Why Your Gut Health Matters

If you want to be a healthier person, you’ll probably focus on having a balanced diet, exercising regularly, sleeping well, and having good hygiene practices. However, although these things are important, it’s also crucial to take care of your gut health specifically. This is an area that is so often overlooked, but it is something that can have a major impact on your health in many ways. With that in mind, read on to find out why your gut health matters and how to take good care of it. 

Digestion 

One of the biggest reasons why your gut health is so important is due to its main function, digestion. When your gut is healthy, it can digest food properly and that means your body gets all the nutrients it needs in the right amounts and at the right time. An unhealthy gut won’t be able to digest food so efficiently, and that means that you won’t be absorbing so many vitamins and minerals, which could lead to bad health over time. 

In order to make your gut healthier, it’s crucial to eat a well-balanced diet. You should also consume additional probiotics if your diet doesn’t give you enough – these are good bacteria that can balance out the gut and ensure that it works in the right way. Something that can come as a surprise when you’re looking for ways to improve your gut health is regular visits to a good dentist, like bafdentistry.com. When you have poor oral hygiene, your gut can become home to harmful bacteria that come from the mouth. Seeing a dentist can prevent this and keep things balanced like they need to be. 

Immune System Support 

It’s astonishing to think that about seventy percent of your immune system is actually in your gut, but once you realize this, you’ll see why it’s so important to take care of your gut health overall; it will help to keep your immune system strong. 

A strong immune system will be able to fight off sickness, bugs, germs, and various diseases much more effectively. If your immune system is compromised in any way, you’ll find you get sick much more than other people, and you might take longer to heal or recover from an injury or health condition. A strong immune system means that the chances of getting sick are lower, but even if you are unwell, you’ll get better much more quickly. 

Mental Health 

It’s not just your physical health that will be affected by your gut health. Studies have shown that there is actually a strong connection between the gut and the brain – this is known as the gut-brain axis. Amazingly, the gut creates neurotransmitters to communicate directly with the brain.

When there are problems with the gut, the brain will therefore be affected. This can cause mental health issues, such as anxiety and symptoms of depression. In some cases, poor gut health has been linked to cognitive decline. It’s clear in this case that taking care of your gut is going to have major benefits in your life now and in the future.