Did you know that you have 10 times more bacteria in your gut than you have cells in your body? Good and bad bacteria live in your digestive system with concentrated amounts in the small intestine and colon. [1] To have a healthy gut, it is very important to have a balance of good and bad bacteria; the ideal ratio between the bacteria in your gut is 85 percent "good" and 15 percent "bad."[2]
What are Probiotics?
A probiotic is a specific type of “good” bacteria. Friendly microbes manufacture many nutrients including Vitamin K and several of the B-complex vitamins, which help the body to produce energy. Probiotics can normalize bowel transit time and help us metabolize our food. They also help to heal the lining of the intestines, which is where we absorb most of the nutrients and minerals like calcium, magnesium and Iron. On the other hand, bad bacteria feed off of iron and instead of helping us absorb it, they use it to grow uncontrollably.
Beneficial bacteria do not permanently stay in the gut, so we need to regularly get them from fermented foods or a supplement. Some probiotic rich foods are: Kefir, kombucha, natto, coconut kefir, kimchi and other fermented foods.
What are Prebiotics?
Prebiotics are non-digestible carbohydrates that nourish and stimulate the growth of “good bacteria” while promoting a reduction in disease-causing bacteria. Prebiotics work synergistically with probiotics and can be taken together. The most common prebiotics are FOS and Inulin, which can also come from food. Raw honey is a good prebiotic food, as well as asparagus, chicory, eggplant, garlic, leeks and dandelion greens.
Eating healthy is more than just food. Give your gut some love and remember: “You are what you digest and absorb!” – Amy Meyers. MD
[1] Digestive wellness, 4th Editiom. Elizabeth Lipski
[2] Probiotics: One of The Most Important Supplements You Can Take. Articles.mercola.com
