CHENNAI : Far from being a fleeting health fad, gut health emerges as a cornerstone of overall wellness, playing a pivotal role not just in digestion but also in the operation of virtually every organ system in the body. Calling the gut the body’s second brain would be an understatement, considering the important role it plays. By digesting the food consumed and absorbing the essential nutrients from it, the gut fuels and maintains the entire body. Therefore, it is no surprise that the importance of the gut in maintaining overall health is becoming an important research topic. Let’s explore how the emerging science of nutrigenomics offers a roadmap to a healthier gut.
Gut health can be reset to its normal state by making certain tweaks to your diet. Including the right foods in your diet cannot be done with just some Google search. It’s about crafting a diet that resonates with the very core of your being — your DNA. This is where the science of nutrigenomics comes into play, acting as a bridge between your genetic blueprint and your plate, ensuring every bite you take supports your gut health.
Nutrigenomics is like having a conversation with your body at a molecular level. It’s about understanding how the food you eat talks to your genes. This dialogue can reveal a wealth of insights about how your body processes and responds to different nutrients, enabling you to make dietary choices that are in perfect sync with your genetic makeup. Consider the B vitamins, vital players in maintaining a healthy gut environment. Nutrigenomics can uncover how your unique genetic variations might affect your body’s ability to absorb and utilise these vitamins. For instance, some individuals have genetic variations that make them more prone to B vitamin deficiencies, which can disrupt the gut’s microbial balance and lead to health issues. By tailoring your diet to include the right amount of B vitamins based on your genetic profile, you can foster a thriving gut microbiome.
It can also shed light on specific food intolerances and sensitivities you might have stemming from your genetic makeup. It also explores how your genes can influence the way your body interacts with certain nutrients, such as polyphenols — natural compounds with powerful anti-inflammatory properties found in berries, nuts, and green tea. By determining how efficiently your body absorbs and utilises these compounds, a diet can be fine-tuned to ensure optimal intake, reducing inflammation and promoting a healthier gut lining.
Moreover, nutrigenomics provides valuable insights into preventing and managing gut-related conditions like inflammatory bowel disease. It delves into how your genetic profile affects the metabolism of fats, guiding the balance of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids in your diet. This balance is crucial; a diet tailored to your genetic predisposition can help mitigate gut inflammation and lower the risk of developing gut-related conditions. Through the lens of nutrigenomics, the path to a healthier gut is clear and personalised.
Five foods that can derail your gut health
Refined sugar
Candies, cakes, and cookies are most of our guilty pleasures. While our tongues relish them, our guts hate them. One compelling reason is that too much sugar eliminates healthy gut bacteria, which can cause inflammation in the body — opening the door to bigger health problems.
Red meat
Regular consumption of red meat has long been linked to the risk of heart disease. New evidence suggests that gut bacteria may play a role in this. Red meat encourages the gut bacteria to produce certain substances that have been linked to the risk of cardiovascular death.
Caffeine
Coffee is a staple of most people’s morning routines. While low to moderate consumption is okay and may even be beneficial, having one too many cups a day can worsen some digestive issues like acid reflux or IBS. Adding too much sugar to your coffee can also reduce the diversity and activity of gut bacteria.
Fried foods
This one is no surprise, considering that fried foods are already on most people’s “foods to avoid” list. Soaking in bad fats (saturated and trans fats), they can irritate the stomach, resulting in pain, diarrhoea, and gas. Further, overconsumption of fried foods can promote the growth of bad gut bacteria.
Refined carbohydrates
White flour, white bread, pasta, and pastries are some examples of refined carbs. Pathogenic or harmful bacteria in the gut can thrive well and dominate the good bacteria if fed with a diet high in refined carbs. Substituting them with whole carbs like grains, legumes, and vegetables can make your gut happy.
Deepika Suresh
(The writer is a genomics specilaist and chief of staff at Xcode Life)