The Connection Between Gut Health and Immune Support

Imagine your body is like a castle. The immune system is the team of knights, guards, and soldiers that protect your castle from invaders like harmful germs and bacteria. Now, what if I told you that one of the biggest teams of knights lives right in your gut? That’s right—your gut plays a huge role in keeping you healthy and safe from sickness!

Let’s break it down in simple terms and see how this all works (I actually tried to write it so you can even give it to your kids to read, to explain what is happening in their body).

What is Gut Health?

Your gut is the long tunnel inside your body that food travels through after you eat. This tunnel includes your stomach and intestines. Inside your gut live trillions of tiny organisms, mostly bacteria, called the gut microbiome. Think of them like little helpers that live in your castle. While some of these bacteria are harmful, many of them are actually good for you. They help digest food, make vitamins, and most importantly, keep your immune system strong.

How Does Gut Health Affect the Immune System?

About 70% of your immune system lives in your gut. This is because the gut is one of the first places where your body can stop invaders, like viruses or bad bacteria, before they cause trouble. So, a healthy gut can help stop you from getting sick in the first place.

So, here’s how it works:

• Good Bacteria Fight Bad Germs: The good bacteria in your gut act like warriors. They help fight off bad germs that try to sneak into your body through your food or drinks. If your gut has plenty of good bacteria, they’ll work together to protect you, like a team of superheroes.
• Training the Immune System: Your gut is like a school for your immune system. The bacteria in your gut “teach” the immune cells to recognize the difference between harmful germs and harmless things like food. This helps the immune system know when to fight and when to stay calm. Without this training, the immune system might get confused and attack things it shouldn’t, which can lead to allergies or other problems.
• Reducing Inflammation: Sometimes, your immune system can go overboard and cause inflammation, which is when parts of your body become red, swollen, and painful. A healthy gut helps keep inflammation under control by calming the immune system down when it’s not needed.

What Can Hurt Your Gut Health?

There are a few things that can upset the balance of good and bad bacteria in your gut. If too many bad bacteria take over, your immune system won’t work as well, and you might get sick more often (and we don’t want that, right?). Here are some common things that can hurt your gut health:

• Poor Diet: Eating too much sugar (candy!), processed foods (don’t eat those chicken nuggets!), or unhealthy fats (pastries!)can feed the bad bacteria in your gut. This makes it harder for the good bacteria to do their job.
• Stress: Stress can upset the balance of bacteria in your gut. It’s like the bad guys get stronger when you’re feeling stressed or anxious.
• Antibiotics: Antibiotics are medicines that kill bacteria. They can be helpful when you’re really sick, but they also kill the good bacteria in your gut, which can weaken your immune system.

“On a personal note, antibiotics should be taken with great caution. I nearly died after a doctor prescribed me an excessive amount, which severely weakened my immune system. A highly renowned doctor (another doctor of course) later told me that in his long career, I was the first patient he encountered where he had no idea how to proceed. He sent me home with no hope. Eventually, I found another doctor in a distant European country who saved my life, but it took years of medical care to recover. So, be very careful with antibiotics—they can save lives, but they can also destroy them.”

 Source: Jacob L.

How to Improve Gut Health for a Stronger Immune System

The good news is that there are many simple ways to keep your gut healthy and strong:

1. Eat More Fiber: Fiber is like food for the good bacteria in your gut. You can get lots of fiber from fruits (pears, apples, avocado), vegetables (like broccoli, etc.), whole grains, and beans. The more fiber you eat, the stronger your good bacteria will be!
2. Add Probiotics: Probiotics are good bacteria that you can eat. You can find them in foods like yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut, and kimchi. They help add more good bacteria to your gut. (I can personally highly recommend the products from Pileje.)
3. Stay Active: Exercise helps keep your gut healthy by encouraging the growth of good bacteria. So, staying active doesn’t just make you stronger—it makes your immune system stronger too! (I walk, swim, and use a vibration plate at the moment.)
4. Get Enough Sleep: Getting a good night’s sleep helps your body and gut recover. This helps your immune system stay in tip-top shape.
5. Avoid Too Much Sugar and Processed Foods: Cutting down on junk food helps keep bad bacteria from taking over your gut. Instead, focus on eating a balanced diet full of whole, natural foods. (I totally stay away from fast food, candy and soda drinks.)

Your gut is like the headquarters for your immune system. The good bacteria that live there help protect you from getting sick by fighting off bad germs, training your immune cells, and keeping inflammation in check. By eating the right foods, staying active, and managing stress, you can help your gut stay healthy—and when your gut is healthy, your immune system is ready to defend your body like a team of knights guarding a castle.

So, take care of your gut, and it will take care of you!