We all know the importance of choosing a well-balanced diet to maintain a healthy lifestyle, as well as keeping an eye on portion sizes, but it turns out that looking after your gut health is just as vital to lead a long life.
Advances in healthcare over the years mean that medicine can help us live longer, as can our genetics, but renowned TV doctor Michael Mosley says we can all individually play a role by focusing on our guts.
He suggested eating fermented foods can help boost gut microbiome after new research found a great mix of bugs are present in the gut when you eat a healthier diet.
In a study, published earlier this month in the journal Nature Aging, scientists at Guangxi Academy of Sciences in China compared the microbiomes - the microorganism makeup of a living thing - of 1,575 people, ranging in age from 20 to over 100.
Explaining the findings, Dr Mosley said that the healthiest centenarians had a "diverse mix of bugs in their gut" with high levels of a "bacterial species called Bacteroidetes".
A healthy microbiome not only significantly boosts your immune system, but has been shown to reduce inflammation linked to numerous cancers and heart disease.
Dr Mosley told the Daily Mail: "We know that what, and how much, you eat play key roles in whether you stay healthy or not - but what seems to be equally important is the impact this food has on your gut microbiome, the mix of bacteria, viruses, and fungi, which live in your intestines."
A good way to boost your microbiome is by eating 'anti-ageing' foods, Dr Mosley recommends consuming a largely plant-based, fibre-rich diet, making sure you eat lots of "different-coloured fruit and veg."
Foods like sauerkraut, kefir, and kimchi should be eaten daily, and sugar should be consumed in moderation as it can age your gut.
Do you eat fermented foods regularly? Let us know in the comments.
