Don’t Blame The Gut for the Gut

The microbiome is exciting, but the basics are essential

The role of the gut and microbiome in our health and wellbeing is a fascinating area of research that is rapidly evolving. You may have heard the gut described as the ‘second brain’, partly due to its role in synthesising neurotransmitters that play a critical role in brain function. We are learning more about this connection over time, but the underlying mechanisms are still being discovered.

You may have also heard of ‘leaky gut syndrome’ whereby the lifestyle factors such as stress, poor diet and physical inactivity are claimed to degenerate the lining of the digestive system, leading to partially digested food, toxin and bugs ‘leaking’ into the tissue beneath it. The Cleveland Clinic refers to leaky gut syndrome as a ‘hypothetical condition’ based on a misunderstanding of intestinal permeability.

While we should consider our gut when making nutrition choices, we don’t need to deviate greatly from general nutrition principles to make that happen. Eating a range of foods, plenty of vegetables and fruit, and minimising the intake of processed foods are simply nutrition guidelines that benefit the gut.

Many supplements that promise weight loss, reduced brain fog, or greater energy via healing the gut will do little more…