Gut Microbiome and Chronic Inflammation: A Complete Guide

What Is Gut Microbiome?  

The Gut Microbiome is gaining enormous attention these days, thanks to widespread marketing of probiotic foods and supplements. Wait! Do you know what probiotics are? 

• Probiotics are live microorganisms. They are primarily beneficial bacteria and yeasts. They provide health benefits when consumed in adequate amounts. These microorganisms are often referred to as “good bacteria”. Probiotics help maintain a healthy balance of the gut microbiome and support overall health.

Coming back to the question of the “Gut Microbiome,” the name itself is self-explanatory. 

• These are diverse communities of microorganisms comprising bacteria, yeasts, fungi, and other microbes. 

They are residing inside the human digestive tract. Yes! You might be surprised to know your gut is sheltering a lot of microbes. But don’t worry; these are all beneficial for your health, and you need them. 

The gut microbiome plays a vital role in maintaining overall health by aiding digestion, producing essential nutrients, regulating the immune system, and even influencing mood and mental health. Yes, you read that right: the gut can even influence your mental health and vice versa.

Are you curious about this gut-brain connection? This blog from our team can help you understand better.

While establishing and educating about the connection between the gut microbiome and chronic inflammation, the first task is to define and understand the terms “gut microbiome” and “chronic inflammation”. Reading this far, we hope that you have gained a basic knowledge of the gut microbiome. Now, let’s discuss chronic inflammation and its connection with the gut microbiome in the subsequent sections.

Understanding Chronic Inflammation

Chronic inflammation is the prolonged and continuous response of the body. 

It happens when the body’s immune system continues to be active, even in the absence of an injury or infection. Chronic inflammation can cause tissue harm and lead to various health conditions.

Chronic inflammation is not light or unserious. It requires utmost attention and priority. If left unattended, it can lead to various health conditions. The following are the symptoms of chronic inflammation.

Common Symptoms

• Chronic fatigue, weakness, and muscle and joint pain.
• Alteration of bowel habits like diarrhoea and constipation.
• Gut issues like bloating, acidity, and gas.
• Changes in body weight without a particular known reason.
• Tendency to attract numerous infections due to low immunity.
• Persistent unexplained skin changes such as red spots or patches or psoriatic-like textures.
• Cloudy thinking or absence of mental clarity.
• Abnormally high glucose levels caused by hindered insulin responsiveness.
• Feelings of anxiety or depression caused by inflammatory changes in the brain.

Connection Between Inflammation And Health Conditions

The impact and involvement of chronic inflammation in numerous disorders have been noted over a long period of time. It remains a passive aggravating factor in many of the conditions. On many occasions, those are treated once the damage is too extensive and characteristic signs and indications have been shown. Below are some key health conditions linked to chronic inflammation:

1. Cardiovascular Diseases

• Due to excessive inflammation of the blood vessels, a saturation of atheromatous plaques is formed. It is the predisposing factor for heart disease as well as cerebral strokes.

2. Diabetes

• Inflammation is a significant contributing factor to insulin resistance, which is a characteristic of Type 2 diabetes. The adipose tissue (fat cells) secretions of those who have obesity are also inflammatory in nature. This causes insulin resistance in terms of glucose metabolism.

3. Autoimmune Diseases

• Chronic inflammation is common in rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, and psoriasis, and it occurs when the immune system of the body mistakenly fights the normal tissues of the body.

4. Cancer

• Chronic inflammation, especially tumour-promoting inflammation, drives the changes at the cellular level, leading to various cancers like colorectal, liver and stomach cancer.

5. Neurodegenerative Disorders

• Chronic inflammation localised in the brain can be a contributing factor towards Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease.

6. Respiratory Conditions

• Chronic inflammation of the airways and lungs is the hallmark of many diseases, such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, also known as COPD, and pulmonary fibrosis.

7. Metabolic Syndrome

• Inflammation is closely associated with a group of similar metabolic disorders, such as high blood pressure, obesity, high blood sugar, and high cholesterol, which occur simultaneously in an individual. These disorders belong to the concept of metabolic syndrome. 

8. Digestive Disorders

• Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), including Crohn’s and ulcerative colitis, are a group of diseases characterised by the presence of chronic inflammation in the gastrointestinal tract.

How Gut Microbiome Affects Inflammation

The extent of chronic inflammation in the body is heavily influenced by the equilibrium in the composition of the gut microbiome. Thus, if the composition is disrupted, chronic inflammation starts. Let’s check into the mechanisms of connection between the gut microbiome and chronic inflammation:

1. Immune Responses

• The gut houses 70–80% of immune cells, making it a major player in immune regulation.
• Beneficial microbes help train immune cells to differentiate between harmful pathogens and the body’s own tissues, reducing the likelihood of inappropriate inflammatory responses.

2. Inflammatory Mediators

• Gut microbes can increase the severity of chronic inflammation through cytokines. On the contrary, they can reduce the severity through the promotion of anti-inflammatory cytokines. All of this is fine as long as the gut remains healthy and free from toxins and undigested food particles.

