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Your colon your life.

Hello, Hello..!!!! Today I will dedicate this blog to the gut microbiota. The intestinal microbiota (intestinal flora) is composed of a series of microorganisms that live inside your intestine and are responsible for carrying out various functions necessary for the body. Specifically, three types:

· Nutritional: it favors the synthesis of compounds such as vitamins, including K and those of the B group, facilitates the absorption of calcium and iron in the colon, and favors intestinal movement.


· Protective: the microbiota prevents implantation of external pathogenic bacteria that can cause infections.

· Immunological: this set of bacteria activates and strengthens the immune system, increasing our defenses against bacterial and viral infections.

In summary, the intestinal flora defends the organism against bacteria, viruses or diseases, ensures the correct functioning of our digestive system and collaborates in the production of vitamins and the correct absorption of minerals.

However, the integrity and functioning of your microbiota depends on you, because what you eat, feeds it. Below is a list of what affects your gut microbiota:

- An inadequate diet: poor in fiber and an excess of meats, fats and sugars can have a very negative effect on the flora, as I already told you, a lot has to do with the diet.

- Bad lifestyle habits: sedentary lifestyle, stress, alcohol, and tobacco. Insomnia and irregular sleep routines are also harmful, as is exposure to pollution.

- Aging: another risk factor, basically, from the age of sixty onwards, the number of beneficial bacteria decreases. This is one of the reasons for the increase in diseases, infections and digestive symptoms such as constipation in this population group.

--Viral or bacterial infections and other digestive diseases: ulcerative colitis or Crohn's disease, among others, are likely to alter the intestinal flora.

-Postoperative treatments: such as radiotherapy or surgery.

- Certain medications: the consumption of antibiotics can also cause imbalances in the intestinal flora. These drugs are very necessary in cases of infection, since they are responsible for eliminating the bacteria that cause it, but its use changes the normal balance of the flora by damaging its own beneficial bacteria and encourages the harboring of other microorganisms responsible for antibiotic-associated diarrhea.

- Travel to other parts of the world: long trips often lead to changes in the microbiota and, if you travel to places with poor hygienic conditions or to tropical climates, the risk of contracting the famous traveler's diarrhea is high. This possibility increases, especially if raw or undercooked foods are consumed, unbottled water is drunk, or hands are not washed before eating, among other things.

- We must also be clear that the gut is our second brain, and the easiest way to detect this is: Have you ever felt like you had a knot or butterflies in your stomach? This demonstrates a close relationship between emotions and the digestive system.

We know that there are 200 million neurons in the intestine, and that this enteric nervous system (a subdivision of the autonomic nervous system that directly controls the digestive system and warns about hunger and satiety; it prevents invasive and harmful substances from entering the body. It is found in the tissue sheaths lining the esophagus, stomach, small intestine and, colon) communicates very closely with the central nervous system and the intestinal microbiota, participates in the communication between the intestine and the brain, thus influencing brain functions.

If we do not take care of our intestine, we could suffer from psychiatric and neurological diseases in the future. Therefore, we must maintain a balance and manage stress and anxiety levels with proper care of our gut microbiota.

This is a rather long and research-intensive topic, but if we become aware of the functions of our colon, and why by maintaining proper colon function, we can avoid a myriad of diseases.

I, as always, will give recommendations for you to become aware and decide for your health, the first thing is the dietary changes as part of our lifestyle.

We should eat more raw vegetables and greens, those dark green vegetables that provide us with fiber.

Eliminate red meats, replace them with low-fat white meats, preferably eat them grilled or baked.

Avoid fried food (if you have intestinal inflammation, eat steamed vegetables).

Low glycemic index fruits, such as green apples with the shell, strawberries, raspberries, blueberries. They are excellent antioxidants.

Eliminate gluten, my experience with patients who have problems with irritable bowel syndrome, inflammation, constipation, etc., even though they do not have celiac disease, by eliminating gluten from their lives the changes are totally favorable. Do not be afraid, you can eat delicious food without gluten.

Drink green juices without straining them, from the blender to the glass.

Do cardiovascular exercises, they help us to give movement to our intestine.

Have a healthy weight.

Drink plenty of water.

I recommend you my book:: "DECÍDETE POR TU SALUD", it will be an extraordinary guide for everyone.


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