More than 2,000 years ago, Hippocrates famously said, "All diseases begin in the intestines." However, it did not attract enough attention. Now, more and more scientific research tells us that intestinal health is indeed very important to our overall health.
Intestinal knot
The upper left side of the intestine is the stomach. The intestine is divided into the large intestine and the small intestine. The small intestine is within a circle around the belly button, as shown in the picture below, and the periphery is the large intestine.
The main parts of the large intestine are the ascending colon, transverse colon, descending colon, sigmoid colon, and rectum. They are responsible for absorbing the remaining water in food, forming food residues into feces, and expelling them from the body. Most intestinal diseases occur in the colon and rectum.
When you have abdominal discomfort, you can initially determine where the problem is based on the location of the discomfort, which also makes it easier to communicate with the doctor.
While not all diseases begin in the gut, many metabolic diseases, autoimmune diseases, and cognitive disorders actually begin with gastrointestinal dysfunction or imbalance.
These findings underscore the fact that without a healthy gut, we cannot achieve optimal health. The gut is home to trillions of microorganisms, it houses 70% of our immune system, it affects our metabolism and promotes energy balance, and more.
People mistakenly believe that the absence of gastrointestinal symptoms equates to a healthy gut, but it's much more than that.
While bloating, constipation, diarrhea, and abdominal pain are common digestive symptoms, intestinal disorders often also lead to neurological symptoms such as brain fog, difficulty concentrating, poor memory, depression, and anxiety. This is because the gut and brain are in constant communication through the gut-brain axis. This means that poor gut function can also lead to poor brain function. At the same time, our skin, immune system, blood sugar regulation, detoxification and metabolism, etc. are also closely affected by the gut.
A healthy gut plays five very important roles in protecting our physical and mental health, and it deserves our best care.
1. Enhance digestion and absorption
One of the main functions of the intestine is to aid in the digestion and absorption of food and nutrients. The intestine also plays important metabolic roles, such as synthesizing nutrients (such as vitamins), metabolizing bile salts, and degrading foreign substances. Food first enters the small intestine, which is the main site where digestion and absorption occur.
The main task of the small intestine is to absorb digested nutrients into the blood circulation, and then transport them to various parts of the body through the blood circulation.
The large intestine is also responsible for part of the digestion and absorption tasks. Bacteria in the large intestine ferment dietary fiber that we ourselves cannot digest and convert into short-chain fatty acids, the main source of energy for colon cells. The large intestine is also where electrolytes and water are reabsorbed.
Intestinal flora can also help synthesize vitamin K and B vitamins such as biotin (B7), folic acid (B9), and cobalamin (B12).
2. Support intestinal permeability
A healthy gut barrier is as critical to overall health as healthy gut flora. A healthy intestinal barrier can tell whether substances entering the intestines are friend or foe.
The so-called intestinal permeability is the ability of the intestinal barrier to selectively allow substances that are beneficial to the body to pass through while blocking substances that are harmful to the body. Having a healthy immune system and reducing the risk of autoimmune disease requires an intact intestinal barrier. Maintaining intestinal health requires an intact intestinal barrier to fight bacteria and cooperate with commensal flora. A compromised intestinal barrier is a leaky gut or increased intestinal permeability.
Research shows that in an unhealthy intestine, mucosal cells are not arranged tightly enough and the intercellular spaces are large. These macromolecular substances that should be excreted from the body will "squeeze" through the intercellular spaces and enter the blood, and then the body's immune system Recognizing these substances and fighting them triggers our common allergic reactions.
This phenomenon of enlarged mucosal intercellular spaces has a very vivid name - leaky gut.
If a person does not have a leaky gut, they are at lower risk for food allergies, autoimmune diseases, and inflammation. Ideally, the intestinal barrier should be as strong as a city wall, with nothing harmful to the body able to pass through. The best way to treat leaky gut is to reduce your intake of unhealthy foods, such as highly processed foods, intolerant foods, pro-inflammatory foods, etc., while optimizing specific nutrients, such as L-glutamine, zinc, and vitamin A, Vitamin E, and Omega-3 fatty acids.
