Gut health: Dr Chris George on how to improve microbiome
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Like any area of the body, the gastrointestinal tract can suffer the effects of chronic inflammation. The same persistent condition of the immune system that can occur in the joints or arteries can also take place in the gastrointestinal tract, inflaming or damaging the lining of the intestines and other parts of the digestive system. This gut inflammation may be caused by a variety of diseases but fortunately it can be improved with certain foods.
Signs you may have gut inflammation include:
- Body pain
- Skin rashes
- Excessive mucus
- Low energy
- Poor digestion.
Butyrate and gut inflammation
Butyrate is a short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) produced by your microbiome within the colon.
It is made by the bacterial fermentation of resistant starch in your gut.
Healthy levels of butyrate in the gut promote a balanced microbiome, boost healthy gut function, encourage a healthy inflammation response.
SCFAs are fatty acids with fewer than six carbon atoms, and butyrate in particular has been studied extensively for its benefits on gastrointestinal, microbiome, digestive and cellular health.
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When it comes to the best vegetables proven to help improve gut inflammation, experts advise eating more of:
Asparagus
Chicory root
Leaks
Artichokes
Pistachios
Walnuts.
Nutritionist and founder of Vite Naturals Rob Thorp said: “Getting enough fibre is important to maintain and improve gut health but eating a combination of different types of fibre also matters.
“There are three different types of dietary fibre, soluble fibre which helps lower cholesterol and slow digestion, insoluble fibre which promotes regular bowel movements and resistant starch which acts as food for our healthy gut bacteria.
“Including a mix of these in your diet, be it plant-based or not, can help to improve the health of your gut and the balance of your microbiome.
“Plant-based diets are generally considered to be cleaner than other diets which can include processed, fast and convenience foods.”
The gut microbiome is implicated in maintaining overall health, particularly as it relates to inflammatory disease, said Medical News Today.
The health site added: “While experts suspect dietary intake is related to healthy communities of gut bacteria, more studies are needed to investigate the role of diet.
“Long-term diets enriched in legumes, vegetables, fruits, and nuts, a higher intake of plant over animal foods with a preference for low fat fermented dairy and fish, and avoiding strong alcoholic drinks, processed high fat meat, and soft drinks, have a potential to prevent intestinal inflammatory processes via the gut microbiome.”
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