The key to gut health is gut bacteria

 

 

The process of digestion of food

 

Let's take a look at the process by which the food we eat is absorbed and excreted.

 

First, the food ingested from the mouth passes through the esophagus and reaches the stomach. The stomach digests the proteins in the food for 2-5 hours, and the food passes to the small intestine without spoiling or fermenting through the acid, which has a strong bactericidal power.

 

Once the food reaches the small intestine, most of the nutrients are absorbed through the gallbladder's gallbladder and pancreas' digestive enzymes for 4 to 8 hours.

 

After that, the food moves to the large intestine for the last time. It stays in the large intestine for about 10-12 hours and then becomes feces and is expelled. There's a lot of digestive metabolism going on in the large intestine.

 

Structure and function of the large intestine

 

The large intestine, which fills our stomach, is connected to the rectum and anus, following the ascending colon, transverse colon, descending colon, and sigmoid colon. Each structure of the large intestine is responsible for a major function. The ascending colon absorbs water and electrolytes, as well as absorbs and produces vitamins and minerals, while the descending colon minced the contents and turns them into feces to excrete them.

 

If you open this hose-like structure and look at the cross-section, you can find the mucosal layer that is involved in digestion and absorption, the submucosal layer that supports the mucosal layer, the muscle layer that is involved in movement, and the serous layer that supports this muscle layer. The mucosal layer secretes a sticky mucus substance called mucin, which is responsible for the absorption of water and electrolytes, as well as the production and absorption of vitamins. The muscle layer underneath is responsible for compacting and moving the contents downward through segmental and peristalsis.

 

The importance of intestinal bacteria

 

However, it is important to note that the production and absorption of vitamins in the mucosal layer is caused by intestinal bacteria in the large intestine. More than 1,000 species of intestinal bacteria in our body are involved in digestion and metabolism as if they were part of our body, and they play an essential role in maintaining our health. It aids in the absorption of minerals such as calcium, iron, and magnesium as well as vitamin K and B vitamins, stimulates the lymphatic system in the large intestine to inhibit the growth of harmful bacteria in the mucous epithelium, and helps maintain a healthy body by stimulating the formation of antibodies and T-lymphocytes.

 

The large intestine, where food scraps stay for more than 12 hours, contains many types of harmful bacteria and the gases they secrete. If the beneficial bacteria in the colon don't do their job, you're bound to get sick. When the balance of intestinal bacteria is disturbed and cannot function properly, various colon diseases occur.

 

Types of Colon Disease

 

So, what are some diseases that occur in the colon? The most common diseases that occur when the bowel is not motilized are irritable bowel syndrome and diverticulitis.

 

Irritable bowel syndrome is caused by severe stress. Irritable bowel syndrome can cause a variety of abdominal discomfort during stressful situations such as exams and job interviews.

 

Diverticulitis is a condition in which the intestinal tract is filled with gas and pressure increases, causing the structurally vulnerable area to protrude like a sac.

 

Inflammatory bowel diseases such as ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease are thought to be predominantly caused by an excessive immune response to gut bacteria, along with environmental and genetic factors. Inflammatory bowel disease causes extensive mucosal ulcers and digestive and malabsorption. If the disease is very advanced, extensive bowel resection may be necessary.

 

Good and bad foods for colon health

 

In order for the large intestine to excrete healthy stool without disease, it is necessary to create an intestinal environment in which a sufficient number of beneficial bacteria can operate.

 

To do this, it's best to take enough lactic acid bacteria themselves. It is also helpful to eat foods rich in fiber, which help the growth of beneficial bacteria, or foods that are high in prebiotics, which are food for beneficial bacteria.

 

Fermented foods such as kimchi, yogurt, plain yogurt, and fermented soy milk are rich in lactic acid bacteria. Especially when it comes to yogurt, plain yogurt works as opposed to sugary sweet yogurt. Foods high in fiber include apples, potatoes, blueberries, chickpeas, and lentils. Prebiotics are abundant in asparagus, leeks, bananas, garlic, etc.

 

On the other hand, you should refrain from eating foods that cause inflammation. Wheat flour should be avoided from gluten, synthetic additives or drugs, antibiotics, foods containing heavy metals, convenience foods, and foods high in animal fats.