Well, as important as the gut is for the body, I don’t think I would have picked up a copy of this book had it not been for a book club. But, my gut feeling prevailed and I felt that I would gain something out of this.
Our Gut refers to our intestines, and as the author explains it is indeed a very under-rated part of the body. With this book, simply titled GUT, we may feel that the quest of the author to unravel the workings of the gut are a bit unappealing. But, this is something extremely important since our guts have a very crucial role to play in our wellbeing and health.
The author is a medical student, and through the prism of her research she presents a lot of scientific knowledge and research on the inner workings of the gut, in very simple and easy language. Not to mention, with loads of humour and illustrations as well.
Right from the structure and composition of the gut, the food absorption mechanisms, the varied micro bacterial life that thrives in the gut, our digestive processes, the link between gut health and specific illnesses and conditions….all this and much more is covered in plain simple and surprisingly funny language. For example, she writes, “Every day, billions and billions of foreign microorganisms fly round the world, without paying a single cent for their tickets”. This is when she talks about the colonizing.
My favourite section of the book is the one on the fascinating behavior of the gut bacteria. Did you know that 99% of the bacteria that inhabit our bodies are found in the gut? Makes me feel we should support bacteria. Sometimes, it’s the only culture people have…but jokes apart, the chapter is an eye opener. She mentions in the book, and I quote, “While the first gut bacterium watches its great-great-great-great grandchild swim by, we have just spent two hours in the arms of our proud parents,”. So there, knowing they are in for a long haul, makes the study of gut organisms more important for us.
Very often, scientific knowledge remains behind closed doors and in academic journals that are difficult for common people to understand. Books like this open doors to research-based knowledge in simple language. This is also a book that raises questions about what we do not know about the gut, and shows us the possibilities of research in the area.
If you’re looking for healthy tips for your gut, you will find them embedded in different sections as you read along. Well, trust your gut and I’m sure you’ll digest the book to your advantage!
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