2024-02-07 23:01:33
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The digestive system plays a crucial role in our health. It does much more than break down and absorb nutrients. A healthy gut has an impact on our immune system, our mental health, our mood, our weight, our skin… How?
You will discover this in the fascinating and interactive exhibition “Inside your Digestion”, at Gulden Vlieslaan 49 in Brussels. This pop-up museum is sponsored by Activia, known for its expertise in gut health.
It is no secret that our health depends on a varied and balanced diet. Healthy eating provides our body with all the vitamins, minerals and other essential nutrients it needs. But that’s not all… Our diet also influences our microbiota.
From mouth to large intestine
From the mouth to the large intestine – that is the impressive route that the exhibition “Inside your Digestion” has prepared for you. This way you can follow the path your food takes on a fascinating journey through your digestive tract. Each room immerses you in an interactive experience that is both educational and fun.
First of all, you become acquainted with the microorganisms that live in your intestines. From the mouth to the large intestine, the digestive tract is colonized by billions of bacteria that together form an ecosystem unique to each individual. A balanced microbiota is an intestine where the good bacteria predominate and live in symbiosis with the less good bacteria.
Discover the benefits of a healthy microbiota
The exhibition “Inside your Digestion” will help you understand the crucial role of the microbiota and its many health benefits. Did you know that good bacteria play an important role in preventing digestive problems (diarrhea, constipation), inflammatory bowel disease (irritable bowel syndrome), food allergies/intolerances (lactose, gluten) and infections such as gastroenteritis (stomach flu)? Certain bacteria can also affect your blood pressure, immune system and mental health.
With a disturbed microbiota (dysbiosis), the permeability of the intestinal mucosa is no longer optimal. Allergens, viruses and bacteria can enter the bloodstream more easily and affect our body in many ways: eczema, infections, allergies, depression…
Tips to take care of your intestines
The exhibition also discusses good habits you can adopt to care for your gut, because the composition of your microbiota can change over your life. It is affected by your diet, lifestyle and certain medications.
If you eat an unbalanced diet (too much salt, sugar or fat), chances are your microbiota is not very healthy. Taking antibiotics can also weaken your microbiota, as can a sedentary lifestyle. Fortunately, it is possible to improve the health of your intestines yourself. A few tips:
- Eat healthy: a varied diet rich in fiber helps to feed the good bacteria. Fiber is found in vegetables, legumes, fruit, dried fruit and whole grain products.
- Eat fermented foods: Fermented foods naturally contain good bacteria. This is the case with kefir, sauerkraut, pickles, sourdough and miso. The ferments in yogurt are also considered probiotics, if consumed in sufficient quantities. They facilitate the digestion of the lactose in the product for people who have difficulty with it. Brands like Activia offer fermented yogurt that is naturally rich in probiotics.
- Stay hydrated: water transports nutrients through your body, removes waste and promotes transit.
- Exercise: Studies have shown that exercise can influence the health of the microbiota, enriching its diversity and rebalancing any dysbiosis.
- Address chronic stress: Chronic stress can disrupt the balance of your microbiota.
Inside your Digestion Expo
“Inside your Digestion Expo” is a fascinating and interactive pop-up exhibition sponsored by Activia. It runs from 09/02 to 03/03 at Gulden Vlieslaan 49 in Brussels. You can visit the museum from Wednesday to Sunday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Admission is free and open to everyone. Reservations are not necessary.
Last updated: February 2024
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