Aging comes with a host of changes in the body. Some slow, some seemingly rapid. One of the many changes that come with aging is developing digestive issues. Several factors can cause poor digestion among the elderly. They include poor dentition and an unhealthy or imbalanced diet. Another cause that many people are unaware of is having an unhealthy gut microbiome.
Super agers have super gut health!
Importance of a Healthy Gut Microbiome
Having a healthy digestive system is essential at any age, and we can achieve it through having a healthy gut microbiome. But what exactly is the gut microbiome?
A microbiome is a collection or group of microorganisms present in a specific environment, such as our digestive tract. A person’s microbiome can affect their gut health, causing digestive problems and intestinal discomfort.
Our microbiomes can have a mix of both harmful and good bacteria. Bad bacteria are known to cause illnesses and chronic diseases, while good bacteria can help with several physiological functions.
Importantly, many ‘bad’ bacteria are only bad when their numbers increase to levels that displace so-called good bacteria and disrupt gut flora ratios essential to a healthy microbiome. These ‘bad’ bacteria often perform useful roles when they exist in correct amounts, such as helping to maintain optimum pH balance.
Of course, it makes sense that a healthy gut microbiome includes primarily beneficial bacteria. These good bacteria aid digestion, ensuring that the body adequately absorbs nutrients. Good bacteria can also help boost the immune system and do so much more!
Digestion Problems Associated with Aging
Suffering from digestive problems is highly common among the elderly. The problem is usually caused by the slowing down of many bodily functions, including digestion. Just as muscles in the body become weaker and stiffer, and less efficient, so the digestive muscles do too. Aside from weak muscles, it is also possible that individuals have developed an unhealthy gut microbiome due to poor diet and lifestyle.
Diarrhea, constipation, peptic ulcers, heartburn, and bloating are just some of the common digestion problems associated with aging. Many senior citizens also suffer from chronic Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease, and fecal incontinence.
Experiencing persistent problems with digestion can lead to reduced nutrient absorption – nutrients that are all too important for an aging body.
Super Agers and their Healthy Gut
While many of the elderly population experience difficulties related to their gut and digestive health, some seem to enjoy a healthier and longer life. Yes, you guessed it, they are the super-agers. They are the seniors 80 years old and above who exhibit physical and cognitive abilities comparable to people who are decades younger than them.
When health researchers examined the diet and lifestyle of super-agers, they found that their gut health played a significant role in their long and healthy life. According to studies, super-agers have a unique gut microbiome pattern different from their less healthy same-aged counterparts.
One study revealed that super ager’s gut microbiome profiles do not change drastically even if they age, almost resembling the gut flora profiles of young adults.
It is not a coincidence that super-agers with good microbiomes are healthier than other normal aging adults. Super agers with healthy microbiome profiles also have lower cholesterol levels and higher vitamin D levels, making them more physically active and mobile than their peers.
Developing a Healthy Gut
Intrigued by scientific findings on super-agers and their healthy microbiome, health experts examined their diets. They discovered that super ager’s diets mainly consist of whole foods and plants, food groups that are known to improve gut health.
Your gut microbiome does not become unhealthy or unbalanced of its own accord. While it can be affected by disease or ill health, it is a greater truth that poor gut health causes disease and ill health.
Simply, the composition and number of the various microorganisms that comprise your gut microbiome are a product of what you consume over time. If you eat healthy foods, the organisms that live on these healthy foods thrive. If you consume overly processed, high-sugar, low-nutrient foods, the organisms that thrive on this intake will explode and the beneficial bacteria will die off. You are what you eat.
Doctors and nutritionists have always recommended having a good balance of food in your diet to help improve gut health. Focus on eating vegetables that are full of fiber and nutrients that can help with digestion, such as broccoli, leeks, asparagus, artichokes, spinach, and other leafy vegetables.
Root vegetables, such as turnips, sweet potatoes, ginger, and onions, are not only healthy but are also excellent sources of prebiotics or ‘good’ bacteria that help with maintaining the gut microbiome.
Eating fermented foods regularly, such as yogurt, kombucha, kimchi, or kefir, is also good practice if you want to develop a healthy gut. These foods contain good gut bacteria that aid in digestion and support optimal health. Cultivating a healthy gut through your diet means cutting back on heavily-processed foods and sugar, and moderating the intake of red meat.
Super-agers and their healthy gut microbiome could be the answer to our unending quest for longevity. Therefore, it pays to take care of your gut through a balanced diet, which ultimately will contribute to living a very long and healthy life.
