Probiotics and prebiotics are key factors for our gut health.
We know that by taking probiotics we are having a natural agent helping us with everything from digestion to immunity, however, if we really want to make an impact, is by adding prebiotics.
Let us explain, Functional medicine doctor, Mark Hyman, explains the connection below, plus a few tips to totally re-balance your gut…
We have trillions of bacteria in our gut (they outnumber our cells 10 to 1) and their health is one of the more important things that impact our wellbeing. We need to learn how to take good care of the flora of our guts by being selective about what we eat and how we live. We must feed the good bugs and avoid gut-busting habits like eating too much sugar, starch, alcohol, or allowing stress to affect us.
As a rule of thumb. Our microbial ecosystem in the gut has to be healthy for us to be healthy. When your gut bacteria are out of balance, we get sick.
Probiotics vs. Prebiotics
Probiotics provide beneficial bacteria that colonize the GI tract with optimal amounts and types of bacteria to protect against inflammation and support immunity and healthy digestive function.
An excellent way to get probiotics naturally is to eat fermented foods probiotic-rich foods like kimchi, kombucha, miso, or sauerkraut that can be very beneficial. Sometimes, you can also eat whole-fat, organic, or grass-fed yogurt, if you are not allergic to dairy. Try unsweetened sheep's milk or goat's milk yogurt. These foods can help your gut flora get and stay healthy.
To take care of our inner garden first by getting rid of the bad bacteria using herbs or medications; then lining our guts with good bugs, and then feeding our with prebiotic foods and fibers to keep everything healthy.
Prebiotics are a form of soluble fiber that helps feed the good bugs in your gut. When you consume prebiotics, the fiber goes through the small intestine undigested and then is fermented when they reach the large colon. This fermentation feeds the good bugs.
Getting enough prebiotics and fiber in our leads to many benefits including improved digestion, weight loss, reduction of inflammation, and much much more.
From where we can get our prebiotics?. The best source comes from our food. Prebiotics include foods like onions, garlic, sweet potatoes, oats, rice, beans maize, and bananas. Be sure to include these natural gut health supporters as much as possible.
Taking probiotics and prebiotics will be very beneficial to our health, but they are only just a part of the equation.
Here are a few steps to balance our gut flora:
- EAT WHOLE FOODS. Our diet must include the following: nuts, seeds, whole grains, beans, fruits, and vegetables, all of which feed good bacteria.
- TAKE PROBIOTICS DAILY. This is super beneficial for our gut function but also has been proved. to help with depression, skin issues, autoimmune conditions, and more.
- INCORPORATE PREBIOTICS. Prebiotics are a form of soluble fiber excelent to feed the good bacteria in our gut. Prebiotics include foods like onions, garlic, rice, oat, sweet potatoes, and bananas. So eat plenty of this beneficial prebiotics.
