Did you know that your intestine is populated by trillions of bacteria and microorganisms? Called the intestinal microbiota (or flora), this set of bacteria plays a major role in the processes of digestion, assimilation of food but not only: it also plays a role in the immune system.
But these bacteria are not only found in the intestine, they can also be found in the mouth, on the skin or even in the vagina. The intestine can accommodate him up to 100 trillion bacteriamainly in the small intestine and the colon.
The microbiota is formed throughout life, during birth, breastfeeding or dietary diversification. It can contain up to 1,000 different species in a healthy adult and could be understood as an organ in its own right, just like the heart or the brain.
A balanced microbiota boosts immunity
But even better, the microbiota would be extremely rich in neurons : approximately 500,000 million neurons would constitute a nervous system on its own, hence the nickname “second brain”. In concrete terms, these neurons exchange directly with neurons in the brain via the bloodstream, but above all via the vagus nerve, which directly connects the nervous systems of the digestive system and the brain.
The microbiota also communicates with hormones. It actually influences every aspect of our health, and a balanced and diverse microbiota appears to be the foundation for boosting immunity and protecting against age-related chronic diseases. If it is (too) unbalanced, it can be responsible for inflammation that can manifest itself on our skin through skin conditions such as rosacea, eczema, psoriasis or acne.
Here are seven tips to take care of it.
