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At a health workshop titled The Happy Gut, nutritionist Rebekah Blank explained rather jovially how all diseases begin in the gut. A famous saying, it wasnt lost on the dozen odd people who had gathered around her at a popular caf in Noida.

The gut is the centre of our immune system and one of the most important organs of the body. Our gut is where we digest our food and where we assimilate the nutrients into the rest of our body to nourish ourselves. "A good gut means a healthy functioning digestive system. It means we are getting proper nutrition from the food we are eating, that we have good energy, we dont have toxins leaking into our bodies and last but not the least we have strong immune systems," explained Blank, brand head, Fabcafe by Fabindia.

TUMMY TALES

The gut consists of approximately 80 per cent of the immune system and 95 per cent of serotonin or the "feel-good" hormone, is also produced here. "An individuals intestines [gut] contain pounds of good bacteria, whose job is to help with the absorption of nutrients from the food you eat. The good bacteria determines the strength of your immunity, regulates weight, recovery, healing, colon health, toxicity in the body and several other functions," says a nutritionist with GOQii, a preventive healthcare company.

The issues around gut health only seem to be increasing year on year, indicating a downward trend in Indias health as far as nutrition is concerned.

According to the GOQii India Fit Report released earlier this year, gut health is an area of key concern. The report indicates 35 per cent of the users having concerns regarding acidity and indigestion. Constipation is plaguing 14 per cent of them, which is higher than the last year by 10 per cent. Bloating too has increased from 8.5 to 10 per cent.

Its quite clear why the tummy is in trouble. Bacteria, fungi and virus, collectively called microbiome, exist in the gastrointestinal tract and for a body to function properly, it must maintain the right balance of bacteria in the gut. But our modern lifestyle results in most of our health problems. "Stress, anxiety, high blood sugar, insomnia, inappropriate eating habits and intake of processed food and the consumption of antibiotics can damage the gut microbiome," says Mohamad Yusuf N Shaikh, founder of Kudrati Ayurved Health Center.

Leaky Gut, which is one of the most bewildering illnesses to be diagnosed and treated. It is puzzling majorly due to the gut having a very extensive and complex structure. Due to this, toxins and bacteria enter the blood-stream, resulting in inflammation and activating a reaction from the immunity. "This is one of the major causes of several medical conditions such as chronic fatigue syndrome, migraine, multiple sclerosis, fibromyalgia, food sensitivities, thyroid abnormalities, mood swings and skin conditions," informs the GOQii nutritionist.

According to Delhi-based dietician Nmami Agarwal, deep-fried foods and those made of refined flour and refined sugar make a harmful combination for our gut. "Also, alcohol and smoking can irritate your digestive system and give rise to acidity. To maintain a healthy gut, you need to follow a balanced diet with an optimum combination of macro and micronutrients," she says.

However there are several ways in which we can keep our gut clean. One of them is to have correct food pairings. As digestion is a complex process from breaking down of the starch to activating enzymes that dismantle proteins it is necessary to follow proper food pairing for a healthy gut. Certain nutrients are better absorbed when they are eaten together, for example, to get more calcium from yoghurt, one can increase the intake of foods with high vitamin D, such as salmon.

FOOD PAIRING

"Raw fats, like olive and coconut oil or even avocado, can prevent the digestion of protein because fats make the gut environment basic, and avoid the full breakdown of proteins that results in an acidic stomach," informs Shaikh. Do not pair protein with starch because proteins need an acidic environment to break down and starches need an alkaline for basic environment. "Pairing these together will make the stomach to go into over function and will leave you feeling tired, bloated and gassy," he adds.

Yoghurt comprises probiotics which ensures good bacteria growth in Gastrointestinal. Probiotics are foods, or food supplements, that contain live bacteria suitable for health. Besides, drinking water keeps the body hydrated, helps in digestion and prevents constipation. "Intake of prebiotics fibre such as fruits, vegetables and whole-grain can helps in building a healthy gut in the long run," says Shaikh.

Its important that attention to the stomach is paid right from a young age. "Proportion of good bacteria is maintained at all times, especially in children. A shortage of these can also be the leading cause of allergies, skin problems, migraines, inability to lose weight," says GOQii nutritionist.

In a nutshell, reduce the intake of refined carbohydrates, include probiotic supplements and eat fermented and high fibre foods, reduce the intake of alcohol and quit smoking.

See the rest here:
Be good to your gut - India Today

This entry was posted on December 2, 2019 at 12:50 pm and is filed under Immune System. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed. |