Healthy Magazine Healthy RGV Issue 119 | Page 38

FITNESS & BEAUTY ยท OCTOBER 2018 IS REALLY TRUE THAT OUR HEALTH STARTS IN OUR MOUTH? WHAT FACTORS ADVERSELY AFFECT OUR GUT MICROBIOTA? Well, this is partly true. Our mouth is at the beginning of our digestive system and after the process of chewing, food starts moving through the digestive tract in order to be digested and absorbed in our gut. Diet has been shown to significantly determine the composition of our gut microbial community. This means that the food we eat may harmfully and dynamically affect our gut microbes in a matter of days. This process, when properly functioning, guarantees us to receive crucial nutrients needed for optimal function of our body and consequently good health. However, based on scientific research, our health begins in our gut or, more specifically, in our gut microbiota, or intestinal flora. Therefore, our health depends on how homeostatic, or balanced, our gut microbiome is. In order to have a balanced intestinal microbiota with plenty of beneficial bacteria, a few essential factors are needed, such as an anti-inflammatory and nutrient-dense diet, a balanced lifestyle, and stress management. Because good health depends on how balanced our gut microbiome is, let's better understand this mechanism. WHAT IS A MICROBIOME OR INTESTINAL FLORA? Gut microbiome, gut flora, or gut bacte