Introducing our Gut Health Canvas
In this series, we dive into the links between the gut and various aspects of our mental and physical health.
Physical Health: Digestive Health

How does the microbiome affect digestion?
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Dietary fiber serves as food for the beneficial bacteria in our gut. When the gut bacteria consume fiber in the large intestine, they produce metabolites such as short-chain fatty acids (butyric acid, acetic acid, and propionic acid) that keep the colon healthy.
- Fiber also supports healthy bowel movements: Soluble fiber dissolves in water and creates a gel-like substance that slows the movement of food through the digestive tract. Insoluble fiber makes stool softer and easier to move through the digestive system. This promotes bowel-movement regularity and prevents constipation and hemorrhoids.
Microbiome and IBS
- The relationship between gut microbiome imbalance (dysbiosis) and IBD is complex and dynamic.
- IBD is characterized by a depletion in Actinobacteria, Firmicutes, and Bacteroidetes.
- Ni et al. (2017) found that while the microbiota plays a key pathogenic role in IBD, chronic inflammation, in turn, promotes dysbiosis by altering the environment of the gut.
Sources:
Standford 2024Gubatan et al. 2022Ni et al. 2017