3. Protect intestinal flora
There are a huge number of microorganisms living in our intestines, called intestinal flora.
So, what exactly are the functions of intestinal flora?
1. Provide nutrition to the human body
Some substances produced during the metabolic process of intestinal flora are of great significance to human nutrition. The metabolism of intestinal flora can produce short-chain fatty acids, which has an important impact on the host's physiology; Bifidobacterium, Lactobacillus, etc. can synthesize a variety of vitamins necessary for human growth and development; intestinal flora can also provide protein for the human body. Synthesis of non-essential amino acids such as aspartic acid, alanine, valine, and threonine.
After the intestinal flora dies, the active ingredients of the bacteria are also beneficial to human health. Bacteria are generally rich in nutrients such as protein and can play an important nutritional role.
2. Participate in important metabolic processes of the human body
Intestinal flora can participate in important metabolic processes of the human body and provide various enzymes and metabolic pathways for certain metabolic processes of the human body. For example, intestinal flora can convert insoluble proteins into soluble substances; convert polysaccharides into monosaccharides that are easily absorbed by the human body; participate in casein hydrolysis, dehydroxylation, and deamination of amino acids; participate in bile and cholesterol metabolism, etc.
In addition, intestinal flora can also activate the human liver enzyme system, which is of great significance to the body's metabolism of foreign compounds; some intestinal flora can also participate in the metabolism of some oral drugs, changing the activity or toxicity of the drugs; intestinal flora It can also produce enzymes such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POX) and catalase (CAT) that can scavenge free radicals.
3. Antibacterial effect
Intestinal flora adhere, colonize, and reproduce in the human intestine, forming a "biofilm barrier" to protect the body from invasion by foreign pathogenic bacteria; intestinal flora can compete with harmful bacteria for nutrients and inhibit their reproduction in the intestines; Intestinal flora can also produce antibacterial substances to inhibit the growth of pathogenic bacteria.
4. Immunity
Intestinal flora can create a broad immune barrier for the host. Lactobacilli and Bifidobacteria can enhance the host's immune function; intestinal flora can stimulate the development of the host's immune system and the occurrence of cellular immunity, allowing the host's innate immune system to distinguish opportunistic pathogens and commensal bacteria.
5. Affects brain function and behavior
Gut microbiota can regulate host behavior through the gut-brain axis. The gut-brain axis is the communication system between the gut and brain composed of immune, neuroendocrine, and vagal pathways. Gut microbiota exerts an important influence on the host's stress response, anxiety, depression, and cognitive function through the gut-brain axis. Balanced intestinal flora can promote the physical and mental health of the host, while an imbalance of intestinal flora may cause gut-brain diseases, such as irritable bowel syndrome, inflammatory bowel disease, hepatic encephalopathy, etc., and central nervous system diseases. Such as multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer's disease, and autism.
6. Regulate bone density
Intestinal flora can intervene in bone metabolism by regulating the status of the immune system and play an important regulatory role in bone mass. These effects are mainly reflected in periods of rapid growth, such as adolescence when the demand for bone mass is greater and women's menopause when bone mass loss is more obvious.
7. Anti-cancer effect
Some bacterial cells after the death of intestinal flora can reduce mutagenic and carcinogenic enzymes of putrefactive bacteria; some bacteria can antagonize the carcinogenic effects of nitrosoguanidine; and some bacteria can directly inhibit tumor growth.
In summary, gut microbiota has a wide range of effects on human health. We should maintain a reasonable diet and maintain the balance of intestinal flora.
4. Reduce inflammation
Another job of the gut is to regulate immune activity in the gastrointestinal tract, reducing inflammation when it's not needed. There are markers of intestinal inflammation that can be measured with stool tests, including fecal calprotectin, eosinophil protein X, and secretory IgA.
