Healthy gut for a healthier you.

 

So many of us are doing everything we can to kill bacteria and have a cleaner home.  But did you know there are “good bacteria” that are actually good for our health?  We want those “good bacteria” to multiply in our gut so we can have a healthier gut.

What are the “good bacteria”?  It actually doesn’t sound too healthy but good bacteria are good for a healthy gut.  NIH defines the healthy bacteria in your body as all the bacteria, fungi and viruses that live on or inside our bodies.  NIH notes this “microbiome” actually contributes to our health in many ways including:  protecting us against bacteria that can cause disease, helping your immune system, and helping our bodies digest food.  Dr. Mullin from Johns Hopkins University notes, “Your gut bugs help determine your overall health in a good way – or a bad way.”

Can you change the population of “good bacteria” in your gut?  Yes, you can and diet is one way to do so.  The foods you eat can help feed the good bacteria and can help add good bacteria to your gut.

What are some ways these good gut bacteria promote good health?

• Digestion – the bacteria in your gut help your body break down the foods you eat.  The food you eat supplies nutrients and energy for your everyday activities. And some bacteria in your gut actually produce some vitamins.  Not enough to supply your need for any particular vitamin but enough to make a contribution to your health.  Vitamins produced by your good bacteria include vitamin K, and many B vitamins including niacin, folate, and B-1 and B-2.  The University of California has found that the bacteria in your gut are linked to how active vitamin D is in your body.  Many Americans are low in vitamin D, so having a healthy gut is important.
• Boost Your Immune System – who doesn’t want a healthy immune system?  Can you believe that having good bacteria in your gut can help protect your from getting sick?  Research has shown that healthy gut bacteria can produce antibodies protecting a person from Crohn’s disease.  Healthy gut bacteria can protect you from some cancers and even affect cancer treatment.
• Weight – having the right gut bacteria can affect your metabolism and your weight.  Dr. Mullin states, “So when you shift the balance of bacteria in your biome by eating the right foods, you can shift your metabolism toward weight loss.” 

What can you do to promote a healthy gut?  1^st you need to add some good bacteria to your gut and then you need to feed those good bacteria to keep them multiplying and healthy.  How do you do this?

• Probiotics – you may have heard the term “probiotics” but not understood what this term means.  NIH has an information sheet that explains what they are.  Probiotics are basically the good bacteria you want to add to your diet.  The easiest way to do so is eat some yogurt.  Look for yogurt that has “live cultures” on the label.  I choose real yogurt made out of real cow’s milk and not the fake yogurts on the market.  I eat some yogurt every day for lunch and I have done so for many years.  The usual bacteria added to yogurts include Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium.  (See Yogurt – a great health food.)

 

Yogurt is an easy way to add probiotics to your diet.

 

• Prebiotics – this is the “food” for your good bacteria.  Think FIBER – we can’t digest fiber but the good bacteria love to feed on the fiber in our diets.  Think “whole foods” before all the processing.  Apples are a good source of prebiotics (fiber) but applesauce would not be.  Oranges are a good source of prebiotics but orange juice would not be.  (But I like orange juice so I get my fiber from other foods.) WebMD has a long list of Prebiotic Foods – think fresh fruit, vegetables and whole grains. 

a.       Fruit: bananas, apples, berries,

b.       Vegetables:  green vegetables like spinach, kale, potatoes, asparagus, artichokes, peas and beans, onions, tomatoes

c.       Whole grains – oatmeal, Cheerios, whole grain bread (See Add some whole grains to your day)

Try some different brands of yogurt to find some flavors you like.  I wrote previously about a student in my class eating some yogurt before class started.  She made a terrible face after every bite and when I asked why, she admitted she didn’t like the yogurt.  Right away other students started recommending yogurt brands and flavors to try.  The student did try other flavors and did find some yogurt flavors she liked.  Try to eat some yogurt every day or as often as you can during the week.  Then “feed” the good bacteria you are adding to your gut, by adding whole fruits, vegetables and some whole grains to your day.

A healthier gut means a healthier you.

Sources:  NIH , notes , vitamins , Vitamins produced , California , cancer treatment , states , information sheet , Yogurt – a great health food , Prebiotic Foods , Add some whole grains to your day  Image Sources:  Gut bacteria , Prebiotic foods , yogurt