The list of resolutions at the beginning of a new year is often long:lose weight, reduce stress and live a healthier life anyway. But if you really want to do something good for yourself and your well-being in 2022, you have to start with your gut. Because the microorganisms are not only responsible for digestion, they also determine how we feel. We've collected five tips for why it's worth taking a closer look at and actively strengthening your gut. Because the gut is the most important immune organ.
Instead of embarking on the thousandth diet, it's worth taking a look at your own gut bacteria. Several scientific studies prove:These determine our weight significantly – both positively and negatively. Especially the child prodigy among micro-organisms, the so-called “Akkermansia” bacteria, is important. It not only prevents weight gain and lowers total cholesterol in the blood. Akkermansia bacteria also boost your metabolism. Eating cranberries, cloves, or pomegranates helps the gut produce more of them. The sugar-loving “Firmicutes” bacteria are less desirable. Too many of them cause sweet and greasy cravings. They arise from snacking too often, among other things. So in the future it is better to eat cranberries instead of sweets.
For a long time it was assumed that the intestines were just a kind of digestive pipe. Today we know:80 percent of our immune system is located there. Harmful bacteria and germs can enter the body through food. The gut turns out to be a real defense center here. The intestinal mucosa contains numerous lymph sacs that recognize and fight pathogens. The beneficial gut bacteria can also produce certain substances, such as lactic acid, that put an end to harmful invaders. However, if you eat unhealthy, this ingenious system weakens because the good bacteria do not get the energy they need and literally starve. The result:you get sick. If you want to do something good for your immune system, try sauerkraut, natural yogurt, kefir, vegetables and legumes.
The skin is literally the mirror of our inner self. It is influenced by a complex interplay between the hormonal balance, our immune system and numerous metabolic processes. We control all of this with our diet. In other words, what we eat affects our skin and how it looks. If our intestinal flora is in balance, we radiate this immediately.
Feelings such as fear or worry not only affect the stomach, but also the intestines. The reason:the organ is constantly interacting with the emotional center of our brain via the gut-brain axis. Gut bacteria and psyche influence each other. When our guts are doing well, they can absorb more nutrients from the food and, as it were, tell the brain that we are doing well. As a result, we make more happy hormones – and are in a good mood. By the way:the composition of the intestinal flora can also influence whether or not you get depression.
Anyone who is stressed sleeps worse – everyone knows that. But what does the gut have to do with it? The “sleep hormone” melatonin and the amino acid GABA influence our sleep-wake cycle. Both are produced in both the brain and gut. Studies have shown that unfavorable colonization of the gut can contribute to poorer sleep quality, because the sleep hormone and amino acid are not produced in the right amounts. Lactic acid and bifidiobacteria, for example in the form of probiotics, can ensure a balanced intestinal flora and thus help against sleepless nights.
