Gut health is growing in significance. It’s not only about digestion—it will affect your mood, energy, immunity and how your body digests food. The gut is home to millions of “good” bacteria, called the microbiome, which helps you to be healthy from the inside out.

Dr. Gourdas Choudhuri, a top gastroenterologist with Fortis in Gurugram, explains that it’s easy to think of gut as an isolated system, but the gut is constantly communicating with the brain, immune system and even our genetic dispositions to health status. An optimized gut is able to efficiently break down food, absorb nutrients, maintain hormone balance, regulate immunity and improve moods and energy levels.

Mukul Shah, founder of Guttify, mentions that nearly 90 percent of serotonin (the natural chemical we associate with “feeling good in our brain”) originates in our gut. So, it is not surprising that issues which support poor digestion, will often be accompanied with symptoms such as anxiety, specifically mood swings and having trouble falling asleep.

Your gut also impacts how your body utilizes food as an energy source, as well how hunger hormones like ghrelin and leptin are regulated, and it works to maintain stable blood sugar levels. Your gut can also mask underlying issues such as inflammation, tiredness, weight gain, and insulin resistance when it is not properly functioning, all without noticing gastrointestinal disturbances.

Dr. Choudhuri discusses the “gut-brain axis,” the connection between your gut and your brain, meaning that it is possible for your gut health to affect your well-being on multiple fronts; poor gut health can also translate to anxiety, irritability, and sleep disturbances, and since most serotonin is derived from the gut, this has a lot to do with mood regulation.

From a genetic viewpoint, gut microbiome can express various genes associated with inflammatory, obesity, and insulin resistance. This is especially pertinent if the person feels stress, similar to someone working in an active corporate career. Therefore, chronic inflammation and metabolic dysfunction can lead to severe unrecognized health issues later in life because it can go unrecognized.

Also Read: Why 80% Of Indians Lack Protein, 5 Easy Ways To Improve Your Intake

The good news is, you don’t need to make big changes to improve your gut health. Eating a few more fiber-rich foods, drinking plenty of water, staying active, getting enough sleep, managing stress, and introducing probiotics can all support balanced gut health.

When your gut is healthy your body and mind work better together and you have the secret to sustainable health and happiness.

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