[Health Tip] Gut Health Affecting the Whole Body... How to Take Care of It

One of the common ailments modern people frequently experience is digestive diseases. Due to stress, irregular eating habits, and consumption of spicy foods, the number of patients with digestive diseases is rapidly increasing.

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According to the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service on the 17th, the number of patients with inflammatory bowel disease increased by about 32% over five years, from approximately 65,000 in 2018 to around 86,000 in 2022. The number of patients with colorectal cancer, a severe disease, also rose by about 14%, from roughly 28,000 in 2017 to about 32,000 in 2021.

If digestive organs such as the intestines worsen due to poor health, the quality of life rapidly deteriorates. Even a slight dietary mistake can suddenly cause symptoms like abdominal bloating, abdominal pain, and diarrhea, disrupting normal daily life. To maintain digestive health, it is important to take care of intestinal health. Improving intestinal health can enhance not only digestive health but also overall physical health.

Son Hyomun, Deputy Director of the Department of Gastroenterology at Incheon Himchan General Hospital, said, "The intestines digest food and absorb nutrients to produce energy necessary for our body and play an important role in immunity. They are connected to the brain through a vast network of nerve cells and also affect mental health, so intestinal health is a direct indicator of overall physical health."

The intestines perform essential metabolic functions such as digesting food, absorbing nutrients, and excreting waste. Additionally, about 100 trillion microorganisms residing in the intestines help produce and excrete waste.

The intestines are closely related to immunity. About 80% of immune cells that protect our body from pathogens such as influenza and COVID-19 are distributed in the intestines. Therefore, when the intestines are healthy, immunity improves, helping protect against infectious diseases as well as various other illnesses. Furthermore, the intestines produce about 80-90% of serotonin, a neurotransmitter known as the "happiness hormone." Serotonin not only influences feelings of happiness but also enhances cognitive abilities such as concentration and memory.

Thus, the intestines play a crucial role in both physical and mental health by regulating hormones that affect mood and behavior, as well as digesting food and defending against diseases.

To maintain such intestinal health, it is necessary to increase beneficial bacteria and suppress harmful bacteria to create a healthy intestinal environment. The approximately 100 trillion microorganisms living in the intestines are broadly classified into beneficial bacteria, harmful bacteria, and neutral bacteria. The ideal balance of the intestinal microbiome is known to be about 85% beneficial bacteria and 15% harmful bacteria, but modern people often experience a disruption of this balance, with harmful bacteria occupying a higher proportion.

[Photo by Himchan Hospital]

The first step to increasing beneficial bacteria in the intestines is adopting healthy eating habits. Protein intake should come from fish, poultry, and legumes rather than red meat, and it is good to eat plenty of vegetables and fruits rich in dietary fiber. Consuming carbohydrates mainly from whole grains (such as brown rice and whole wheat) and frequently eating fermented foods like kimchi, doenjang (fermented soybean paste), and yogurt also help increase beneficial bacteria in the intestines. Conversely, consuming a lot of fast food, processed meats, refined carbohydrates, and high-fructose corn syrup can increase harmful bacteria, so it is best to reduce their intake as much as possible.

Besides diet, psychological stress, sleep, and physical activity also affect intestinal health. In particular, stress can inhibit intestinal movement and increase sensitivity, negatively impacting intestinal health. This is why creating a low-stress environment and getting sufficient sleep are important.

Exercise also helps maintain intestinal health. Doing aerobic exercises such as walking or jogging for more than 30 minutes daily promotes smooth intestinal activity and reduces inflammation in the intestines, thereby strengthening intestinal health. Adequate water intake is also essential for intestinal health because water helps maintain intestinal motility, facilitates digestion, and aids bowel movements.

Son Hyomun, Deputy Director of Incheon Himchan General Hospital, said, “Since the intestines are an organ that serves as a gauge of health, it is important to consistently maintain intestinal health through improvements in diet and lifestyle habits. If symptoms occur, early medical consultation is necessary, and regular health checkups to monitor intestinal health are the first steps to nurturing intestinal health.”