6 unusual facts about how the gut affects the whole body

The gut contains trillions of bacteria that interact with every organ in the body. In recent years, scientists have become aware of the effect the gut has on our well-being. It turns out that the digestive system is responsible for the health of many organs - from the skin to the kidneys. And it looks like it's all about bacteria.

1. The intestines can ruin the skin

Rash, dryness, flaking affect the skin and spoil the appearance. But at the same time, they indicate problems with the digestive system. Like many other organs, the skin can react to intestinal problems, and a rash is the most common reaction.

The fact is that eczema, redness and rash are the immune response to what was in our intestines. Most often, certain foods trigger this allergic response. It is enough to exclude them from the diet for the rash to go away.

But on acne, contrary to popular belief, diet has almost no effect.

2. The intestines affect the functioning of the brain

It seems that the brain does not depend on the intestines. But in fact, these organs interact.

The cells in your gut produce the hormone serotonin, which affects many processes, and is best known as the mood hormone.
The intestinal microflora is involved in the production of cytokines - these are proteins of the immune system that also affect the brain.
The microbes in the gut produce substances that affect the blood-brain barrier. Roughly speaking, it is a filter between the brain and the circulatory system that protects the brain from everything harmful in the blood.

Research is underway on how gut microbes affect the nervous system. This is a complex process that has not yet been fully understood, but it is already clear: for the head to be clear, you need a healthy intestine. While scientists are looking for ways to harness this connection with health benefits, we can think about ourselves and still start eating fresh vegetable salads every day to keep our gut working better.

3. The intestines affect immunity

Every day a huge amount of proteins and pathogens foreign to us - substances that can cause disease - enter the intestines with food. Therefore, the intestines have adapted to neutralize these very substances as quickly as possible. Including for this microflora lives in it.

A significant part of the immune system is actually in the intestines, so the work of the digestive tract affects the whole body.

A poorly functioning gut can lead to asthma, migraines, allergies, and even autoimmune diseases (these are diseases in which the cells of the immune system attack their own body).

4. The gut affects the kidneys

The kidneys and large intestine help regulate the body's water-salt balance. The kidneys also cleanse the body of water-soluble toxins that may have entered the bloodstream from the intestines or from bacteria in our gastrointestinal tract.

Therefore, if the intestinal lining is damaged, it can damage the kidneys. This happens, for example, after taking certain antibiotics, due to diseases such as irritable bowel syndrome. When the mucous membrane does not work well, the amount of harmful substances that enter the bloodstream from the intestines increases, which means that the immune response is enhanced. All this leads to a systemic inflammatory process, which also affects the kidneys up to the development of chronic renal failure.

5. The gut affects liver health

Like the kidneys, the liver is responsible for cleansing the body. Anything that enters the bloodstream from the intestines will end up in the liver.

All substances, including hormones, toxins, medicines and decay products, pass through the liver in order to enter the intestines with bile, from where they are easier to remove. Changes in the normal functioning of the intestines and in the integrity of the intestinal lining can lead to chronic liver diseases and even to changes in its structure, for example, fibrosis, in which normal organ tissue is replaced by non-working connective tissue.

6. Our weight depends on the intestines

It is clear that weight depends on what we eat. But from bacteria in the intestines, perhaps, too. In order for us to gain weight, we need more nutrients. The intestines divide food into these substances. Depending on which bacteria it contains more, it can process more or less food eaten. Therefore, you need to feed not only yourself, but also the bacteria.

How to help your gut

The beneficial bacteria discussed above are probiotics. They live in our intestines by themselves in sufficient quantities. But for them to work well, they need to be “fed”. The breeding ground for these bacteria is prebiotics, foods with plant fibers that keep the microbiome healthy.

To get both, you do not have to pounce on pharmaceutical preparations. You need to adjust your diet according to very simple principles:

There are more fresh vegetables.
Snack on natural yogurt and kefir.
Fall in love with fermented snacks like sauerkraut or kimchi.
And all this - instead of sugar and refined carbohydrates, which are, for example, in wheat bread.