The idea that gut health is central to our overall health goes back thousands of years as many cultures and traditional diets have long incorporated the use of fermented foods. However, it has only been in the last decade that mainstream society has rediscovered the important role the gut microbiome plays in our health.
Our bodies are made up of trillions of microorganisms known as microbes. They are a bustling community of organisms—bacteria, archaea, fungi, and viruses—living mostly within the small and large intestines, but also throughout the body. Each person’s microbiome is unique to their own DNA, and we are exposed to microorganisms from birth onward through contact with the environment and our dietary choices. Scientists have recently linked a healthy and diverse microbiome to better health, affecting everything from the immune system to mental health, metabolism, and risk of chronic disease.
At Montana State University, Professor Mary Miles first became interested in the role of the gut microbiome by studying inflammation in the body as it relates to metabolism, exercise, and the gastrointestinal tract. Inflammation in our bodies increases the likelihood of chronic diseases like diabetes, cancer, or Alzheimer’s. “As individuals, we are on a train toward chronic disease, and the question is, how can we slow the train down,” Miles says.
What she discovered is that the gut has a lot to do with helping slow down the potential for chronic disease, and a highly functioning gut has a healthy microbiome. “There can be 1,500 microbes in the gut that work symbiotically with each other,” she says. “A healthy microbiome is diverse.” The food we eat plays a large part in this diversity through the synthesis of nutrients from food. “The best diet for microbiome diversity is mostly plant-based with high fiber. We know that foods that are highly processed and high in fat are bad for your gut microbiome.”
Interested in learning more, Miles conducted a study with eight other researchers at MSU to better understand how diet could affect microbiomes and induce an inflammatory response, specifically looking at Aronia berry juice. Also called black chokecherry, the Aronia berry is rich in antioxidants and polyphenols, which help to protect cells from free radicals, can help protect the gut barrier, and increase microbial diversity. The researchers found that Aronia berry juice aids in metabolizing polyphenols, which can lead to improved gut barrier function.
“To combat inflammation, incorporation of functional foods may serve as a beneficial dietary strategy for metabolically at-risk populations to reduce the onset and progression of chronic disease,” Miles says. “Not only does the food we eat affect our microbiome, but our microbiome also affects the way that the food we eat can be absorbed and used by the body. It goes both ways.”
She adds that exercise, while not a part of the aforementioned study, is also beneficial for increased microbiome composition in the gut. “We know that exercise increases the production of butyrates.” Butyrates are short-chain fatty acids that break down fiber in the colon, providing the colon cells with energy. The anti-inflammatory effects of the butyrates help increase the gut barrier that prevents toxins and bacteria from leaking into the lining of the colon.
While there is much to learn about our gut microbiome, research has shown that a wholesome diet and consistent physical activity contributes to a harmonious ecosystem within the gut and has a positive impact on this massively complex community of microbes for our short- and long-term health.
