Over the last 3 decades since food companies started marketing their products with false claims & labels of their food being organic, health non-GMO & gluten free, we have been surrounded by the sodium problem. With a lot of additives & preservatives being added in these products to increase their shelf life, our body is receiving much higher sodium that is required.
It is no brainer that high sodium consumption can make us vulnerable to hypertension & high blood pressure. Hypertension is a silent killer since people can live with it for years without experiencing treatment. If left untreated it can cause cardiovascular diseases such as heart disease & heart stroke.
However scientists have now discovered that excess salt consumption has a lot to do with the health of your gut as well. Some studies suggest that when we have a high level of indigestion of sodium, it can create a not so beneficial environment for beneficial microbes- Lactobacillus family & reduces their activity. This beneficial microbe family is warrior & not only protects against pathogens microorganisms but also promotes production of beneficial short chain fatty acids- Butyrate that strengthens our gut lining.
Before we move further, let me give you a perspective.Our gut microbiome maintains a delicate balance with different competing organisms working together to maintain & improve the health of our gastrointestinal system( which is also their enviornment). When the environment changes, it can impact the health of microbes living there. Whatever we consume, it gives nutrients to these microbes who give our body nutrients, vitamins & short chain fatty acids to grow & thrive. Although every microbe reacts differently to different foods &/or the same bacteria in the gut of two different individuals react differently to the same food, our dietary choices impact the health of our gut microbiome. By consuming foods that agree with our unique biology, beneficial microbes thrive. However if we eat foods that are unhealthy or is not married to our individual biology, pathogens take lead & can overpower their beneficial counter parts & cause systemic inflammation.
When we consume high sodium foods, it can damage beneficial bacteria- lactobacillus & creates an environment for pathogens to thrive. This lowers Butyrate production & makes our gut lining thin. This thin lining makes it easy for our microorganisms to peep through this lining & enter the bloodstream & find real estate in places where they do not belong. This can kick start gastrointestinal issues & increase risk of digestive disorders such as Ulcerative Colitis & Crohns’ disease.
Dietary salt can make put our gut microbiome out of order. In fact balancing our gut microbiome depends upon our dietary choices. As mentioned above, dietary choices that do not agree with our unique biology can lead to guy dysbiosis & decay & disrupt our gut lining which can enable pathogenic microbes find home, in the gut thereby kicking our beneficial folks which results in systemic inflammation.
We at Genefitletics can help you evaluate your microbial activity to determine if excess sodium consumption can disrupt your gut microbiome balance & lead to a host of digestive issues. Our UP THE GUT solution gives you measurable deeper insights into every aspect of microbial functions taking place inside your body & how personalising food as medicine can balance your gut microbiome. For more details, visit us at www.genefitletics.com
Sources: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6164908/
https://microbiomejournal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s40168-018-0433-4
