More than half of your immune system is found in your digestive tract, so what you eat directly affects your health
With the cold and flu season approaching it's a good time to get reacquainted with your immune system. It's your body's defence against invasion and, while you probably know it tends to collapse a little in winter or when you are stressed, you may not know that what you eat directly affects how it functions. In fact, more than half your immune system is in your digestive tract.
"The digestive tract is a major part of the immune system," body+soul nutritionist Lisa Guy says. "The gut wall, and mucus secreted by cells in the gut wall, protect against foreign invaders entering the bloodstream. Stomach acids and saliva also protect against bugs."
The digestive tract breaks down and absorbs nutrients from the foods we eat and these nutrients are then used by the body to protect it against illness.
This means that if you don't watch what you eat and drink, toxins and bacteria can pass through to your bloodstream, where the immune system has to fight them.
And when your immune system is overworked, your body suffers. Acidic drinks, alcohol and medications can all wreak havoc with your gut and therefore your immune system, as can the unhealthy fats and refined carbohydrates in processed foods.
"The digestive tract is a major part of the immune system," body+soul nutritionist Lisa Guy says. "The gut wall, and mucus secreted by cells in the gut wall, protect against foreign invaders entering the bloodstream. Stomach acids and saliva also protect against bugs."
The digestive tract breaks down and absorbs nutrients from the foods we eat and these nutrients are then used by the body to protect it against illness.
This means that if you don't watch what you eat and drink, toxins and bacteria can pass through to your bloodstream, where the immune system has to fight them.
And when your immune system is overworked, your body suffers. Acidic drinks, alcohol and medications can all wreak havoc with your gut and therefore your immune system, as can the unhealthy fats and refined carbohydrates in processed foods.
Good vs bad bacteria
The good news is there is an entire ecosystem of bacteria that lives in your gut, doing everything from digesting food into usable vitamins to regulating your hormones.
"Bacteria found in the gut play an important role in immune system health, protecting against the overgrowth of harmful bacteria," Guy says.
She says when the balance of bacteria in the gut is disrupted and harmful bacteria outnumber the good, a condition called dysbiosis can occur.
"Dysbiosis is associated with increased gut permeability [leaky gut] and poor digestion." This can produce symptoms such as flatulence, bloating, diarrhoea, constipation and reflux. Dysbiosis is also related to increased susceptibility to infections, allergies and inflammatory disorders.
"Bacteria found in the gut play an important role in immune system health, protecting against the overgrowth of harmful bacteria," Guy says.
She says when the balance of bacteria in the gut is disrupted and harmful bacteria outnumber the good, a condition called dysbiosis can occur.
"Dysbiosis is associated with increased gut permeability [leaky gut] and poor digestion." This can produce symptoms such as flatulence, bloating, diarrhoea, constipation and reflux. Dysbiosis is also related to increased susceptibility to infections, allergies and inflammatory disorders.
Immune-boosting foods
So is it possible to eat your way immune? Of course it is. Probiotics are foods that promote the growth of these so-called "friendly bacteria" in the gut. Among the most important and best known of these are Lactobacillus acidophilus and bifidus.
Guy recommends adding probiotic foods such as yoghurt (with live bacteria), kefir (a fermented milk drink), tempeh (a soy product), miso or sauerkraut to your diet. Both kefir and tempeh can be found at health-food shops.
To ensure these beneficial bacteria thrive, you also need to feed them prebiotic foods. "Prebiotics are non-digestible food fibres that help good bacteria stick to the bowel wall and stimulate their growth," Guy says.
She recommends eating foods rich in prebiotics such as bananas, soybeans, Jerusalem artichokes, whole oats, wheat, barley, garlic, flaxseeds, legumes, tomatoes and green vegetables. She also advises cutting out processed carbohydrates and unhealthy fats.
Probiotics and prebiotics are especially important if you have taken antibiotics recently, because the medication destroys both good and bad bacteria. You may even need to take a synbiotic supplement, which combines probiotics and prebiotics.
With winter ready to launch its offensive, your immune system will thank you for it.
Guy recommends adding probiotic foods such as yoghurt (with live bacteria), kefir (a fermented milk drink), tempeh (a soy product), miso or sauerkraut to your diet. Both kefir and tempeh can be found at health-food shops.
To ensure these beneficial bacteria thrive, you also need to feed them prebiotic foods. "Prebiotics are non-digestible food fibres that help good bacteria stick to the bowel wall and stimulate their growth," Guy says.
She recommends eating foods rich in prebiotics such as bananas, soybeans, Jerusalem artichokes, whole oats, wheat, barley, garlic, flaxseeds, legumes, tomatoes and green vegetables. She also advises cutting out processed carbohydrates and unhealthy fats.
Probiotics and prebiotics are especially important if you have taken antibiotics recently, because the medication destroys both good and bad bacteria. You may even need to take a synbiotic supplement, which combines probiotics and prebiotics.
With winter ready to launch its offensive, your immune system will thank you for it.
Five ways to boost your immunity
- 1. Eat a tub of organic yoghurt or a bowl of miso soup.
- 2. Drink a smoothie full of alkalising green vegetables.
- 3. Try a probiotic drink such as kefir.
- 4. Limit alcohol, caffeine and soft drinks.
- 5. Choose healthy oils such as olive oil and healthy fats such as oily fish and avocados
Source: http://www.bodyandsoul.com.au/
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