Gut Health 101: Eating “Good” Bacteria

Written by Dr. Bal Krishna Subedi

Orthopedic Surgeon (MS)

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November 24, 2020

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“You are what you eat” goes the old saying. However, the saying should be “we are what we make our microbes eat.” An equilibrium between the “good” and the “bad” bacteria in our gut is crucial to good health and living. (1) Healthy gut flora helps in proper digestion, metabolism, controls food intake, hunger, satiety, mood, and strengthens the immune system in general. (2) The gut is also labeled as the second brain of the human body owing to an independent nervous system constituted in its layers. Various studies support the importance of normal flora in reducing the inflammatory processes, modifying the gene expression, and improving the metabolic and hematological functions. (2-3)

An imbalanced gut is an indication of numerous health issues including weight gain, diabetes, obesity, constipation, acid reflux, skin infections, conditions like arthritis, autoimmune disorders, mental problems like stress and depression, etc. (4) Modern stressful lifestyles, poor dietary habits, and the influence of environmental toxins significantly harms the gut flora. High sugar content, processed food products, low live foods such as fruits and vegetables, infections such as H. pylori, medications such as antibiotics, etc. ruins gut health and invites several health problems.

Diverse food patterns rich in plant and animal products are necessary to keep our guts healthy, flexible, and functioning. (5) All-natural foods such as yogurt (with live and active cultures), fresh vegetables, sauerkraut (unpasteurized), kefir, tempeh, miso soup, red wine, fermented cheese, fiber-rich diets such as legumes, nuts, and seeds; exercise, good sleep, dietary supplements like omega 3 fatty acids, etc. help considerably to restore and maintain the balance of normal flora.

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References:

1.) Gagliardi, A., Totino, V., Cacciotti, F., Iebba, V., Neroni, B., Bonfiglio, G., Trancassini, M., Passariello, C., Pantanella, F., & Schippa, S. (2018). Rebuilding the gut microbiota ecosystem. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 15(8). https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph15081679

2.) Valdes, A. M., Walter, J., Segal, E., & Spector, T. D. (2018). Role of the gut microbiota in nutrition and health. BMJ, 361. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.k2179

3.) Lazar, V., Ditu, L.-M., Pircalabioru, G. G., Gheorghe, I., Curutiu, C., Holban, A. M., Picu, A., Petcu, L., & Chifiriuc, M. C. (2018). Aspects of gut microbiota and immune system interactions in infectious diseases, immunopathology, and cancer. Frontiers in Immunology, 9. https://doi.org/10.3389/fimmu.2018.01830

4.) Leaky gut archives. (n.d.). Elena Klimenko, MD – Functional Medicine. Retrieved November 11, 2020, from https://www.drelenaklimenko.com/category/leaky-gut/

5.) Ercolini, D., & Fogliano, V. (2018). Food design to feed the human gut microbiota. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 66(15), 3754–3758. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jafc.8b00456