The surprising connection between the gut and heart attacks
Did you know your gut or digestive system is home to trillions of microorganisms as part of your microbiome? An average person’s microbiome contains around 38 trillion bacteria with the majority residing in the gut or digestive system. Most of these bacteria help support the regular operation of your digestive system and protect your body from more dangerous pathogens.
Your gut microbiome and the bacteria within it can have a significant impact on your overall health, so I want to explore the connection between gut health and heart health and discuss some tips for maintaining a healthy gut.
Your gut microbiome and the bacteria within it can have a significant impact on your overall health, so I want to explore the connection between gut health and heart health and discuss some tips for maintaining a healthy gut.
๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐บ๐ณ๐๐น ๐ฏ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ฎ!
While the majority of bacteria in your gut are harmless, some can be harmful and even cause disease. When harmful bacteria in your gut outnumber the beneficial ones, it can lead to inflammation and a buildup of plaque in your arteries. An example of this type of bacteria is the Helicobacter pylori, which is known to cause stomach ulcers and is also linked to an increased risk of heart disease.
๐ฃ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ฒ๐ป๐๐ ๐๐ถ๐๐ต ๐ฝ๐ผ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐ด๐๐ ๐ต๐ฒ๐ฎ๐น๐๐ต!
For many years, I’ve been treating patients who complain of heart issues but have no clear conventional symptoms such as high blood pressure, diabetes and a family history of the disease or partake in harmful activities such as smoking and drinking.
Yet as I begin to investigate further, it is clear that these patients have digestive issues. This is evident from their complaints about having suffered from unfavourable bowel habits, including bloating and constipation, for many years.
My investigation led me to learn that they had the propensity to consume food that is processed, prepared with seed oil, and has high levels of salt or sugar.
All the current research and my own experiences unequivocally show that gut health has a direct influence on your heart health.
๐๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ฎ ๐ฝ๐ผ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐ด๐๐ ๐บ๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฟ๐ผ๐ฏ๐ถ๐ผ๐บ๐ฒ ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐ป ๐ถ๐ป๐ฐ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐๐ฒ ๐๐ผ๐๐ฟ ๐ฟ๐ถ๐๐ธ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐ต๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ ๐ฑ๐ถ๐๐ฒ๐ฎ๐๐ฒ!
Unfavourable gut bacteria such as Helicobacter pylori produce pro-inflammatory compounds that enter your bloodstream and have negative impacts on your health. Blood arteries lose their elasticity as a result of inflammation. Poor vascular endothelial cell activity creates the ideal environment for the growth of plaque and atherosclerosis which increases your sensitivity to cardiovascular events including heart attacks.
While the majority of bacteria in your gut are harmless, some can be harmful and even cause disease. When harmful bacteria in your gut outnumber the beneficial ones, it can lead to inflammation and a buildup of plaque in your arteries. An example of this type of bacteria is the Helicobacter pylori, which is known to cause stomach ulcers and is also linked to an increased risk of heart disease.
๐ฃ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ฒ๐ป๐๐ ๐๐ถ๐๐ต ๐ฝ๐ผ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐ด๐๐ ๐ต๐ฒ๐ฎ๐น๐๐ต!
For many years, I’ve been treating patients who complain of heart issues but have no clear conventional symptoms such as high blood pressure, diabetes and a family history of the disease or partake in harmful activities such as smoking and drinking.
Yet as I begin to investigate further, it is clear that these patients have digestive issues. This is evident from their complaints about having suffered from unfavourable bowel habits, including bloating and constipation, for many years.
My investigation led me to learn that they had the propensity to consume food that is processed, prepared with seed oil, and has high levels of salt or sugar.
All the current research and my own experiences unequivocally show that gut health has a direct influence on your heart health.
๐๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ฎ ๐ฝ๐ผ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐ด๐๐ ๐บ๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฟ๐ผ๐ฏ๐ถ๐ผ๐บ๐ฒ ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐ป ๐ถ๐ป๐ฐ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐๐ฒ ๐๐ผ๐๐ฟ ๐ฟ๐ถ๐๐ธ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐ต๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ ๐ฑ๐ถ๐๐ฒ๐ฎ๐๐ฒ!
Unfavourable gut bacteria such as Helicobacter pylori produce pro-inflammatory compounds that enter your bloodstream and have negative impacts on your health. Blood arteries lose their elasticity as a result of inflammation. Poor vascular endothelial cell activity creates the ideal environment for the growth of plaque and atherosclerosis which increases your sensitivity to cardiovascular events including heart attacks.
๐๐ผ๐ ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐ป ๐๐ผ๐ ๐บ๐ฎ๐ถ๐ป๐๐ฎ๐ถ๐ป ๐ฎ ๐ต๐ฒ๐ฎ๐น๐๐ต๐ ๐ด๐๐?
โ Drink plenty of water to help with healthy digestion.
โ Include vegetables and fruits with soluble and insoluble fiber in your daily meals such as legumes, berries, whole grains, and broccoli which decrease the chance of constipation and help you maintain good bowel health.
โ Consume food such as garlic, onions, apples, bananas, oats, leeks and asparagus which helps maintain a healthy gut microbiota.
โ Do not consume processed foods which can create unhealthy microbiota including refined carbohydrates, excessive sugar, salt or fat.
โ Stop or keep the consumption of alcohol to a minimum.
โ Reduce stress reducing activities that can trigger an unhealthy gut through exercise, meditation or by engaging in your hobbies.
โ Regular exercise is essential!
Our gut health or microbiome plays a vital role and greatly affects our heart health. Therefore, I request you all to pay more attention and take the art of healthy living to heart, so you can improve your microbiome to avoid cardiovascular diseases.
Remember: A healthy gut ensures a healthy heart!
โ Drink plenty of water to help with healthy digestion.
โ Include vegetables and fruits with soluble and insoluble fiber in your daily meals such as legumes, berries, whole grains, and broccoli which decrease the chance of constipation and help you maintain good bowel health.
โ Consume food such as garlic, onions, apples, bananas, oats, leeks and asparagus which helps maintain a healthy gut microbiota.
โ Do not consume processed foods which can create unhealthy microbiota including refined carbohydrates, excessive sugar, salt or fat.
โ Stop or keep the consumption of alcohol to a minimum.
โ Reduce stress reducing activities that can trigger an unhealthy gut through exercise, meditation or by engaging in your hobbies.
โ Regular exercise is essential!
Our gut health or microbiome plays a vital role and greatly affects our heart health. Therefore, I request you all to pay more attention and take the art of healthy living to heart, so you can improve your microbiome to avoid cardiovascular diseases.
Remember: A healthy gut ensures a healthy heart!
