Our intestines are home to 100 trillion bacteria (!!!), representing about 1,200 of their species that have lived there for thousands of years, and their genome (or microbiome) is 100 times more than ours. However, a large part of these bacteria under the influence of the development of civilization - became extinct, which means nothing good for the human body.
The main reasons that have led to the gut microflora becoming sterile are processed food, exposure to antibiotics and xenobiotics, and the increased number of cesarean sections at birth, when the newborn should be marked for life with a protective barrier of a huge amount of bacteria, passing through the birth tract.
The gut-brain axis, or why is your mood and sleep directly dependent on the health of your gut?
Between the brain and the gut there is a nerve axis through which information travels bilaterally, i.e. it is a communication between the central nervous system (brain) and the enteric nervous system (gut), which in turn is part of the autonomic nervous system, which is exactly the one responsible for our stress response (fight/flight/freeze) and post-stress recovery (rest and digest). Many neurotransmitters are produced right in the gut and transmitted to the brain through this pathway.
Among other things, the gut is responsible for the biosynthesis of vitamins, hormones, neurotransmitters; it influences vascularization, energy biogenesis, bone density, cell proliferation, immunology, amino acid metabolism.
Do I need probiotics? If so, which ones?
No! Certainly not used prophylactically and not prescribed by a specialist. Just as an antibiotic must be matched to the bacteria it is intended to affect - the same is true of a probiotic. Probiotic therapy can only be used as a form of treatment and after laboratory tests or an extensive patient history, and it must be PURPOSED. Besides, science doesn't really know too much about the effects of probiotics yet, and the market - like the entire wellness market - has gotten very large and we can get probiotics anywhere that, like supplements, will not have a targeted effect at all. The primary support of your microbiome is diet!
What is supposed to strengthen your gut microbiome is its DIVERSITY!!! and that should be your health-promoting mission. A diet rich in fiber digested in the lower gut, so all vegetables and fruits; fats! - are the fatty acids responsible for building the intestinal wall, among other things; prebiotic and probiotic products like fermented foods. Eliminate sterilization of the home and environment and skin - for the external microflora found on the skin - frequent washing with cleaning products is strongly disadvantageous, so avoid washing the whole body with soap every day. Having pets and exchanging the bacteria they carry is - contrary to appearances - strongly beneficial for us and helps build the human microflora. Avoid antibiotics unless they are really necessary (pharmacotherapy is also for humans, but like everything: it matters when). If there are no medical indications - natural vaginal birth is what will arm your baby immune system for life!
Best Poop Position
All the time we act against nature, which is not conducive to the proper work of the intestines, i.e. the bacteria there. A right or obtuse angle in the hip joints also puts the so-called anorectal angle in an abnormal position, leading to an unfavorable increase in abdominal pressure and a series of biomechanical dysfunctions. We already have extensive research talking about the relationship between tissue tension and bowel mobility and the effect on supporting the production of intestinal bacteria. Let's take care of the correct position when having a bowel movement, so that it is as stress-free as possible, which will also benefit the enteric system.
after watching this video pooping will never be the same
In the bathroom of a modern person in highly developed countries, where most people suffer from the disorder - a toilet stool should be a permanent fixture.
Remember that your gut, or your nervous system, needs good nutrition as well as hydration, physical activity, soft and long breathing and good stress management in daily life to be happy.
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Karo