An Introduction to Gut Health and the Microbiome
It seems you can’t talk about health these days, without addressing the gut. Gut health and the balance of our gut microbiome is foundational to our overall health and wellbeing. Although much research has come out on this topic over the past few decades, understanding the importance of gut health is not new. While my own introduction to this comes from the “nature cure” doctors of the past century, we can see this awareness reflected in many healing traditions. One of the most notable being Ayurvedic medicine, that seeks to optimize the digestive “fire” or “agni” as it was called, in order to ensure overall health and wellbeing.
When we talk about digestive health, you might think it only applies to you if you have digestive symptoms - such as reflux, heartburn, ulcers, abdominal pain or cramping, gas, bloating, loose stools or constipation. It turns out that a disruption in gut balance may not necessarily be associated with any obvious digestive symptoms at all. However, the impact of a disrupted gut microbiome on our health runs deep. It affects our overall health in so many different ways. Our overall health is intimately tied to our gut health.
When it comes to optimizing gut function the two most important cornerstones to address are
The microbiome, which is the balance of microbes in and on our bodies that ideally function in a symbiotic manner with our physiology. Our own human microbiome is intimately connected with the microbiome of the soil and natural world around us
The state of our nervous system which is intimately connected to our ability to be in “rest and digest” mode which allows us to produce the digestive enzymes and physiological processes necessary to digest our foods
The gut is an important part of our nervous system - termed the “enteric nervous system”. The relationship between the gut and the brain is significant as well, and termed the “gut brain axis”. Many important neurotransmitters depend on gut health in order to express themselves in an optimal manner. What goes on in our gut affects our mental emotional well being and vice versa. What goes on in our nervous system - specifically the autonomic nervous system, via the function of the vagus nerve, affects our gut function.
It is through our gut that we register an experience of safety in our body. Not only do we need to feel “good in our gut” and connected to our “gut instincts” in order to be healthy and well, we also depend on healthy gut function in order to experience a healthy sense of self. It is through the digestive system that we distinguish the boundary between self and not-self and where we decide what we take in versus what we don’t. As such, the gut is fundamental to our immune health and identity. Many problems with immune function and autoimmune patterns originate in the gut.
The balance of microbes in our gut also has a significant impact on our overall metabolic function - affecting blood sugar and weight regulation, the expression of cardiovascular risk factors related to such things as lipid metabolism and the expression of inflammatory processes in the body.
The effect of gut health on our overall health runs deep.
While distress in digestive function has been occurring for millennia, the last century has added a whole new layer of aggravating factors. Our digestive systems have been under much duress. The most significant factors that have aggravated the health of our digestive system over the past century revolve around a disruption in the balance of our microbiome. The following factors seem most significant as contributing to this problem of epidemic proportions:
The displacement of nutrient dense foods high in a broad range of phytonutrients by processed and refined foods. These refined foods include sugars, processed carbohydrates such as flour, refined starches, industrial seed oils etc
The overuse of antibiotics, acid blocking drugs and other medications that affect microbiome balance
Toxic exposure including our exposure to xenoestrogens, and the toxic chemicals found in skin and beauty care products
The increase of birth by c-section, the use of infant formulas and the intergenerational effect of a disrupted maternal microbiome
The presence of chlorine in our drinking water
The ubiquitous use of certain chemicals in food production that destroys the microbiome of our soil and accumulates in our food supply. Most notable here is glyphosate, often used under the trade name of “Roundup”. The intake of food and water contaminated with this chemical then further disrupts the gut microbiome, damaging the lining of the gut wall and affecting the health of many important organs in the body. Corn, soy and canola are a few of the most common crops contaminated with this chemical. Wheat often contains significant contamination with glyphosate as well. It is not uncommon for wheat to be sprayed with glyphosate before harvest to speed up the drying process of the crop. Another significant source of glyphosate in our diets comes from the animal foods we are eating, as most animals raised conventionally dine on some combination of soy and corn.
Being raised in an overly "sanitized" environment, indoor living and lack of contact with the outdoors. Reducing our exposure to the proverbial “peck of dirt” that we need to be exposed to in our lifetime in order to ensure our continued symbiotic connection to the natural world.
Lack of sufficient exposure to the beneficial microbes in our environment due to the over use of disinfectant chemicals and processes.
Reduced intake of naturally fermented foods that were a normal part of the diet of our ancestors. These fermented foods are an important source of beneficial microbes.
The optimal function of our digestive capacity depends on our nervous systems being in a relaxed parasympathetic state in order to “rest and digest”. Many people are suffering from a reduced digestive capacity due to the tendency be in a chronic stressed state, to eat on the run and always be rushed when eating. We are wired to enjoy food shared, in a social context, with others, in a relaxed state. This rarely happens in our culture today. Our digestive system can not function properly in this wound up state, aggravating digestive symptoms across the board.
From this list, we can see that our work is cut out for us. We need to make significant dietary and lifestyle changes to address these underlying factors. While there maybe times when natural antimicrobial or antiparasitic formulas may be indicated, I prefer to use herbs in a manner that helps change the underlying terrain or energetic pattern of the body that is contributing to the gut imbalance in the first place.
It’s interesting to note that most herbs when analyzed biochemically are found to have anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial and gut-modulating effects. Many phytochemicals in plants help promote the balance of beneficial microbes in the gut. Herbs can help heal and tone the lining of the gut through their demulcent, astringent, cooling and anti-inflammatory effects. Other herbs support gut health through their bitter, alterative and stimulating effects, improving the production of stomach acid, digestive enzymes and supporting the production and flow of bile through the liver and gallbladder. Yet other herbs, help relax the nervous system, helping the body be in a state that is more conducive to digesting our foods properly.
Some of the easiest ways to draw upon the support of plants in digestion is through the liberal use of herbs and spices in cooking (see posts HERE and HERE) , as beverage teas and as bitters. Not only do many of these herbs and spices stimulate digestive function, they also contain innumerable phytonutrients that help bring balance to the gut microbiome. It can be helpful to learn more about the energetics of plants to understand which will be of particular benefit to your unique body type.
Here are additional ways you can support your digestive and microbiome health:
Filter your water and reduce your exposure to xenoestrogens and other toxic chemicals
Improve food quality. Reduce your intake of refined foods and increase your intake of the nutrient dense foods. See the Foodchart for more support on this topic.
The phytonutrients found in many plant foods have a significant impact on gut health. Eat more plants. Eat more legumes. Ensure the intake of healthy fats.
If possible, include bone broth in your diet. Reduce your intake of animal foods from conventionally raised sources.
Include naturally fermented foods in your diet such as natural sauerkraut, kim chi, and kefir, to name a few of my favourites. While there are many probiotic supplements on the market, I prefer obtaining probiotics via our foods whenever possible. Stay tuned for more on fermenting and probiotic foods over the coming months.
Fasting 12 hours overnight allows the digestive system time to reset itself on a daily basis. Incorporating periodic longer fasts can also have a significant impact on gut health and its associated metabolic parameters. More on fasting in a future post.
Improve digestion by slowing down when you eat and taking the time to chew your food well. Share meals with others that bring you a feeling of joy and connection. Make food preparation a priority. Enjoy your food and give thanks for your food.