Microbiota: your best ally during the Christmas holidays

Eating is and should be a pleasure and the time of year when we are most likely to enjoy food in quantity and in company is definitely Christmas.

What enables our organism to process what we so enjoy eating is the intestinal microbiota, i.e. the collection of microorganisms in the digestive tract.
Let's understand more about what it is and why it is important to keep it healthy.

The function of the gut microbiota is to synthesise essential vitamins for health such as folic acid. It also allows the absorption of trace minerals such as iron, calcium and magnesium.
Another very important function of the gut microbiota is to interact with and support the immune system. Indeed, it appears from various scientific studies that the proper activity of the immune system goes hand in hand with the health of the gut microbiota.
In the gut, in fact, most of our body's immune cells are found and therefore the microbiota acts as a ‘barrier’ against pathogens that come into contact with the digestive system.

When can we say that our gut microbiota is healthy?
An intestinal microbiota is considered healthy if it is characterised by the right ‘biodiversity’, i.e. a collection of different microorganisms present in adequate numbers, with a predominance of bacteria that are beneficial to humans, living in balance with each other and with the intestine that hosts them.
In fact, ‘good’ and ‘bad’ bacteria live in our microbiota and it is essential that they coexist in the right balance (eubiosis). If this balance is not present, a state of disorder (dysbiosis) sets in, which is a harmful condition for our body.
An altered gut microbiota is harmful not only because it weakens the immune system, but also because an altered bacterial balance can lead to disorders such as diseases of the digestive system, but also to more serious illnesses such as diabetes and cancer problems.

There are several reasons why the intestinal microbiota is altered. Let us see which factors do not allow it to perform its functions in the best possible way.
The main factor is age-related.
In new-born children, the microbiota is not very well developed and begins to form mainly through weaning and breast-feeding until, around 2-3 years of age, it begins to undergo transformations that lead it to look more and more like that of an adult, i.e. characterised by a very complex structure, made up of a large number of micro-organisms that coexist in balance with each other.
As we age, however, the intestinal microbiota begins to weaken. In the elderly, the number and abundance of microorganisms decreases, which consequently lowers the immune defences.
Other causes of weakening of the gut microbiota are those linked to a poor diet, stress, the place where it lives, but also, more banally, the genetic heritage.

We have seen, therefore, that the gut microbiota is very important for us because not only does it help us metabolise what we eat, but above all because if it is healthy it means that our immune system is also healthy and consequently we are better protected and healthier.
It is therefore important to know how to keep it healthy and without a shadow of a doubt the most effective method is to lead a healthy and active life but above all to have a good diet rich in fruit, vegetables, fibre and cereals. Avoiding eating industrial and processed foods is also helpful.
If you are unable to integrate all these components into your diet, you can resort to food supplements. Particularly effective are those containing Bacillus Clausii as it is a good bacterium that is very resistant to gastric juices and reaches the intestine intact, has an antimicrobial action that counteracts the growth and proliferation of pathogenic microorganisms, produces B vitamins and is resistant to antibiotics. Thanks to these properties, it is one of the most suitable bacteria for restoring the intestinal microbiota.