Written by Jessica MartinezIntroduction:
When it comes to your overall health and well being, does your immune system come to mind? More than likely you think about your weight and the last time you were sick. The last thing you think of is the microbiota in your gastrointestinal tract. What is microbiota and why is it important to maintain a healthy GI? In this article we see how microbiota is essential for proper functioning of our immunity and how it maintains proper function in other areas surrounding our health. Current Western diets have wreaked havoc in our GI's ability to function optimally, but we can regain control by what we eat. Review of Importance: It’s imperative to see how our diets affect our GI and in turn our overall health. Our body’s immunity develops over a period of 2 years after we are born. Being born naturally or through cesarean plays a huge role in immune health. What we eat feeds the microbiota (good bacteria) in our GI, which helps fight off any disturbances that can cause us illness or irregular bowel movements. When we over consume refined, high fat, sugary, and abuse antibiotics we can weaken our microbiota against the defense of intruders. Findings: Studies have shown that an unhealthy immune system plays a huge role in chronic disease. It is, “believed to contribute to the dramatic and rapid increase in chronic inflammatory and autoimmune disorders seen in high-income countries (Belkaid & Hand, 2014). Each chronic and autoimmune disorder does have its own genetic makeup and function, and it is connected with how “good” or “bad” our gut health is. Over all a healthy gut means the “good” bacteria helps to maintain function of our body’s ability to fight off bacteria that wants to attack. How do we maintain a healthy gut? Let’ s start by making small changes in our diet, so that we can make them into long-term habits. Our nutritional status plays a huge role in our guts function, and without proper function we cannot benefit for the nutrients we get from our whole foods. Consuming a diet in more plant-based foods are very beneficial in the maintenance of a good GI tract, because of the fiber that helps promote healthy microbiota. A diet high in fats and refined foods like meats, sweets, animal products, sugary drinks, and alcohol can alter the microbiota. Limiting our intake in a diet rich in processed foods is important in combating unhealthy bacteria in the gut. References: Belkaid, Y, and Hand, W., T (2014). Role of the Microbiota in immunity and Inflammation. Cell: Volume 157, Issue 1, p121-141. March 27, 2014. |
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May 2016
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