3. Dysbiosis

• The potential for an interfered/inflamed gut rises due to a condition called Dysbiosis, which means an imbalance of the gut bacteria. This inevitably leads to a chain reaction of the gut becoming permeable (leaky gut syndrome) and resulting in inflammation and, subsequently, other chronic diseases.

4. Short-Chain Fatty Acids (SCFAs)

• Gut bacteria ferment dietary fibre to produce SCFAs. SCFAs suppress inflammatory pathways, strengthen the intestinal lining, and help maintain a healthy immune response. Thus, the unhealthy composition of the gut microbiome affects the above process, leading to potential chronic inflammation.

5. Lipopolysaccharides (LPS)

• LPS is also classified as a type of endotoxin produced by the cell walls of gut bacteria.
• When the gut linings are damaged, endotoxins rise up to the bloodstream, and this signals immune cells to trigger chronic low inflammation.

The pathways explained above show the close relationship between the gut microbiome and chronic inflammation in the human body. If the gut microbiome composition is affected in any way, it may disrupt these mechanisms, further leading to chronic inflammatory responses.

“Chronic inflammation further leads to serious health conditions. It is just like a chain reaction; one leads to the other. The starting point is a disruption in the gut microbiome or whatever causes this disruption.  Those causes are always linked to our lifestyle habits and diet.”  - Dr. Anju Lal, Health Coach at Nirva, Certified in Dietetics and Nutrition

The most simple way to avoid the consequences of ‘gut dysbiosis’ is to follow a healthy diet with proper lifestyle habits. 

Read on to the next session to learn more.

Improving Gut Health To Reduce Inflammation

Chronic inflammation leads to frequent medication and other difficulties. So, prevention is always better than cure; all you have to do is to start at the earliest. 

There are natural ways to care for your gut health. You are neither too old nor too young to follow and adopt a healthy lifestyle. You can start following a healthy lifestyle at any point of time!

Read below for some of the daily life tips:

1. Eat Foods With Fibre

• Fibre optimises the gut microflora by boosting the growth of good bacteria and stimulating the formation of short-chain fatty acids, which are anti-inflammatory.

Sources: Whole grain, legumes, vegetables, fruits, nuts, and seeds

2. Include Fermented Foods

• Probiotics, which are abundant in fermented foods, also help maintain the gut flora balance.

Sources: Yogurt, kefir, kimchi, sauerkraut, miso and tempeh.

3. Aim For Omega-3 Supplementation

• It supports gut health and has anti-inflammatory effects.

Sources: Fatty fish such as salmon or mackerel, walnuts, chia seeds, and flaxseeds.

4. Cut Down On Processed Foods That Cause Inflammation

• To protect the good microflora, avoid processed food containing refined sugars, trans fats and artificial additives. Refined sugars and trans fat can feed and increase harmful microbes in the gut, leading to dysbiosis.

5. Consider Adding Probiotics

• As said earlier, probiotics are live beneficial bacteria that help to balance the gut’s microflora and are found in several foods or supplements.

Sources: Look for Lactobacillus Bifidobacterium in supplements or in food.

6. Drink Plenty Of Water

• Water is essential for maintaining homeostasis at the level of intestinal mucus and supporting gut functions.

7. Rest And Sleep Better

• Lack of sleep can magnify the inflammation in the intestines and cause an imbalance in the gut microbiome profile. Optimal sleep is necessary not only for your gut health but also to enhance your overall health and well-being.

Sleep maximally in quantities of 7–8 hours to maintain gut and immunity health.

8. Avoid Over Use Of Antibiotics

• Antibiotic usage defeats the aim of managing gut health, so consider using them only when necessary. Antibiotic means against life; as the name says, it doesn’t work on selecting and acting. It is harmful to both beneficial and harmful microorganisms in the gut, leading to dysbios.

We have discussed the signs and symptoms of chronic inflamis. mation and also explored natural ways to improve your gut health. Now, let’s look at the bright side: the signs of better gut health.

Signs Of Better Gut Health

• Bowel regularity and movement with no or minimal discomfort.
• Less feeling of bloating in the abdomen and minimal pain during digestion.
• Having high energy levels and greater ability to concentrate (i.e. observed brain fog is lower).
• Feeling the need to be in a better mood and be able to deal with stress even more effectively than before.

Suppose you are not satisfied with your gut health and feel like you need a helping hand, we can help you out. At Nirva Health, our expert team can customise and cater diet and other medications for your unique needs and make your gut health the best. 

After going through a one-month health program at Nirva Health, our dear customer, Kelly Chester, from  Lincolnshire, says, “I feel so much better. The bloating has gone down considerably. It’s really working for me.”

Wrapping It Up

Your gut is not simply an extension of the digestive system. Rather, it is an incredibly active and complex system that is responsible for your immunity, mood, and general health. 

Having a healthy gut microbiome can effectively help you fight chronic inflammation as well as other health problems. You can maintain a healthy gut microbiome by following simple yet effective natural ways. Drinking enough water, sleeping well, avoiding processed foods, and consuming fermented or high-fibre foods will significantly improve your health.

Thus, your health should start with training and improving the beneficial inhabitants of your gut by making wise decisions. Be considerate of your microbiomes, as they’re working hard to keep you healthy!