The human body is home to trillions of bacteria, and micro-organisms that are responsible for carrying out tasks needed to maintain your health. Most of the bacterial cells are found in the intestines, known as gut bacteria/gut flora. The gut bacteria play a key role in performing tasks like interacting with your immune system and producing vitamins. How your food is digested also depends on gut bacteria which in turn affects your weight.
WHY IS GUT BACTERIA IMPORTANT?
No wonder, your diet and your lifestyle affect the health of gut bacteria. Not all bacteria are said to be friendly to your body. There are bacterial cells that can cause diseases, while others protect your body from infection and other problems.
Believe it or not, there are trillions of bacteria, viruses, and fungi in your body at any given moment. The collective term for these is the microbiome and they can play a crucial role in maintaining your body’s health, weight, immune system, and heart strength. An imbalance in healthy vs unhealthy microbes in the gut can lead to weight gain.
The bacteria in the intestines are of 4 types: Bacteroidetes, Firmicutes, Proteobacteria, and Actinobacteria. Each type of bacteria is responsible for various tasks and plays a vital role in your health. Healthy bacteria are important for the digestive process. They strengthen the immune system by destroying harmful cells and producing essential vitamins needed for your body.
Throughout your life, the microbiome is used for a number of different jobs, from digesting breast milk as a baby to digesting fiber, controlling your immune system, and maintaining brain health throughout your life. The microbiome is also said to play a pivotal role in maintaining a good level of cholesterol and triglycerides. The diverse gut microbiome can also reduce the risk of developing a type of diabetes. On the other hand, unhealthy gut species can lead to heart diseases, blocked arteries, heart attacks, and strokes.
When the number of bacterial cells increases in your gut, it creates an imbalance known as dysbiosis. This can result in overweight, skin inflammation, an increase in sugar levels and cancer. However, there are ways you can keep your gut bacteria healthy.
WHAT TO EAT TO KEEP YOUR GUT BACTERIAL CELLS HEALTHY?
The food you eat does affect your gut bacteria, so you need to check up on your diet and consume those foods that are considered healthy for your gut flora. When there is a bacterial imbalance in the gut, health issues can become frequent like infections. To eliminate the imbalance, it’s important that you should eat a variety of foods that includes fruits and vegetables, dried fruits, starchy foods, and whole grains that can balance the gut flora.
Healthy foods provide nutrients for the growth of bacteria. When your diet consists of foods rich in protein and whole grains, there will be a diversity of bacterial growth in your gut, making it balanced. Unfortunately, the western diet isn’t diverse anymore since 80 % of the food supply comes from 5 animals and 12 plants.
However, studies show that people living in rural areas of South America and African countries are found to have diverse gut flora than the people living in the UK and the USA.
When there is a lack of diversity in gut bacteria, it can have a negative impact on your health. Some of the foods that aren’t good for gut bacteria are as follows: Sugary items: When you’re consuming too much sugar, it can promote the growth of unhealthy gut bacteria which can lead to problems like obesity.
Lastly, foods rich in unhealthy saturated fats stimulate the growth of bacteria that causes diseases if too many unsaturated fats are consumed. Healthy saturated fats like omega 3 promote healthy bacteria that keep your gut flora optimal.
About the author Brian Rose:
As a Biohacker, I completely submerged myself in neural enhancement, receiving training in a Neuro Performance Program with Vitanya Brain Performance, and completing Vipassana, a 10-day Silent Meditation Retreat. These experiences trained my brain to change its frequency from Alpha to Beta and taught me how to move energy within my body to benefit my mind.
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