When a person experiences intestinal inflammation, which is common in inflammatory bowel disease, we see an increase in these markers.
A healthy gut and gut flora help promote the normal development of immune cells, recognize invaders, get the immune cells to where they are needed, and then enhance their ability to fight infection. Healthy gut flora translates into a strong immune system that functions optimally and is able to quickly recognize and eliminate threats when they exist, including infections and even malignancies. We cannot separate the gut flora from the immune system, and if we harm one, we harm the other. Therefore, a healthy gut and gut flora can help us reduce inflammation.
5. Supports the nervous system
Our intestines have an entire independent nervous system, called the enteric nervous system or “second brain.” In fact, our brain health also starts in our gut, where they are constantly communicating with each other. Every second, more than 500 million nerves in our gut send feedback messages to our brain via the vagus nerve. This is five times more nerves than we find in the spinal cord.
This is just the beginning. Gut microbes are able to communicate with our brains through the immune system and release neurotransmitters, hormones, and signaling molecules. Gut microbes produce a variety of neurohormones that play powerful roles in things like our mood and energy levels.
In fact, 90% of serotonin and 50% of dopamine are produced in our gut. For example, serotonin produced in the intestines can affect intestinal motility, mood, appetite, sleep, and brain function. Our gut produces more than thirty of these neurotransmitters.
The influence of healthy gut flora can cross our blood-brain barrier and help keep us thinking sharp, energetic, and relaxed. Conversely, disruption of gut microbiota has been linked to depression, anxiety, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, migraines, chronic fatigue, autism, and ADHD.
3 abnormalities are caused by the intestines
1. Problems with defecation The main manifestation of intestinal aging is defecation problems. If it is difficult to defecate without exerting force, or if you feel that you cannot defecate cleanly even after going to the toilet, and if the defecation appears in pieces and is hard and difficult to pass, it is Symptoms of intestinal problems.
In addition, if the number of bowel movements per week is less than four times, it can be judged as constipation, which is also a phenomenon of intestinal aging.
2. Abnormal color of stool
A normal and healthy stool is yellow, but some people will have abnormal stool color. This is not only a phenomenon of intestinal aging, but also usually a manifestation of disease. Generally, black or brown stool indicates intestinal or stomach bleeding.
In addition, there are many abnormal color phenomena. If it appears tar-like, it is likely to be a gastric ulcer or duodenal ulcer and other diseases. These are some of the complications of intestinal aging.
3. Abnormal smell of stool
Although "poop smells" is our deep-rooted thought, there are also abnormalities in this odor. If your stool is full of foul odor, it means that the putrefaction in the intestine has become very serious. This is one of the important manifestations of intestinal aging and is also a phenomenon that is easily ignored. If your stool is so smelly that you can't stand it, it is likely that your intestines are suffering from intestinal decay. Caused by aging.
In addition, if the stool has a pungent sour smell, it is likely to be caused by fermentative indigestion; if diarrhea is accompanied by a burning smell in the stool, there may be a problem with the small intestine; if the stool has a fishy smell and is tar-like, It means there is bleeding in the digestive tract. Gut health is therefore a very complex topic that requires consideration not only of digestion and absorption but also of intestinal permeability or the integrity of the intestinal barrier and the balance of the intestinal flora.
A healthy intestine is the key to maintaining our physical and mental health. Intestinal dysfunction can lead to the occurrence of various chronic diseases, and a healthy intestine and intestinal flora can help us prevent the occurrence of various chronic diseases. Therefore, maintaining a healthy and functioning gut is key to our physical and mental health and well-being.
Our body is an organic whole, and all systems in the body are interconnected and usually require a holistic approach to restore balance. The gut appears to be at the center of this connection, and determining the root cause of many diseases often requires assessing our gut health.
But when we improve our gut health through dietary changes, stress reduction, and proper nutrition, many symptoms that often seem unrelated will begin to improve, and our physical and mental health will be in a state it's never been before.
What other reasons do you have for not taking good care of our intestines?