Gut health

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It is a well-known fact that food is one of the most critical factors influencing health. Some describe it as the “800-pound gorilla in the room.” I would go further and say that food, along with its timing (in line with circadian rhythms) and its absence (as in fasting), probably accounts for three-quarters of one’s overall health. However, it’s not just about what you consume but what your body digests and absorbs that truly matters. Digestion and absorption are dependent on gut health, making it the foundation of overall well-being.

Why gut health matters

Research from the past two decades has shown that gut health is governed by trillions of microbes, most of which reside in the colon. Your gut health is closely linked to your brain, heart, and immune system. Poor gut health can lead to numerous problems, including:

Constipation
Diarrhea
Bloating and gas
Coeliac disease
Crohn’s disease (Inflammatory bowel disease)
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
Leaky gut
SIBO (Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth)
Gut microbiome dysbiosis
Ulcerative colitis

What disrupts gut health?

The primary cause of poor gut health is often an unhealthy diet, but other factors play a role, including:

Sugar and artificial sweeteners
Alcohol
Antibiotics
Acid-suppressive medications
Anti-inflammatory drugs
Infections
Stress
Pesticides
GMO foods
Inflammatory oils
Chemical disinfectants
Surgery

Food motility and absorption

After digestion in the stomach, food enters the small intestine, where nutrient absorption begins. The small intestine, approximately 20 feet long, absorbs nutrients based on the rate of food movement (motility) and the absorption rate.

When you consume whole, plant-based foods, nutrients like starch, sugar, and fat are embedded in fiber, promoting high motility and a slower absorption rate. However, refined foods such as white flour, sugar, and oil reduce motility and increase the absorption rate, meaning that most of the food is absorbed in the small intestine, leaving little or no food for the colon’s microbiota.

When the bacteria in the colon lack fiber and food, they begin consuming the mucosal layer in which they reside. This layer, made by epithelial cells, protects the gut lining. If the bacteria consume both the outer and inner mucosal layers, it exposes epithelial cells to food particles, leading to a breach. Inflammatory foods can loosen the tight junctions between these cells, allowing undigested proteins to enter the bloodstream.

When these proteins enter the bloodstream, the immune system perceives them as foreign invaders, triggering an immune response. If any of these proteins resemble the body’s own proteins, the antibodies may mistakenly attack healthy cells. This process is known as autoimmune response and is linked to over 80 diseases, including:

Type 1 diabetes
Hypothyroidism
Arthritis
Lupus

For example, if the sausages you ate for breakfast contain thyroid proteins from an animal, your body may produce antibodies that attack your own thyroid. Similarly, if milk contains traces of pancreatic beta cell proteins from a cow, the immune system may attack your pancreas potentially contributing to conditions like type 1 diabetes in children.

Healing the gut

Healing the gut requires a multi step approach:

Stop consuming harmful foods that damage the gut lining.
Consume a variety of uncooked foods which populate your colon mucosal layers providing you extra immunity.

Practice various fasting regimens to promote the growth and repair of mucosal layers by mucin produced by goblet cells.

Ways to support Goblet Cells and gut health:

Eat plant-based whole foods: A fiber-rich diet supports gut bacteria and strengthens the mucosal lining.

Increase dietary diversity: A diverse diet promotes microbial diversity, reducing the risk of harmful bacteria colonising the gut.

Consume resistant starches: Beans, legumes, and other resistant starches pass through the small intestine and feed gut bacteria in the colon, triggering the “second meal effect.”

Practice fasting regimens: Intermittent fasting, Ekadashi fasting, and Navratri fasting help reduce inflammation and rebuild mucosal layers.

Get enoughsSunlight: Sun exposure boosts Vitamin D production, essential for gut health. Supplementation may be necessary in extreme cases.

Eat probiotic-rich foods: Include nut yogurts, kanji, kimchi, and sauerkraut to encourage beneficial bacteria growth.

Consume fiber-rich foods: Fiber is converted into short-chain fatty acids (such as butyrate) by gut bacteria, supporting a healthy gut lining.

Prioritise sleep: Gut bacteria follow a circadian rhythm, and sleep disturbances can affect their functioning.

American gut project

To understand gut health a major research project was undertaken during 2013-18 in which fecal samples of people from 40 different countries were analysed. The evidence showed that those people who consume more variety of plant foods each week have the best gut health and highest immunity. It is for this reason I recommend that one should consume at least a variety of seven different foods in each of the five food groups—Fruits, vegetables, grains, legumes and nuts & seeds—each week.

Connection between gut and airway microbiome

Just as the gastrointestinal tract has its microbiome, so does the airway tract. The interactions between the two are essential for overall immunity. This area is actively being researched at UCSF by Dr. Susan Lynch.

Gut Microbiome: The second brain

For over three centuries, it has been known that the human body hosts foreign cells. However, the magnitude and importance of these cells have only been understood in the last two decades, thanks to the Human Genome Project, which concluded in 2003. Researchers discovered that the human body contains more foreign cells than human cells—around 38 trillion microbial cells compared to 37 trillion human cells.

These microbes, collectively called the human microbiota, include bacteria, fungi, viruses, protozoa, and archaea. The diversity of microbiota varies from person to person, with factors such as diet, lifestyle, genetics, and birth delivery method influencing this diversity.

Major sites of Microbiome:

The microbes reside at various parts of our body as listed below but Colon has the highest concentration.

Oral mucosa
Gastrointestinal tract
Respiratory system
Skin
Breast milk
Urogenital tract
Placenta
Biliary tract
Eyes

Benefits of a healthy microbiome

Gut microbiota perform many essential functions, including:

Digesting food and producing essential nutrients.
Fighting pathogens and infections
Synthesising vitamins
Regulating body fat storage
Producing folate and short-chain fatty acids
Modulating immune function
Maintaining epithelial barrier integrity
Stimulating gut motility

Microbiome dysbiosis and diseases

An imbalance in gut microbiota, known as dysbiosis, can contribute to:

Sepsis and infections
Inflammation and liver damage
Carcinogen production
Diarrhea and constipation
Autoimmune disorders

Key research findings in gut health

Research has uncovered groundbreaking findings about the gut microbiome:

1. Gut as the second brain: The gut microbiome communicates bidirectionally with the brain, influencing mood, appetite, and mental health.

2. Fecal Microbiota Transplantation (FMT): Transplanting fecal matter from a healthy person into a sick individual can cure certain illnesses.

3. Microbiome’s role in immunity: The gut microbiome boosts immunity and prevents infectious diseases.

4. Impact of Diet on Microbiota: Diet changes can alter gut microbiota within days.

5. Antibiotics disrupt Microbiota: Overuse of antibiotics weakens the immune system by killing beneficial bacteria.

6. Cesarean vs. vaginal birth: Vaginal births expose infants to microbiota that strengthen their immune system.

7. Breastfeeding and gut health: Breastfeeding promotes the growth of beneficial microbiota in infants.

8. Exposure to external microbes: Children should be encouraged to play outdoors and interact with pets to develop a robust microbiome.

9. Diet diversity and Microbiome health: A variety of plant-based foods fosters a diverse and healthy microbiome. American Gut Project (2013-2028) has demonstrated that one’s immunity from diseases is a function of variety of plant foods consumed each week. It is a good practice to consume 35 or more varieties of plant foods each week.

Microbiome enterotypes

Western medicine now recognises three types of gut microbiome enterotypes, which align with classifications in Ayurveda that categorize humans into three major and ten minor groupings. These differences likely reflect variations in microbiota composition. Switching to a whole-food, plant-based diet can positively transform microbiota within days, boosting immunity and improving gut health.

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