health depends on the belly

Intestine, immune system and nervous system: the bond is very close. You can understand this if you pay attention to the reactions of your body: in front of stress or tension often the stomach and stomach are affected, giving rise to evident manifestations such as constipation, dysentery, gastroesophageal reflux, heartburn, abdominal swelling. “It is also said that the intestine is our second brain. And that’s right: it is indeed the most innervated organ, with the greatest number of neurons after the central nervous system ”, confirms a Official Active Professor Silvio Danese, director of the Gastroenterology and Digestive Endoscopy Unit of the San Raffaele Hospital in Milan and full professor of Gastroenterology at the Vita-Salute San Raffaele University of Milan.

The link between belly and mind, gut and emotions –

Precisely this important and massive presence of neurons in the intestine causes the first reactions to occur at the level of belly and stomach: “Everyone is affected by stress and tension at the level of intestinal regularity. Many are produced in the intestine neurotransmitters, including the serotonin, the so-called good mood hormone. Also for this reason intestinal well-being is closely correlated with mental well-being ”, emphasizes Professor Danese.

Intestine and immune system –

However, the intestine is not only our second brain, but also the cradle of ours immune system. “If you could unroll the digestive system, you would find that it is the size of a tennis court. And here, in this large space, are most of the cells of our immune system – confirms the gastroenterologist -. Every time we eat we have one immunological reaction to food. In most cases there is a tolerance reaction. Over the years we learn to tolerate the substances we introduce, the food we eat, without ever letting our guard down. In fact, among the epithelial cells they are always alert to immune cells that check that there are no pathogens in what we ingest. Where this tolerance is lost there is a greater propensity towardsintestinal inflammation as in ulcerative colitis or in the Crohn’s disease“.

Improving the immune system starting from the intestine –

One of the defense principals of ours immune system it is located right in the intestinal mucosa: “In the intestinal mucosa there are control centers of the immune activity of our intestineHere is a kind of barrier to potentially pathogens, a mucus which is able to protect us, representing the first stage of defense ”, explains Danese. Precisely for this reason we can improve ours immunitary defense from the belly, through thesupply. Three main allies: prebiotics, probiotics and postbiotics.

Diet and immune defenses: probiotics, prebiotics and postbiotics –

“With a diet adequate you can improve both the state of physical health, through an improvement of immune system, both the state of mental health, decreasing stress and anxiety “, explains Professor Danese. To rebalance the intestine, i probiotics (“Whose etymological meaning is precisely ‘in favor of life'”, recalls the gastroenterologist): therefore fermented foods such as kefir, yogurt, but also mother yeast and miso. Then i prebiotics, data from dietary fibers that our body is unable to digest and which enrich the bacterial flora or intestinal microbiota. “Finally there are the postbioticsinanimate microorganisms that maintain their ability to perform functions such as interacting with the bacterial flora and maintaining the fundamental balance with our immune system ”, adds Danese.

The Mediterranean diet allied to the immune system –

Talking about diet, Professor Danese confirms the importance of Mediterranean diet for intestinal well-being, on which so much depends: “With Mediterranean diet we mean a diet based on the consumption of extra virgin olive oil, fatty fish and nuts, rich in omega 3 fatty acids. And then anti-inflammatory foods such as fruit and vegetables. The practical advice is simple: consume five servings of fruit and vegetables, whole grains and legumes every day, without ostracizing red meat. What is really bad for your health is processed meat, like sausages, not red meat. Just as all processed, refined foods and sugary drinks should be limited if not avoided, ”explains Danese. But be careful to exaggerate with sugars, or i carbohydrates: “They can increase the status of fermentation and give symptoms of bloating ”, underlines the gastroenterologist.

The importance of sleep –

In addition to diet and physical activity, Professor Danese recalls the importance of sleep for intestinal well-being, on which, as we have seen, the proper functioning of the immune system and mental well-being also depend. “If I sleep little, I do stress in the central nervous system it can be reflected in a stress on the digestive system and intestinal motility. In the intestine there are genes, the so-called genes click clock, which are affected by exposure to light. For this reason alter the rhythm sleep-wake or theexposure to light it can have repercussions on intestinal regularity – underlines Danese -. It is no coincidence that during the change of season there can often be exacerbation of intestinal symptoms or reflux: this also coincides with exposure to light “.