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Our gut is most probably the last thing that we think of when in terms of maintaining good overall health. The look of health is not constrained to our aesthetics; it is our internal settings that do all the hard work to keep us in sound condition. We are largely made up of cells and bacteria, and many of those bacteria can be found in our gut. It makes complete sense to aspire to healthy gut habits in order to reflect a picture of total well-being. The condition of our gut has been shown in various studies to directly influence our mental and emotional health. Our gut is like our second brain and impacts our nervous system. The hormones and neurotransmitters that govern the intricacies of our brain can also be found in our gut. Essentially, when we look at our internal workings and gut bacteria, it builds a stronger foundation for our total health.

For example, did you know that there are 100 million nerve cells in your gut? Your digestive tract is a hugely important, if underappreciated, part of your overall health. Here we look at some more helpful information to help you.

1.    Our gut and changes to our behavior

We have clusters of microorganisms that live inside our intestines and well into hundreds of different kinds of bacteria. Our gut contains both good and bad bacteria- ultimately we want to raise or maintain the levels of good bacteria in order to achieve integral balance. The microorganisms of gut bacteria are active in the communication function of our brain, so the healthier these communication pathways are, the better our overall mental health will be. This is of particular importance in helping people with mental health and emotional issues such as depression and anxiety. Simple changes to our diet like including probiotic yogurt as part of our daily nutrition are a great starting point to better gut health.

2.    Greater Immune Health

We know that our bodies are a vast system of intricate connectivity. Any small change in one element of our health is bound to affect another. We should always look at our health in the broadest terms and take note of understanding our bodies better. Our immune system is fortified through the better gut and intestinal health. Many of our cells that comprise our immune system are found in our gut- around 70% in fact. Eating a wide range of fruit, vegetables, and wholesome food promotes our good gut bacteria and boosts our immunity also. Throughout your gut, there is an ecosystem of bacteria that help regulate your health by managing your nutrition and enabling your first line of defense against the outside world.

3.   Help your gut health right now

We don’t need to wait to make small changes. Life is happening now. Have an honest look at your nutritional habits and discern where you can tweak them for the better. Here are a few simple tips.

• Eat Breakfast (include probiotics)! Our blood sugar levels are heavily impacted when we miss breakfast- this, in turn, affects our mental/emotional health also.

• Try to avoid too much acidity in your diet (minimize processed foods/sodas and high sugar drinks e.t.c). An alkaline environment promotes better gut health.

• Add herbs rather than salt to flavor your meals. Herbs such as cinnamon, coriander, and turmeric are great for the good bacteria in our guts. Garlic is also known for its well-documented nutrition.

Another point to highlight is that our gut health becomes increasingly important as we age. According to some of the leading voices in scientific research, one of the biggest changes your body experiences as we age isn’t anywhere we can see; it’s inside of our gut. As we age, the microbiome that we have counted on to keep us healthy and help regulate our moods and manage our weight starts to change.

Dr. Rob Knight, co-founder of the American Gut Project, has spent years studying the connection between aging and the composition of the microbiome. He has found that, as we age, the beneficial bacteria in our guts begin to erode, causing a great number of side effects. And he has even seen evidence that these changes in the microbiome can help accelerate the effects of aging throughout the body. Changes in the gut microbiome change your risk of disease progression. Opportunistic pro-inflammatory bacteria can become more common in the adult gut ecosystem and may alter immune function and metabolism. In fact, more than 100 genes from microbiome species are correlated with aging.

So what does that mean for you?

“Aging has been shown to have the single greatest link to the gut microbiome -- and as we age, changes in the microbiome measurably impact overall health, sleeping patterns, and weight management,” says Jochen Kumm, PhD and CTO of Greenteaspoon Inc., maker of Goodgut® Prebiotic Supplements. “It becomes increasingly important to be much more proactive in the care of our digestive tract as we get older.”

In addition to diet changes, it can be important to add a dietary supplement into your daily routine to help support your gut as it goes through the change. “The best way to fix a problem is to avoid it in the first place,” said Kumm. “The concentrated and consistent support from a daily dietary supplement can help balance the microbiome before the effects of aging start to interrupt your daily life.”

Polyphenol-based prebiotic supplements, like Goodgut Balance and Boost, have been shown to be incredibly effective at helping to balance the microbiome. Goodgut products work by helping to nourish the beneficial bacteria in your gut that can often diminish with age. These bacteria, in turn, fortify the protective barrier throughout the digestive tract. This barrier is responsible for stopping bad bacteria, viruses, and other toxins from passing from the digestive tract into your bloodstream.

When the protective barrier in your digestive tract is strong, there is less of a strain on your immune system; your body is able to more effectively digest food, and you are less likely to experience uncomfortable symptoms such as gas, bloating, upset stomach and occasional diarrhea. In fact, Goodgut Boost and Balance have been clinically shown to dramatically reduce these symptoms and help promote balance in the digestive tract.

Goodgut Boost is an immune support prebiotic supplement.

• It works by reinforcing the 70% of your immune system that resides in the gut.

• As you age, and the protective layer in your gut weakens, your immune system is on high alert all of the time, resulting in gut inflammation and something called “immune burnout.”

• Goodgut Boost is formulated to strengthen that barrier and nourish the good bacteria that protect it in order to give your immune system some relief.

Goodgut Balance is the product of more stubborn symptoms.

• It has a higher concentration of active ingredient than Boost and is designed to provide an additional level of support to the gut.

• As your digestive tract gets more out of balance with age, in addition to the strain on the immune system, you can start experiencing more gas, bloating, upset stomach & occasional diarrhea.

• Goodgut Balance works to restore harmony in the gut and is clinically proven to alleviate those uncomfortable, and often embarrassing, symptoms.

Both Goodgut Boost & Balance are available on Amazon and at Walgreens, Meijer, and CVS stores around the country.

Aging is inevitable, but that doesn’t mean it needs to be uncomfortable. Be proactive about your health by adding a dietary supplement to your routine!

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