How was your "Gut Health" journey?
For my first Note, I decided to write about my own "gut health" journey.
This is a story about how I resolved the trouble of alternating between constipation and diarrhea.
"Gut health," "gut bacteria," and "gut environment" have started to be featured on morning news programs. (Maybe they were always there, but I don't remember.) It might be because I have more opportunities to watch morning news programs due to working from home. I see it in magazines too; is this becoming a trend...?
General gut health and various things
There seem to be many types of gut health activities, such as "I started eating yogurt," "Natto is supposed to be good," or "Miso soup is also gut health, right?" Yes. I think that is correct, but personally, I end up seeking results: what actually got better because of that?
Do all of you who are practicing gut health feel the effects?
Gut health is still so profound...
As someone who dabbled in gut bacteria research during my student days, I thought.
In this world where good bacteria, bad bacteria, and everything under the sun is packed with lactic acid bacteria... it's poison. Lactobacillus (the so-called L. something), which is famous as a lactic acid bacterium, is minor in the large intestine, so I think there isn't much point in it reaching the gut alive. And since human gut bacteria are estimated to be 40 trillion (PLOS Biology | DOI:10.1371/journal.pbio.1002533), I wonder if you can get an effect from hundreds of millions of lactic acid bacteria... No, no, I also know that they are taken up by Peyer's patches to activate immunity... I know that much at least.
No, let's stop denying it. It's just that it just didn't work for me. I know that L has its own different effects!
Yes, it works for those it works for (my gut health for me), that is the conclusion of this article.
My bowel movements are like this
I thought I probably had Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). I would alternate between constipation and diarrhea, wake up in the middle of the night with abdominal pain, but because I was constipated, nothing would come out for a while. When it finally started, it was diarrhea... I'm going to break down... (crying)
The frequency of bowel movements was basically once every 2 or 3 days because of the constipation. It was hard and lumpy.
Currently, it has become about 3 times a day. The frequency has increased, but the amount per time has decreased. Since I haven't changed the amount I eat, that seems reasonable. It has become softer, so the damage to my anus has decreased. A happiness that has arrived.
What did I do?
Start with the conclusion, as we are taught as a basic rule for students and working adults. It can't be helped.
I make it a habit to have Glico's Bifix and soy milk (extra rich) every day after dinner.
When I eat Glico's Bifix, my constipation gets worse (or so I felt). I don't feel the effect as gut health, but I like the taste, it's cheap, and the long shelf life is very good.
Drinking soy milk caused me to have diarrhea many times. But, I surprisingly (?) like the taste of soy milk and wanted to drink it. I especially like the extra rich one. Even though it's a FOSHU (Food for Specified Health Uses) product, the price doesn't change, so it feels like a good deal.
Couldn't I find a good balance, a neutralization (we did acid-base neutralization titration, right)!? Well, that's about it.
Please note that I am by no means recommending Bifix and soy milk (extra rich)!
What I recommend is to try something and keep at it
You will definitely find something that works for you too.
I look forward to the day when a service comes out that tells you, "This is good for your gut!" It doesn't exist yet.
There are several services that analyze gut bacteria, but while they tell you what bacteria you have, they unfortunately don't tell you what you should do.
It is a fact that colitis, especially intractable diseases like Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, is on the rise. Will the era come when humanity can control gut bacteria...?
Summary
It is difficult to change habits that have been ingrained for a long time.
Even if you suddenly start a diet because a health checkup result came back as a B, few people can turn it into a lasting habit. You will likely rebound.
I feel like there is some kind of story behind everything that becomes a habit.
In reality, I haven't been able to stick to a diet...
Personally, regarding 'gut health',
if you aren't suffering, there is no need to force yourself to do it. Because it won't last.
I hope you can find something you can turn into a habit without pushing yourself too hard.