The small intestine of an adult person is about 8.5 meters long. An extraordinarily long tube that accommodates no more and no less than 100,000 billion microorganisms. It is what is known as microbiota, whose intervention is essential in digestion and in the defense of our gastrointestinal tract. This very numerous colony of bacteria, archaea, eukaryotes and viruses is different in each human being, something like a fingerprint that differentiates one person from another.
Human microbiome: what is it and how does it affect us?
This set of microorganisms, their genomes (their genes) and the surrounding environmental conditions is what is known as the microbiome. That is to say, «The microbiome is the microbiota together with its environmental conditions, its genome and the functionality of the microorganisms that compose it.«, defines Ascensión Marcos, member of the Spanish Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
Beyond the enormous number of tiny beings that live in our digestive system, what is really important is that they live in balance. When the intestinal microbiota is out of balance (dysbiosis), many pathologies appear, especially chronic non-communicable ones. “Sometimes, for various reasons, an alteration occurs in their number or proportion, with a reduction of healthy microorganisms in relation to potentially pathogenic ones. This is when we talk about an altered microbiota.«.
From the intestinal flora to the microbiome.
This expert emphasizes the obsolescence of the term intestinal flora. «In the past, the microbiota was called that, which is the current correct term. In our intestine we do not have flora, since we do not have vegetables, but microorganisms. So, in any case, we could talk about fauna, rather than flora,» highlights the expert.
Connection with food allergies and intolerances
Every day, science discovers new links between this microbial population and the different organs and functions of the body. One of these relationships is found between the microbiota and food allergies. «The Food allergies derived from a defect in immune tolerance mechanisms.. In general, there is a protein that the body is unable to tolerate. “Immune tolerance is modulated by the function and structure of the intestinal microbiota and the microbiome,” explains Marcos. «Alterations (dysbiosis) play a fundamental role in the development of food allergy.»
Food intolerances, in principle, “do not have such a close relationship with the immune system. They usually occur due to enzyme deficiencies, and can be caused by non-protein food components. For example, lactose reaches the large intestine without having been previously broken down because there is not enough lactase, the digestive enzyme that breaks it into glucose and galactose. This causes typical symptoms such as gas, discomfort, diarrhea and abdominal pain.
Balance the intestinal microbiota to improve food intolerances
From all of the above, it can be deduced that our health in general, and intestinal health in particular, largely depends on the state of our microbiota and microbiome. Recovering and strengthening the quantity and, especially, the variety of microorganisms will help put an end to food intolerances. This rehabilitation of the ecosystem that populates the microbiota is what the expert calls resilience. “It consists of the organism’s ability to face adversity, tolerate adverse conditions or disturbances of the system and recover the previous state of equilibrium from which it started, once the distorting elements have disappeared,” explains Marcos,
When you manage to reverse this imbalance, the dysbiosis disappears. «This means that the balance of the components of the microbiota is recovered, which, in addition, functions properly again,» says the expert.
Foods to take care of the microbiome and other habits
- More fiber
In order to strengthen the immune system against possible allergies, we can focus our diet on taking care of the microbiome. “Foods that contain fiber naturallysuch as vegetables, fruits, (whole) cereals, nuts, seeds and legumes,» highlights Marcos.
- Probiotic supplements
Along with food, on occasions – such as diarrhea or prolonged constipation – it could be advisable to consume probiotics through supplementation, which must be prescribed by a dietitian-nutritionist or another healthcare specialist in the microbiome.
- Regular physical activity and sufficient rest.
In addition to diet, lifestyle is also essential. «We cannot forget the impact of leading an active life, practicing some type of exercise during the week, sleeping adequately and avoiding excess stress,» emphasizes the researcher.
- Reduce red meat consumption
Marcos highlights the importance of not overdoing foods with a high protein content, in particular, he advises against «a high intake of red meat, since it can cause constipation because it displaces the consumption of other foods rich in fiber.» And more importantly, in the long run, it could be a risk factor for colon cancer.»
The entry Gut microbiome, what does it have to do with food allergies? was first published in Nutriiendo.
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