Hello everyone,
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I wanted to share my knowledge on the importance of gut health in this time of corona virus. A good immune system is important to fight off viruses such as COVID-19. The immune system is complex and highly responsive to the world around us, so it’s not surprising that many factors affect its function. What’s important to know is that most of these factors are not hard-coded in our genes but are influenced by lifestyle and the world around us.
One thing that you can control immediately is the health of the trillions of microbes living in your gut, collectively known as the microbiome. Recent research has shown that the gut microbiome plays an essential role in the body’s immune response to infection and in maintaining overall health.
Rather than taking supplements that claim to “boost your immune system” with no good supporting evidence, the food you eat has a big impact on the range and type of microbes in the gut. A healthy gut, containing many different species that each play their part in immunity and health. Microbiome diversity declines as you get older, which may help to explain some of the age-related changes we see in immune responses, so it’s even more necessary to maintain a healthy microbiome throughout life.
The best way to increase microbiome diversity is by eating a wide range of plant-based foods, which are high in fibre, and limiting ultra-processed foods including junk food. Avoid alcohol, salt, sweets and sugary drinks, and artificial sweeteners or other additives. You can also support your microbiome by regularly eating natural yoghurt and cheeses, which contain live microbes (probiotics). Another source of natural probiotics are bacteria and yeast-rich drinks like fermented milk, dosa, idli and moong dal chillas. Keeping yourself hydrated is also very important t
