The good or “beneficial” bacteria in our gut is termed “probiotics”. Probiotics need certain prebiotics (fuel) to live long and prosper.
Good Bacteria
The right balance and presence of bacteria in our gut, will contribute to creating a healthy gut and a myriad of digestive and systemic health functions.
Such as…
Bacteria and Gut Health
– GI function
– Gut Barrier Integrity
– Cardiovascular Health
– Gut Immune Function
– Micronutrient Synthesis
– Dermatological Health
– Depression and Mood**
Gut Brain Connection
(Just a small sidebar.)
Don’t believe that there’s more to gut health than just better poops?! There’s a ton of research out there connecting the health of our GUT to our mood and behavior. This is a topic for another time, but here’s some interesting facts to hold you over:
- When scientists studied the vagus nerve, which directly connects our brain and gut, they found that the network of neurons lining our gut is so extensive, they nicknamed our gut “the second brain”.
- 90% of the fibers in the vagus nerve carry information from the gut to the brain and not the other way around.
- 95% of the body’s serotonin (the happy drug) is found in the bowels.
- Fiber is required for production of serotonin in the gut. If you aren’t getting fiber
*P.S. I’m not paid by SEED or Invictus to write about this product. I was just woefully undereducated on the topic. If you’re like me, I hope this helps give you a baseline of information to make sure your own habits are aligned with creating optimal gut health.
Also Check Out…
How to Create a Healthy Gut Microbiome
The Science of Probiotics
Your Gut 101