6 Tips for Maintaining Gut Health, the Key to Immunity

Eating well can also give you the strength to overcome cancer. It's especially important to eat foods that are good for your intestines. Hippocrates said, "All disease begins in the intestines." A healthy intestine not only promotes digestive health but also improves overall health, leading to a higher quality of life. Today, we'll discuss the importance of gut health and how to eat healthily.

 

 

Jang is the 'second brain'

 

The gut is closely related to immunity. 70% of the immune cells that protect our bodies are located in the gut. A healthy gut boosts immunity, protecting us from not only infectious diseases but also various other illnesses. The gut produces over 20 different hormones, including serotonin, and is composed of 100 million nerve cells. Eighty to 90% of serotonin, a neurotransmitter known as the happiness hormone, is produced in the gut. American neurophysiologist Michael Gerson emphasized the importance of the gut, calling it the "second brain" and referring to gut microbes as the "sixth organ."

Build your strength to fight cancer

 

 

Cancer patients need to maintain good gut health. Increasing the number of beneficial gut bacteria activates the body's T and B lymphocytes, which play a role in immune function. Consuming fresh vegetables and fermented foods to build a healthy gut microbiome helps block pathogens and enhance the effectiveness of cancer treatment. Conversely, a poor gut environment can lead to chronic inflammation. These inflammatory cells can seep into the bloodstream, weakening the immune system and ultimately contributing to cancer. A study from Ajou University found that a fatty diet increases the body's production of bile, a digestive enzyme, and promotes colon cell division, increasing the risk of cancer.

 

① Take probiotics

 

Here are some tips to keep in mind to maintain a healthy gut. First, the food we eat directly affects our digestive system, the gut. What foods promote gut health? It's best to eat "probiotic" foods, which serve as food for beneficial gut bacteria, helping to increase the number of beneficial bacteria and relatively reduce harmful bacteria. Fermented foods such as yogurt, kimchi, doenjang, and cheonggukjang are representative probiotic foods. Kimchi, in particular, has the highest probiotic content after eight days of fermentation, while doenjang and cheonggukjang lose the least probiotics when boiled for less than 10 minutes.

However, if you're undergoing cancer treatment or taking immunosuppressants, you should be cautious when taking probiotics. There's a small risk, though small, that probiotics could mimic common bacteria and cause infection if taken incorrectly when your immune system is compromised. There have also been cases of allergic reactions in patients undergoing treatment for colon and prostate cancer after taking probiotics. If you're undergoing treatment, be sure to consult a specialist before taking probiotics.

 

② Stay away from fast food

 

Conversely, excessive consumption of fast food, processed meats, refined carbohydrates, and high-fructose corn syrup can lead to the growth of harmful bacteria. Avoiding these foods is best. Gluten, a component of sugar and wheat flour, is a particularly attractive food source for harmful bacteria.

③Reduce stress

 

Beyond diet, you also need to manage your mind. Excessive stress negatively affects your gut health. It impedes bowel movement and increases sensitivity, leading to indigestion and abdominal pain. Create a stress-free environment and get plenty of rest.

 

④ Exercise for 30 minutes every day

 

Engaging in aerobic exercise, such as walking or jogging, for at least 30 minutes a day promotes healthy bowel movements. Regular exercise promotes blood circulation in the colon, which helps improve digestion. Research from the University of Utah in the United States also shows that regular exercise reduces intestinal inflammation and helps prevent colon cancer.

 

⑤Have an empty stomach

 

Maintaining a fasting state for about 10 hours a day will help cleanse your intestines. It's also important to secure three hours of fasting between meals. After the small intestine absorbs nutrients from food, the intestines cleanse themselves through peristalsis in preparation for the next meal. Maintaining a fasting state during this time ensures smooth intestinal cleansing. If food continues to enter the intestines without a fasting period, peristalsis, which cleans the intestines, will not function properly. This is why it's important to avoid late-night snacking and eat regularly at set times.

 

⑥ Drink water immediately after waking up

 

Drinking a glass of water right after waking up in the morning is also a good idea. While you sleep, you lose water through breathing and sweat, so replenishing your body with water upon waking improves blood circulation. Furthermore, it prevents stool from hardening and promotes smooth intestinal peristalsis, facilitating bowel movements. Drinking warm water on an empty stomach helps your stomach move more slowly, promoting digestion and effectively eliminating waste.

 

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Drink water on an empty stomach after waking up

I'm practicing it too..

They say that replenishing moisture in the body improves blood circulation.

Take care of it every day~