Gut Health

Your gut is not just responsible for digesting your food, it has a much more significant impact on your health and wellbeing. In fact, your gut health affects your immune system, mental health, weight management, skin health, and even your mood. 

Immune System

Did you know that almost 70% of your immune system is located in your gut? This means that your gut health directly contributes to your immune system. A healthy gut ensures that your immune system is functioning at its best, allowing you to fight off infections and diseases. On the other hand, an unhealthy gut can result in inflammation, which leads to a weakened immune system.

Mental Health

Now, you may be as shocked as I was to discover a link between your gut health and your mental health. This is due to the fact that your gut and brain are constantly communicating because of a nerve that connects them. When there is an imbalance in your gut bacteria, it can lead to psychological symptoms like brain fog and irritability. This is because certain organisms that thrive on sugar can actually signal to your brain to eat more sugar, which can override logical thinking.

Weight Management

Maintaining a healthy weight is not just about counting calories and exercising regularly, but it also depends significantly on your gut health. Your gut health impacts your metabolism, which affects how your body processes food and stores fat. An imbalanced gut can contribute to weight gain, whereas a healthy gut can help you maintain healthy weight by boosting your metabolism.

Skin Health

An unhealthy gut is also linked to various skin conditions like acne, eczema, and psoriasis1. Your gut plays a significant role in controlling inflammation throughout your body, and skin inflammation is no exception. When your gut health is compromised, it results in systemic inflammation that can manifest on your skin as pimples, rashes, and other problems.

Mood

Your gut is also known as your "second brain" because it has its own nervous system known as the enteric nervous system. This system produces neurotransmitters like serotonin, which plays a crucial role in regulating mood. Studies2 have shown that people with gastrointestinal disorders like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) are more likely to experience anxiety and depression.

Taking care of your gut health should be a major priority, as it affects your overall well-being. Your gut is where your nutrition is absorbed, which means it's essential for maintaining a healthy immune system, improving mental health, managing weight, and improving skin health and mood. Poor gut health can even extend to chronic diseases down the line! 

When it comes to your health, investing time and effort into taking care of yourself should always take priority. Start listening to your gut today and nurturing it with self-care practices so that it can give back in a big way.

References

Widhiati, S., Purnomosari, D., Wibawa, T., & Soebono, H. (2021). The role of gut microbiome in inflammatory skin disorders: A systematic review. Dermatology reports, 14(1), 9188. https://doi.org/10.4081/dr.2022.9188