GUT & LUNGS hEALTH

Did you know that your gut and lungs are connected? 

Scientists call this the gut-lung axis, and it means that the tiny bacteria living in your stomach can affect your lung health—even playing a role in lung cancer.

Your gut is home to trillions of bacteria that help digest food and keep your immune system strong. 

But when these bacteria become unbalanced (a problem called gut dysbiosis), it can cause:

⚠️ Inflammation – a type of irritation in the body that can make it easier for cancer to grow.

⚠️ Weaker immunity – your body becomes less able to fight harmful cells.

⚠️ Toxic chemicals – some bad bacteria produce chemicals that can damage your cells.

The good news is that taking care of your gut can help protect your lungs! 

Here’s how:

✅ Eat more fibre – fruits, vegetables, and whole grains help feed good bacteria.

✅ Enjoy fermented foods – yogurt, kimchi, and sauerkraut have probiotics, which boost gut health.

✅ Avoid too much sugar and processed food – they can harm good bacteria.

✅ Manage stress – stress can upset your gut balance.

✅ Consider probiotics – these are supplements that add good bacteria to your gut.

Scientists are still learning about the gut-lung connection, but one thing is clear: 

a healthy gut is good for your whole body—including your lungs! 

References:

Anand, S., & Mande, S. S. (2018). Diet, microbiota and gut-lung connection. Frontiers in microbiology, 9, 2147.

Liu, X., Cheng, Y., Zang, D., Zhang, M., Li, X., Liu, D., ... & Chen, J. (2021). The role of gut microbiota in lung cancer: from carcinogenesis to immunotherapy. Frontiers in oncology, 11, 720842.

Zhao, Y., Liu, Y., Li, S., Peng, Z., Liu, X., Chen, J., & Zheng, X. (2021). Role of lung and gut microbiota on lung cancer pathogenesis. Journal of Cancer Research and Clinical Oncology, 147(8), 2177-2186.

Reference:

Belkaid, Y., & Hand, T. W. (2014). Role of the microbiota in immunity and inflammation. Cell, 157(1), 121-141.