Why Your Gut Plays Such An Important Role In Your Overall Health

Jun 12, 2018

Every health-conscious person should make gut health a priority. This is especially true if you've got a chronic illness. It might seem strange, but your gut affects the rest of your body, and problems like leaky gut syndrome can lead to other, more serious health complications down the line. 

Much of your immune system is in your gut, and it's believed that gut problems can actually trigger autoimmune disorders. This isn't always the case, of course - sometimes chronic illness is genetic and can't be helped. But even in cases of unavoidable illness, taking care of your gut health can make your symptoms more manageable. 

The lining of your gut is an important part of your body. It absorbs nutrients while keeping pathogens and other unwanted substances out. If the lining of your gut is compromised, it might let undesirable things through, like bacteria. Damage to your gut lining also causes chronic inflammation. If you're susceptible to chronic illness, this inflammation could trigger your immune system to start attacking other parts of your body. 

There are lots of things that can harm your gut. Here are some of them: 

• Processed foods.
• Gluten.
• Stress.
• Antibiotics.
• Some medications.
• Inflammation.
• Food additives.
• Nutritional deficiencies.

Remove gut-damaging factors from your lifestyle. Take a look at the list above. Do any of those things look familiar? You may not be able to completely remove all the things that are damaging your gut, but do your best to reduce them as much as you can. Almost everybody can adopt a gut-healthy diet, for example. 

Get all the nutrients you need. If your gut is damaged, your body needs certain nutrients to repair it. Aim to eat a healthy, nutrient-dense diet that contains plenty of vegetables and fruits. A few specific nutrients to include in your diet include: 

• Zinc
• Turmeric
• Ginger
• Probiotics
• Glutamine
• Quercetin

Supplement your diet with foods that heal your gut. Incorporate bone broth and fermented foods into your diet as much as possible. Both of these foods have powerful healing properties for your gut. You can also supplement your diet with gut-healing herbs such as marshmallow and aloe vera. 

Keep your microbiome healthy. The friendly bacteria that live in your gut help you to stay healthy. Help them thrive by giving them plenty of fiber to eat. The more fruits and vegetables your diet contains, the more easily you'll be able to maintain a healthy balance of bacteria in your gut. This is another reason to steer clear of sugar and processed carbs - these foods feed the bad bacteria in your gut, throwing off your intestinal balance and making you more likely to get sick. 

Your gut health is a very important part of your overall health, so don't ignore it! Eating a healthy diet and taking the right supplements can help you maintain a healthy gut. If you found this information useful, pass it along to your family and friends so they can benefit from it, too.