It’s not often talked about and for most people it’s a tricky, shame-laden topic: gut health. But we think that’s totally unfair – because our overall well-being strongly depends on our gut health. That’s why we want to approach the whole thing with a bit of humor, because humor never hurts! :)
We’re uncovering the biggest myths about gut health for you.
Myth #1: Only older people need to take care of their gut health.
No. In our view, this is probably the most painful but also the most widespread myth. What’s behind it?
The myth that only older people should actively take care of their gut health likely comes from the fact that most colorectal cancers occur at an older age. That’s why in Germany, men and women over 50 are recommended to have regular colonoscopies as part of the statutory early detection program. It’s rare to hear that much younger people can be affected.
However, a 2017 study (published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute) showed that those born after 1990 have almost twice the risk of colorectal cancer compared to their parents. The study couldn’t explain the causes in detail, but known risk factors for colorectal cancer include a low-fiber diet (and thus too little food for the probiotic bacterial cultures in our gut), frequent consumption of processed red meat, high alcohol intake, and smoking. But even in our younger years, we lay the foundation for a healthy, happy, and long life, so gut health definitely deserves our attention earlier on.
Myth #2: The gut is just the human drainage pipe.
Absolutely wrong. On the contrary: the gut is the engine of our life. Divided into the large and small intestines, it’s not only responsible for digestion but also houses about 70% of the body’s immune cells. That alone shows that the gut is anything but a drainage pipe. Additionally, the so-called gut-brain axis (gut-brain connection) is increasingly studied, and new links are constantly being discovered. Moreover, trillions of microorganisms live in our gut—living bacterial strains that together form our gut flora. The gut has absolutely nothing in common with a drainage pipe.
Myth #3: I can’t influence my gut flora.
Wrong. The gut flora is one of the health levers we can influence and manipulate best, most directly, and most easily. Simply having a sufficient presence of certain bacterial strains in our gut flora can bring significant health benefits. And we can clearly influence this ourselves with the right diet and probiotic intake. For example, the bacterial family Bifidobacterium longum is known to counteract inflammation, constipation, and celiac disease. So if you consume enough of these bacterial strains, you have a good chance of many positive effects. So next time you hear someone say we have no influence on our gut flora, hopefully you’ll know what to say to that person ;)
So how does my gut flora contribute to my gut health?
The microorganisms living in the gut flora mainly ensure in the large intestine that essential vitamins and signaling substances are produced, nutrients are utilized, and the mucous membranes are protected. The composition of your gut flora—especially the diversity and the number of colony-forming units (so-called CFUs)—is incredibly important because the gut flora directly influences your health.
Myth #4: Stress can’t affect the gut.
That’s also false. Perceived mental and physical stress negatively affects pretty much all human biological processes developed by Mother Nature. Yes, if you pause for a moment and reflect on how much stress you’ve felt in the last 12 months, it’s okay to be alarmed. Since the gut is closely connected to the psyche, stressful situations can influence the microbiome and gut activity. If you listen closely to yourself, you may have already experienced this problem: during stressful times, you might go to the bathroom less often or unpleasant companions might make themselves known (diarrhea, bloating, etc.). We won’t even start on the impact on mood. To live a healthy and (what we find even more important) happy life, it’s just as important to relax regularly and not get in the way of the wonderful processes in your body. They all work best when we are happy.
