If you’ve been feeling a little “off”—say, dragging your feet by 3 p.m., or your skin is acting like you’re back in high school—the problem might not be your age or the fact that you have to manage a hectic workload. It could be your gut. Escape Newsletter Understanding the relationship between your digestive system and how well you age is a total lightbulb moment for most Aussies.
So, let’s take a deep dive into why your “second brain” is actually the one pulling the strings when it comes to your health and longevity.
What is the Gut Microbiome?
Picture your gut as a busy little ecosystem, like the Great Barrier Reef, but inside your belly. Trillions of bacteria, fungi, and viruses make up this complex ecosystem, aka the gut microbiome.
And now, don’t let the word “bacteria” scare you. The overwhelming majority of these diminutive residents are the “good guys.” They’re involved in breaking down the sourdough you baked this morning, making essential vitamins, and stopping your immune system from overreacting. When this ecosystem is in balance, you're scrappy-ass best! But when the “bad guys” start to outnumber the “good guys” (a condition called dysbiosis), all bets are off pretty quickly.
How Gut Health Affects Longevity
You may be asking, “What does a bloating belly have to do with living to 90?” As it turns out, quite a bit.
Inflammation is a villain when it comes to healthy ageing. Scientists often refer to it as “inflammaging”-low-grade, chronic inflammation that accelerates the aging of our cells. An unsealed or imbalanced gut enables toxins to escape into your bloodstream, setting off this inflammation. By maintaining a strong gut lining and a high level of microbial diversity, what you’re really doing is hitting the brakes on ageing. But it’s also about more than just adding years to your life; it’s about adding life to your years.
12 Signs Your Gut Health Is Hindering You
Not sure if your gut is feeling all wonky? Here are a few red flags that you might not be taking care of your internal ecosystem:
1) Bloating constantly: That sensation that there’s a football in your stomach after every single meal shouldn’t be happening.
2) Sugar Cravings: Bad bacteria thrive on sugar. If you can never walk by a bakery without a struggle, maybe they’ve got the upper hand.
3) Brain Fog: Misplaced your keys, unmotivated in a Zoom call? The gut-brain axis works both ways.
4) Skin Flare-ups: Eczema, rosacea, or random breakouts? Those are sometimes just your gut “venting” outwards.
5) Mood Swings: Around 90% of your serotonin (the happy hormone) is produced in your gut.
6) Trouble sleeping: An unhealthy gut can tamper with your circadian rhythm and melatonin production.
7) Food Intolerances: All of a sudden, dairy or gluten is no longer your pal? That lining of your gut may have broken down.
8) Bad Breath: Brushing and flossing not cutting it? It may be cooking below.
9) Unintentional Weight Changes: If you don't have a diverse microbiome, your body learns to store fat differently and to absorb nutrients.
10) Constant Tiredness: If you are getting 8 hours of sleep and still are feeling “knackered” (tired), then your gut isn’t converting the food into energy very well.
11) Autoimmune Problems: A large portion of your immune system resides in your gut. If it gets confused, it can begin to attack you.
12) Frequent Sniffles: Do you find yourself catching every cold circulating in the office? Your gastrointestinal barrier may be leaky.
Why Testing for Gut Health is Critical to Healthy Ageing
We’ve all used the “guess-and-check” method at some point. We give up bread for a week or buy whatever probiotic is on sale at the chemist. But here’s the thing: Your microbiome is as individual as your fingerprint.
A gut health test means you take the guesswork out of this equation. Instead of shooting in the dark, you have a detailed map showing exactly which bacteria are flourishing and which are missing in action. It’s a data treasure for any of us who would like to remain fit and active into our 70s and even 80s. It enables you to listen to your body and then adjust your diet and lifestyle, as opposed to following whatever is trending on social media.
Longevity And Gut Biome Analysis
After you have your findings, that’s when magic really happens. Your gut biome can be the blueprint for “precision nutrition.”
For instance, you may discover that you’re missing bacteria that deal with fibre, or that your levels of microbes associated with heart health are out of range. And by modifying your intake - adding more polyphenols or certain fermented foods, for example — you can change the balance of this community and possibly shift your microbiome into what Dr. Migliaccio calls a “longevity profile.”
In order to support this transition, a growing number of Australians are seeking out superior longevity supplements in Australia to help fill the gap between the food that they eat and what their cells actually need. When you add targeted supplements to a gut-friendly diet, you’re giving yourself the best chance possible for a long and vibrant life.
FAQs
What have we learned about gut health and longevity?
It’s all about inflammation and assimilation of nutrients. A healthy gut is one that keeps its immune system in line and prevents “leaky gut,” implicated in a number of age-related maladies. If you can’t metabolize the nutrients of your healthy salads, you can’t power your cells for the long haul.
Can supplements improve gut health?
Sure, but they’re not a “magic bullet.” Supplements do their best work when they’re used as a complement to a diet of whole foods and fibre. Searching for certain longevity supplements in Australia will help you focus on the signs of ageing that happen in the gut.
Is it too late to fix my gut?
Never! Your microbiome is incredibly resilient. Subtle changes in diet and routine can change the bacterial balance within a few days.
References
Smith, R. P., Easson, C., Lyle, S. M., Kapoor, R., Donnelly, C. P., Davidson, E. J., Parikh, E., Lopez, J. V., & Tartar, J. L. (2019). Gut microbiome diversity is associated with sleep physiology in humans. PLoS ONE, 14(10). https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0222394
De Pessemier, B., Grine, L., Debaere, M., Maes, A., Paetzold, B., & Callewaert, C. (2021). Gut–Skin Axis: Current Knowledge of the Interrelationship between Microbial Dysbiosis and Skin Conditions. Microorganisms, 9(2).
Antonio, N., Andrea, T., Claudio, T., Beatrice, P., Pamela, C., Chiara, M., Gian, L. de’ A., Francesco, D. M., & Tiziana, M. (2018). Digestive disorders and Intestinal microbiota. Acta Bio Medica : Atenei Parmensis, 89(Suppl 9), 47–51. https://doi.org/10.23750/abm.v89i9-S.7912
Poto, R., Fusco, W., Rinninella, E., Cintoni, M., Kaitsas, F., Raoul, P., Caruso, C., Mele, M. C., Varricchi, G., Gasbarrini, A., Cammarota, G., & Ianiro, G. (2024). The Role of Gut Microbiota and Leaky Gut in the Pathogenesis of Food Allergy. Nutrients, 16(1), 92. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu16010092
