When you think of the health issues that affect so many of us, including ones we've been trained to see as "normal" (even though they're not), they can often be linked straight back to the health of your gut. Do you suffer from migraines, allergies, weight gain, skin disturbances, autoimmune diseases, depression, yeast infections, hormonal imbalances or fatigue? It might be time for a gut check!
Good health is impossible without being able to break down, absorb, and utilize the nutrients that come into our bodies through the foods we eat. Digestion, when working properly, involves a process of internal organs, made up of healthy gut flora (a balance of beneficial bacteria) working together to ensure that the nutrients from the foods we eat are properly distributed throughout the body and that everything that is not needed or is harmful to us, is eliminated.
When you’re healthy, approximately 100 trillion microorganisms from 400 different species thrive in your intestinal tract, aiding in digestion, absorption, and the production of B vitamins, vitamin K, and enzymes. When the bacteria is not in balance, it can cause an array of health issues like the ones listed above.
Before birth your intestinal tract was sterile and the moment you passed through the birth canal, bacteria (beneficial and harmful) entered through your mouth and began to colonize your digestive tract. Breast-fed babies get fewer infections than formula-fed babies because mother’s milk tends to promote the growth of beneficial bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract, preventing harmful bacteria from colonizing and contributing to illness. This is why in my practice, we discuss every aspect of your life, including what your mom ate when she was pregnant with you, what type of birth she had, and if you were breast fed or not. IT ALL PLAYS A ROLE IN YOUR CURRENT HEALTH!
Beneficial bacteria and yeast produce a large amount of essential by-products, which act as protectant against dangerous micro-organisms that can cause disease and infection. High levels of beneficial bacteria and yeast need to be maintained throughout life in order to have good gut health. We can get these through the consumption of a whole foods diet which includes cultured/fermented foods, prebiotic foods, and probiotics, + supplementation.
So probiotics are necessary for good gut health?
Due to modern diets and lifestyles, our bodies are exposed to more harmful bacteria than we were hundreds of years ago, creating an imbalance in the gut. Chronic stress, pesticides, sugar, starch, excess alcohol, birth control, prescription meds and environmental toxins that we are exposed to daily, all play a role in altering out gut flora. We should be doing our best to try and limit these things but since it's impossible to avoid them all, we need to take additional measures to make sure our gut is healthy. In addition to focusing on a gut healthy diet and eating real food, supplementation can help!
What else causes a decrease of probiotics in the gut?
Antibiotics - create an overgrowth of harmful pathogens in the GI tract (dysbiosis)
Age - we product less HCL as we get older allowing for growth of harmful viral and fungal organisms as well as disease-causing bacteria
Eating a Standard American Diet - lacking in adequate soluble fiber, which is food for the good bacteria
Chlorine in tap water - kills the beneficial bacteria living in the intestines
NSAIDs (Advil, Ibuprofen, Midol, Tylenol, etc.) - are destructive to intestinal flora
What are signs that you don't have enough good bacteria in your gut?
Good bacteria effects all aspects of your health. Some examples are:
Acne
ADHD
Allergies
Anxiety/Depression
Arthritis
Asthma
Bladder/UTIs/Yeast Infections
Bloating
Cancer
Candida
Cardiac problems
Chronic fatigue
Colitis/Crohn’s disease
Colon cancer
Compromised immunity
Constipation/Diarrhea
Ear and respiratory infections
Bad breath and body odor
Gastritis
Headaches/Migraines
Hormonal imbalances/PMS
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
Liver and gallbladder problems
Sinus problems
What are the specific health benefits of probiotics?
Helps normalize gut flora and reduces endotoxins (toxins produced by imbalances in gut bacteria) - improving IBS, constipation, diarrhea, bloating, etc.
Stimulate your immune system by balancing Th-1 & Th-2 and helping the production of some B vitamins
Improve gut-brain communication. Long-term supplementation with probiotics has been shown to alleviate both anxiety and depression.
Lower cholesterol levels, aiding cancer resistance
Prevent cancer by detoxifying and preventing the formation of carcinogenic chemicals
Inhibit enzymes that induce intestinal/colon cancer
Control growth of Candida
What foods are high in probiotics?
A whole foods diet filled with healthy proteins, fats and fiber, and probiotics can improve the health of your gut significantly. Adding one of these cultured and naturally fermented foods to your diet with each meal is ideal.
Yogurt
Kefir
Raw sauerkraut
Kimchi
Pickles
Kvass
Miso
Raw apple cider vinegar
Unpasteurized soy sauce
Naturally soured raw dairy foods.
What kind of probiotic supplement should I be taking?
Different strains support gut and immune health in different ways, so brands should be chosen based on your health goals. For example, if you are eliminating Candida, a combination of acidophilus and bifidus strains is generally recommended, with the addition of Sacchromyces boulardii when leaky gut is involved.
You always want to find high-potency (look for at least 50 billion live CFU’s from a variety of strains). Start slowly and observe how the probiotics affect your gut. When you first start taking probiotics, you might notice some uncomfortable symptoms like gas and bloating, but if the symptoms persist for more than a few days, you may need to delay probiotics until the gut is more healed.
When it comes to brands, I do like to rotate them every couple months as I believe they can become less affective if you take the same strain and amount daily. Additionally, I normally recommend probiotics that do not require refrigeration. If a probiotic is so fragile it requires refrigeration, how will it survive the high temperatures and acidity of the stomach? As always, it is important to speak with your health professional to decide which is best for you or feel free to reach out with any questions!
Comments