Introduction
Longevity means a long duration of individual life.Longevity is defined as the capability to survive past the average age of death (De Benedictis and Franceschi, 2006).Longevity is the length of the life span independent of the biological aging process.
Increasing longevity can enable people to work longer, and working longer has benefits such as keeping people mentally engaged with work they value and/or enjoy, having a sense of purpose, preventing or reducing loneliness and providing more time to build financial security that will support longer lifespans.
A study of gut microbiome patterns revealed a positive association between microbial metabolic markers and gut microbiome uniqueness, reflecting a healthy aging phenotype and predicting longevity in older adults.It is found that Centenarians have a lower incidence of chronic illness and an extended healthspan.
Lifestyle and environmental effects on the microbiota can delay (healthy ageing) or accelerate (unhealthy ageing) deterioration in the host and foreshorten life expectancy. Age-related changes in the microbiome are highly variable, influenced by both personal and external environmental factors.
The body's constellation of gut bacteria has been linked with various aging associated illnesses, including cardiovascular disease and Type II diabetes.
The new research, published in the journal "Nature Metabolism", found that as people get older, the composition of this complex community of microbes, collectively known as the gut microbiome, tends to change. The greater the change, the better, it appears.
Bacteria divide somewhere between once every 12 minutes and once every 24 hours. So the average lifespan of a bacterium is around 12 hours or so.
Eating a large amount of sugar is linked to an overgrowth of bad bacteria in your gut. Processed foods, as well as alcohol, can also negatively impact gut health. Prebiotic and probiotic foods like whole grains, onions, garlic, fermented foods, miso and yogurt feed the good bacteria in your gut.
*The best superfoods for gut health:
•Leafy Greens :Leafy greens are a powerful prebiotic and are high in vitamins C, K, B complex, folic acid, beta carotene, iron, iodine, calcium, potassium, magnesium, sulphur and chlorophyll.
•Asparagus.
•Oats.
•Greek Yoghurt or Dahi
•Apples.
•Ginger.
An anti-inflammatory diet, regular exercise, good quality sleep, and probiotics are all strategies to put in place before trying antimicrobials or antibiotics to get rid of bad bacteria.
*The signs of a healthy gut:
If you're wondering whether your digestive tract may be performing at its best, look for the following signs of a healthy gut:
•Regular and pain-free bowel movements.
•Consistent energy.
•Normal amount of gas and bloating.
•Healthy bowel transit time.
•Mental clarity.
•Healthy reactions to food and stress.
•These daily bowel movements should be free of symptoms like diarrhea, constipation, and loose stools.
•Other signs of a healthy gut include being free of rectal symptoms like hemorrhoids and abdominal symptoms such as gas, bloating, and abdominal pain. In other words, the gut just works.
In this article, we list 10 scientifically supported ways to improve the gut microbiome and enhance overall health.
•Take probiotics and eat fermented foods.
•Eat prebiotic fiber.
•Eat less sugar and sweeteners.
•Reduce stress.
•Avoid taking antibiotics unnecessarily.
•Exercise regularly.
•Get enough sleep.
•Avoid disinfectant as cleaning products.
•Eat vegetarian food.
•Avoid smoking.
Several bacterial genera that are common in the distal intestine (e.g., Bacteroides, Bifidobacterium, and Enterococcus) are known to synthesize vitamins. Thiamine, folate, biotin, riboflavin, and panthothenic acid are water-soluble vitamins that are plentiful in the diet, but that are also synthesized by gut bacteria.
What do beneficial bacteria in the gut actually do? Break down undigested food. Neutralise some of the harmful by-products of food breakdown. Aid the absorption of nutrients.
Here are the most common strains of probiotics (beneficial ) bacteria:
Lactobacillus acidophilus.
Lactobacillus bulgaricus.
Lactobacillus casei.
Lactobacillus gasseri.
Lactobacillus plantarum.
Bifidobacterium bifidum.
Bifidobacterium lactis.
Bifidobacterium longum.
Vitamin K (vit K), a fat-soluble vitamin, exists in some forms: vit K1 (phylloquinone), which is mainly found in green leafy vegetables, and vit K2 (menaquinone-n: MK-n), which is mainly found in fermented dairy and produced by lactic acid bacteria in the intestine .
In Europe and Northern America lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are the most important vitamin K2-producers for our diet as they ferment milk into dairy products such as cheese rich in vitamin K2 (up to 110 μg/100 g) (Manoury et al., 2013; Vermeer et al., 2018).
The bacteria in the colon produce substantial amounts of vitamins by fermentation. Vitamin K and B vitamins, including biotin, are produced by the colonic bacteria. These vitamins are then absorbed into the blood.
Information compiled by:
Dr. Bhairavsinh Raol
