The inhabitants of your guts
Living creatures cover your body both on the inside and outside. They can be bacteria, viruses, fungi etc. which can be beneficial, harmful or just passer by-s. The microorganisms living in the digestive tract have very important tasks but this is such a new field in science that many things are still unknown regarding it. 80% of the immune system is originating from the guts and it is being researched how it can affect hormones and mood.
It’s a win-win situation
From our birth our environment affects what microorganisms call our body their home and it is very individual as with every encounter throughout life we get and lose some of them. We shelter these creatures and they work for our benefit. A big part of them can be found in the digestive tract. One of the functions they fulfil there is that of the digestion and they help for the gut to regenerate faster.
The immune system must select what to get rid of and what to keep. The microorganisms evolved in a way that through signals they can communicate with the immune cells and therefore their lives can be spared.
You thought you decide what you want to eat? That is partially true, as the microbiome can have an influence on it. If you always eat fast food, the kind of bacteria that feeds of oils and sugars will develop in the gut. And of course if your meals are full of plants the bacteria that lives of fibers will be found in your intestines. The presence of the different bacteria in the digestive tract changes swiftly and can vary from one day to another. The more you feed one kind of a bacteria the bigger population it will have in the guts. And these residents can signal to the brain what they would like to have on their plate. This self-reinforcing cycle can have an effect on the way we eat. But in the end it is our own decision what kind of microbiome we would like to own, we can always change bad habits and start populating good bacteria.
Probiotics
Most of the microbiome is found in the large intestine or colon. These microorganisms are similar to those in food. These goods are called probiotics and are of course beneficial for humans. During fermentation processes probiotic bacteria is created. Not all fermented foods are ‘probiotic’ though as the bacteria might don’t survive processing and if they do, they have to be the kind that benefit the body. To replenish the microbiome kimchi, sauerkraut, kefir or yoghurt can be a good choice. Otherwise probiotics are added to various products, such as cereals or muesli bars and fruit juices.
