Gut Health

The Importance of Gut Health for Seniors

by: Stephanie Campbell November 21, 2024

The secret to longevity may lie in your gut health!

We are all going to age at some point but slowing this process down and ensuring you live long years in good quality health is key. While there are many factors involved here it’s becoming more apparent that your gut has a key role to play.

Your gut holds such an important role in all areas of your health. It’s where we digest food, house our immune system, fight off pathogens, assimilate nutrients, communicate to the brain, fight inflammation and so much more! One of the key pillars of our gut health is our microbiome, the 40 trillion microorganisms - bacteria, yeasts and fungi - that reside in our gut. We can think of this like a garden - it should be a healthy ecosystem rich in diversity and growth. It’s our microbiome that impacts how well our gut functions and therefore how well the rest of our body functions. When we nurture it well, we have better health overall.

Why do we need to give our gut particular attention with age?

As we age, changes begin in the body - including our gut health and how well this ecosystem functions. Many age-related ailments such as digestion capabilities, tooth decay, polypharmacy and a reduction in appetite can contribute to a decline in the microbiome and digestion. There is now more documented evidence of this in the research.

A study published in 2021 by Nature Metabolism showed that the uniqueness of your microbiome could be a predictor of ageing. Those 80 years and older who had a more unique microbiome were also healthier. We know that this is caused by having a changing environment and a diverse diet which are beneficial factors for gut health as opposed to eating the same food everyday and not being exposed to different environments which would result in a ‘stagnant’ microbiome. This particular unique microbiome is also associated with lower cholesterol levels, faster walking speeds and higher levels of beneficial blood chemicals - all predictors of longevity.

Neurodegeneration is a common concern as we age and there are limited successful ‘treatment’ options, particularly when the development of it is thought to start some 10-20 years before physical expression of these diseases. We know now from observational studies that those with dementia have a significant change in certain levels of bacteria. Dysbiosis (having an overgrowth of unfriendly bacteria) is thought to contribute to cognitive decline due to the role bacteria play in the production, transportation and function of neurotransmitters (brain chemicals)

A healthy and robust gut is going to contribute to the following health factors and therefore increase longevity:

Minimise the need for medications such as omeprazole
Strengthen the immune system to fight off infections
Minimise inflammation
Improve energy levels
Improved digestion and absorption of nutrients
Prevention of age related diseases such as heart disease and cognitive decline
Improved bone density
Better weight maintenance
Improved mental health due to the gut-brain communication

While prioritising what you eat is one of the best things you can do to improve the growth and diversity of your microbiome, we know that with age both appetite and palette can change - this often leads to a more bland and limited diet and therefore less microbial growth/diversity. Dental issues and a decrease in saliva can also lead to less fibre intake and it is the fibre that feeds our beneficial microbes.

This is where Clover Ferments can be particularly beneficial in mitigating some of these barriers. The tonics provide a bioavailable solution to support microbial growth and diversity and require no preparation, no chewing and only a small dose to be effective.

Not only do the tonics provide live beneficial bacteria to support your microbiome but they also provide easy to absorb nutrients and therefore increase the nutrient density of your diet. The live microbes will support digestion, healthy bowel motions, your gut-brain axis and your immune system - plus so much more!

As a preventative measure and as a way to address any of the symptoms/concerns mentioned earlier I would recommend taking Clover Ferments daily alongside a whole foods diet with emphasis on the following things:

Eat the rainbow - include as many colours as possible in your diet
Avoid sugar which will feed the wrong kinds of bacteria within your gut
Avoid processed foods
Minimise alcohol intake to weekends and special occasions
Hydrate well with 2L of water daily
Include vegetables and fruit with every meal

Key takeaways:

Age related health conditions are associated with a drop in microbial diversity
Many of the changes that go along with ageing impact our fibre intake and therefore the quality of our microbiome
Using Clover Ferments is an easy way to improve your microbial diversity and overall gut health without having to munch through half a plate of vegetables and greens at every meal

Grace Mortimer