Gut Health is Vital to Overall Health

A healthy gut contains healthy bacteria and immune cells that fight off infectious things like bacteria, viruses and fungi. A healthy gut also talks to the brain through nerves and hormones, which helps maintain overall health and well-being.

Our bodies are full of trillions of bacteria, viruses and fungi, collectively known as the “microbiome”.

While some bacteria are associated with disease, others are actually extremely important for your immune system, heart, weight and several other aspects of health.

Bacteria, viruses, fungi and other microscopic living things are referred to as microorganisms (a/k/a “microbes”).

Altogether, these microbes weigh between 2–5 pounds. Together, they function as an extra organ in our bodies and play a huge role in our overall health.

Over millions of years, humans have evolved to live with microbes and they play a very important role in the human body. In fact, without the gut microbiome, it would be very difficult to survive. The gut microbiome begins to affect our bodies from the time we’re born.

The gut microbiome is made up of trillions of bacteria, fungi and other microbes and it plays a huge role in our health by helping control digestion and benefiting our immune systems and many other aspects of our health. 

An imbalance of unhealthy and healthy microbes in the intestines may contribute to weight gain, high blood sugar, high cholesterol and other disorders. 

To help support the growth of healthy microbes in our gut microbiomes, we need to eat a wide variety of fruits, vegetables, whole grains and fermented foods.