We uncover the biggest myths about gut health for you.
Myth No. 1: Only older people need to take care of their gut health.
No. In our opinion, 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 bowel health is probably due to the fact that most bowel cancers only occur at an older age. That is why in Germany men and women over the age of 50 are recommended to have regular colonoscopies as part of the statutory early detection program. Rarely do we hear of significantly younger people being affected.
However, as a 2017 study (published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute) showed, those born after 1990 have almost twice the risk of colon cancer than their parents. The study cannot explain the causes more precisely, but known risk factors for colorectal cancer include:a a low-fiber diet (and thus too little food for the probiotic bacterial cultures in our intestines), frequent consumption of processed red meat, high alcohol consumption and smoking.But even at a young age we lay the foundations for a healthy, happy and long life, so intestinal health definitely deserves our attention earlier.
Myth No. 2: The intestine is just the drainpipe of the human being.
Absolutely wrong. On the contrary: the intestine is the engine of our life. Divided into the large and small intestine, it is not only responsible for digestion, but also contains around 70% of the body's immune cells. That alone shows that the intestine is anything but a drainpipe. In addition, the so-called gut-brain axis (gut-brain axis) is being examined more and more and new connections are constantly being identified. In addition, there are trillions of microorganisms in our intestines, i.e. living strains of bacteria, which together form our intestinal flora. The intestine has absolutely nothing in common with a drain pipe.
Myth No. 3: I cannot influence my intestinal flora.
Incorrect. The intestinal flora is one of the health levers that we can best, most directly and easily influence and manipulate. Even the sufficient occurrence of certain bacterial strains in our intestinal flora can bring significant health benefits. And we can clearly influence that ourselves with the right diet and taking probiotics. The bacterial family Bifidobacterium longum is known to counteract inflammation, constipation and celiac disease. So if you consume a sufficient amount of these bacterial strains, you have a good chance of many positive effects. So the next time you hear that we have no control over our gut flora, hopefully you know what to say to that person ;)
So how does my intestinal flora contribute to my intestinal health?
The microorganisms living in the intestinal flora ensure that essential vitamins and Messenger substances are formed, nutrients are utilized and the mucous membranes are protected. The composition of your intestinal flora - in particular the variety and number of colony-forming units (so-called CFUs or narrowly.= CFUs) is incredibly important because the gut flora has such a direct impact on your health.
Myth No. 4: Stress cannot affect the gut.
This is also wrong. Perceived mental and physical stress has a negative effect on pretty much all human biological processes developed by Mother Nature. Yes, if you now pause for a moment and reflect on how much stress you have felt in the last 12 months, it may well startle you. Since the gut is closely related to the psyche, stressful situations can affect the microbiome and gut activity. If you listen more closely to yourself, you may have already experienced the problem yourself: In times of stress, you may go to the toilet less often or unpleasant companions will speak up (diarrhea, flatulence, etc.).etc) For the effect on mood, it's best not to start at all. In order to lead a healthy and (which we find almost more importantly) happy life, it is just as important to relax regularly and thus not to get in the way of the wonderful processes in your body. They all work best when we're happy.
