Gut Health: another blog post from Ann Arbor chiropractor, Mike Tannenbaum, D.C.

It's become increasingly common for people to focus on the health of their gut (intestines and stomach). Not long ago, the health of the gut was just not something one thought much about. Well, science has now shown that your gut health plays a huge role in your overall health. It turns out that the gut contains trillions of bacteria, and that keeping these bacteria healthy is very important to your health. The bacteria of your gut help you digest food, and if the bacteria are not healthy, they won’t properly digest food – causing a variety of illnesses. Collectively, the good bacteria in the body are known as the “microbiome” or “microbiota.”

The 2017 annual medical conference at the University Medical Center Groningen in the Netherlands focused on the role of the gut microbiome in human health and disease. Studies have shown the unhealthy gut bacteria can lead to, among other illnesses:

• Crohn’s disease

• Ulcerative colitis

• Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) 

• Buildup of cholesterol in your blood vessels

• Chronic kidney disease

In addition, scientists suspect that unhealthy gut bacteria play a part in autism spectrum disorder, anxiety, depression, and chronic pain, as part of  a sensory processing disorder that deals with sights, flavors, sounds, and textures.

Here are a few things that can create unhealthy gut bacteria.

• Too much stress

• Too much refined sugar

• Not drinking enough water

• Not getting enough sleep

• Too much animal protein

• Food containing antibiotics

• Fried food

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• There are a variety of specific things you can do to enhance your gut’s health. Some of these include introducing or increasing fermented foods in your diet, such as yogurt. I highly recommend you investigate them and attempt to make your gut as healthy as possible, as this will likely improve your overall health.  

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• If you have any questions about this blog, back pain, neck pain, or headaches, I can be reached at my Ann Arbor office at [email protected].

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