Gut Bacteria and Health

The importance of gut bacteria and overall health has been undervalued by a large number of the population. In this book the author will focus on the scientific findings and gastrointestinal (GI) system that hosts about 75 to 80 percent of the body's immune system and how to boost and

protect the immune system. Daily I hear some biggest barriers to eating healthy such

as cost, time, and taste. I strongly believe that knowledge is a fundamental pillar of health and

wellness. You can not fix your lifestyle if you don’t know what the problems are. You can not

maintain your health until you fix your diet. Studies found that the cost of following a healthy

diet can save up to 88 billion dollars by reducing chronic diseases such as heart diseases, type 2

diabetes, and Alzheimer’s disease. Healthy lifestyle could be costly, but eating unhealthy costs

more in the long run. If you believe eating healthy is expensive, wait until you receive a medical

bill from a hospital. Physical and mental health can affect overall quality of life. There is a well

known quotes “healthy citizens are the greatest asset any country can have.”

You tell a pregnant person that she is eating for two, and not aware that you are eating for 100 trillion bacteria that live inside your digestive system. The more ultra processed food you get, you may please yourself, and the more unprocessed you get, you feed your inner ecosystem, to maintain a balanced and diverse microbiome with a healthy balance of good and bad bacteria. Gastrointestinal (GI) systems are the largest immune organs that act as a physical barrier system on the front lines of your functional security system. A healthy balanced GI microbiome prevents pathogens and toxins entering the bloodstream while metabolizing and absorbing the essential nutrients. A diverse community of bad and good bacteria reside in the GI system maintaining the immune balance and protecting the body's health. Gut bacteria imbalance happens when bad bacteria outnumber the good bacteria, that affects digestion, immunity, and overall health. The imbalance can be caused by genetic, unhealthy lifestyle, medications, and other factors. Increasing bad bacteria can cause digestive problems such as constipation, bloating, diarrhea, and autoimmune diseases. About 20-40% of the population worldwide are suffering from GI system diseases such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), constipation, and functional dyspepsia. Symptoms of GI system disorders are like abdominal pain, bloating, changes in bowel habbits, peptic ulcers, gastritis, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), and inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD). Factors such as aging, unhealthy lifestyle, COVID-19 infection, and stress increase the risk of GI system diseases.