“The human body is incredibly resilient—but it remembers what you did to it in your 20s and is now out for revenge in your 30s.” A forgotten blurb of internet wisdom, once bouncing aimlessly around my long-term memory servers, now flashes through my mind as I hunch over the sink, feeling utterly spent after my body’s fourth attempt to regurgitate its contents. Unbidden, the thought of yesterday’s late-night biryani session pops up and the bile starts stirring again. Happy 30th birthday to me, my brain chants morosely.
Having spent a lifetime feeding my body all manners of junk food at ungodly hours of the night, it is hard not to feel personally affronted by this sudden rebellion. Research promised me that I would be touching my cognitive peak in my 30s, unlocking hitherto undetected levels of contentment and making more meaningful connections. But instead of stepping into a newfound career as a chess grandmaster, all my strategic and problem-solving energies are devoted to finding the quickest route to the sink after wolfing down a sizzling plate of fried chicken post-bedtime.
How gut health changes in your 30s
When I narrate my woes to Dr Mangesh Keshavrao Borkar, a gastroenterologist at Manipal Hospital, he remains unsurprised. “Gut health changes significantly as the body enters the 30s due to metabolic changes, hormonal fluctuations and lifestyle factors,” he shares. For starters, the digestive system starts slowing down which, in turn, affects the efficiency of nutrient absorption. With the production of stomach acid and digestive enzymes reduced, it becomes more difficult to break down certain foods, such as dairy and high-fat meals.
“Many people who have previously had a higher threshold for processed foods, caffeine and alcohol now have heightened sensitivity to these substances,” he cautions. The result? Bloating and irregular bowel motions become unwelcome, long-term residents due to the gut lining becoming more vulnerable to inflammation.
The spectre of gender discrimination spares no one—not even gut issues. Clinical dietician Ridhima Khamesra believes that such issues can impact women more than men. “In general, women are known to produce less hydrochloric acid and digestive enzymes. This affects the digestion of food and absorption of nutrients,” she explains.
How to deal with gut health changes in your 30s
While these changes come as news to me, the memo has apparently been circulated already among my 30-something friends. When my husband and I pop over to visit another couple in our social circle, we find their console table stacked with vials for a herbal gut cleanse. Another cousin is glued to a three-hour-long missive on gut health with the intensity we once reserved for Blair and Chuck’s will-they, won’t-they cliffhangers.