What You Need to Know About Gut Health

While your oral health is certainly important, it’s just as important to look after other areas of your health as well. And in recent times, more and more attention is being paid to gut health and the impact it can have on greater health and wellbeing. In this blog post, East Bentleigh Dental Group details what you need to know about gut health.

The Power of Food

What you put into your body can have immense benefits and help you be your best self. But it also works the other way – if you consume the wrong foods, this can cause harm to your body and your health. It’s important to realise how the foods you eat can affect your gut microbiome, allowing you to learn which foods make you feel good and which foods have the opposite effect.

Probiotics and Good Bacteria

While the world of probiotics is still quite new, there are some findings that have recently come to light. Studies have shown that not all probiotics are the same, and also that they don’t necessarily colonise your gut straight away. This highlights the importance of consuming a range of good bacteria on a regular basis through probiotics and fermented foods.

Fermented Foods

Fermenting results in foods and drinks that are rich in beneficial bacteria. This bacteria helps to promote gut health and can benefit a range of gut conditions including IBS, diarrhoea and Crohn’s disease. Some of the most beneficial fermented foods and drinks include:

• Sauerkraut
• Kefir
• Kimchi
• Kombucha
• Miso
• Yoghurt

The Gut Microbiome

Earlier in this blog post we mentioned the gut microbiome, but what exactly is it? The gut microbiome refers to all microorganisms that exist in your intestinal tract. Consuming good bacteria can help the microbiome to thrive, resulting in positive effects on health. Recent studies have shown that the microbiome can even be affected by exposure to sunlight, proving that there’s still much to learn and discover about the microbiome and gut health.

Look After Your Health Today

As this blog post has explored, looking after your gut health is just as important as looking after your oral health. If your gut health is in good shape but your oral health could be improved, call us today on (03) 9575 1100 to make an appointment.