Gut Microbiome: The Tiny World Inside Our Stomach
When people talk about health, many times we think of the big things like eating vegetable, exercising, or not smoking. But there is a whole other world inside us that most people don’t even know is exist. It is called the gut microbiome. This is the name scientist use for the trillions of tiny bacteria and microorganism that live in our stomach and intestines. They all have a their particular functions.
Hear me right, you do not need to be scared of bacteria because not all bacteria is bad. In fact, many of them are our best friends to us They help us digest food, produce vitamins, and even protect us from harmful germs. If you ever wonder why some people digest food well and others always have problem like bloating or constipation, the answer might be in their gut bacteria.
Research shown in that gut microbiome is connected not only to only digestion but also to our brain and mood. Some scientist has even call the gut “the second brain.” Have you notice how when you are stressed, your stomach sometimes feel upset? Or how eating too much junk food make you feel lazy and moody? That’s the gut brain connection in action.
Food we eat every day is of like the fuel for this bacteria. If we eat more fiber from fruits, vegetable beans, or whole grains, we feed the good bacteria, and they grow stronger. But if we are always eat sugar, fried food, and processed stuff, then the harmful bacteria start to dominate. That can lead to more inflammation in the body, weak immune system, and sometimes even affect our mental health.
Another interesting thing is that no two people have the same gut microbiome. It’s almost like a fingerprint, as unique to each person. That’s why some diets work for one person and not for another at times.
So what can we do to take care of this tiny world inside us?
It’s simple things: eat more fiber food like fruit and vegetables, whole grain food then drink enough water, avoid unnecessary antibiotics because they can kill good bacteria too, and sometimes eat fermented food like yogurt, kimchi or kefir.
Our gut may be very little or small, but the truth is, it control so many part of our health. Maybe next time when we think of being healthy, we should not only ask what should I eat? but also what will my gut bacteria like?
REFRENCES
https://nutritionsource.hsph.harvard.edu/microbiome/
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