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Gut Health & Immunity

Bacteria live on our skin, in our mouth and nose, but, most of all, in our gut. So, it comes as no surprise that our gut plays a significant role for the body’s immune system.

Illustration of a human gut, depicted in an icon format with abstract lines and shapes representing the digestive system.

Health begins in the gut

Along with oxygen, food is vital to human life. It is up to our digestive system to extracts the nutrients we need from it, which is not always an easy job. In our gut, there is a constant battle between good and bad bacteria. 

If the bad bacteria begin to outnumber the good ones, it creates an imbalance in the digestive tract. This is known as dysbiosis and can cause problems like diarrhea, constipation, bloating, stomach pain, and leaky gut. But the issues can go beyond the gut. New research indicates a strong connection between an unbalanced microbiota and for example diabetes, obesity, and cardiovascular disease. 

Smiling father holding hands with two young boys as they run along a sunlit forest path in autumn, with colorful leaves around them Smiling father holding hands with two young boys as they run along a sunlit forest path in autumn, with colorful leaves around them

Immune system - the body’s first response team

In our modern world, we are now realizing the benefits of an allround healthy lifestyle for our immune system. An important piece of the puzzle here is food and its digestion. 

Around 80 percent of our immune cells are situated in our gastrointestinal tract. And the food that we consume provides us with various substances that contribute to the normal function of the immune system.

Vitamin D can serve as an example. Natural sources of vitamin D include: fish, cod liver oil, egg yolk. It is also produced in our body from sunlight. Since vitamin D levels can require supplementation depending on the season and dietary patterns, regular intake of lactic acid bacteria supplements that also contain vitamin D such as those by BioGaia is an excellent way to help keep an adequate concentration of both natural microflora and vitamin D in our body.