The gut has 100 million neurons. No wonder it's called the body's second brain.
Disruptions to the microbiome are associated with allergies, autoimmune diseases, and other ailments.
The microbes of the gut interact with the brain through multiple pathways. One of them is through the vagus nerve.
The vagus nerve is one of the connections between the brain and the gastrointestinal tract that sends information about the state of the inner organs to the brain.
Another way is through the immune system. The gut-associated lymphoid tissue (GALT) comprises 70% of the body's immune system and is thus the largest immune organ in the body.
What can we do knowing that our microbes play such a large role in these disorders?
The answer is, we can change our microbiota.
Ways to manipulate microbiota:
Diet: Changes to the gut microbiota can occur within days of changing the diet. A study comparing extreme shifts between plant and animal protein-based diets showed these changes after only five days.
Probiotics: Probiotics are live bacteria and yeasts. They are beneficial to human health and are usually added to yogurts or taken as food supplements. They may help reduce gut inflammation and improve other intestinal disease traits.
Prebiotics: Studies show that the low-fiber Western diet impairs the colonic mucus barrier, which results in inflammation. Prebiotics are a form of dietary fiber that feeds the beneficial bacteria in your gut.
Antibiotics: antibiotics reduce the numbers and diversity of commensal bacteria, which can allow pathogenic microbes an opportunity to thrive.
But who can help us implement these changes and improve our diets? Health coaches!
Health coaches do not prescribe diets, but we can provide information on different types of diets and supplements options to explore.
Most importantly, we empower clients to learn about what makes them feel healthy and good in their body , not just what they should or shouldn't eat.
If you're ready to make some changes in your eating habits, click here for a coaching session where we will dive into it.
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