VIEW HealthBit VIII: Gut Health 101

Gut Health Facts:

  • Inside our guts are 100 trillion bacteria – about three pounds worth
  • It is a very complex living system that outnumber the cells in body by a ratio of 10 to 1
  • There are good bacteria and bad bacteria, the goal is to keep them in balance
  • Probiotics are good bacteria, similar to the ones that should naturally reside in the gut, that can be ingested
  • Prebiotics are plant-fiber compounds that can be ingested and help stimulate the growth of good bacteria
  • Gut flora is a major player in the immune system
  • Old theories that the large intestine just regulates water and forms the waste is no longer true (actually the end of the small intestine and beginning of the large intestine boast the most bacteria)
  • Enterobacteria and bifidobacteria are the early inhabitants of the gut, although differences in gut microflora composition exist between breast and formula fed babies, and vaginal vs. c-section delivered babies
  • Regardless of what composition of bacteria we start with, the choices we make along the way help to foster good bacteria
  • Food, exercise and a positive mental attitude are shown to increase the good bacteria in the gut and create a more diverse- and immune boosting- assortment
  • The vagus nerve is a direct line from the gut to the brain, thus the health of your gut will directly affect the health- and happiness- of your brain (and vice-versa)
  • Supplementing with a quality probiotic can help (my favorite adult probiotic is by Prescript-Assist, and my favorite children’s version is by Nature’s Way- feel free to email me for more information)
  • Prebiotics can also be supplemented but are better ingested as food
  • Here are the foods that support a healthy gut:
    • Bananas
    • Beans
    • Blueberries
    • Cruciferous vegetables
    • Fermented Foods
    • Jerusalem artichokes
    • Polenta
  • And not surprisingly, here is what wreaks havoc on the gut in large quantities:
    • Sugar
    • Refined Carbohydrates
    • Processed Foods
    • Animal protein

Please see the attached image for a great synopsis of what we should be eating on a daily basis to promote a healthy gut, and consequently, a healthy body!

Gut-Bacteria-Infographic.jpg

(N.B. this information is brought to you through a collaboration with:

Toni Genovese, LCSW of https://strongatthecore.com/)

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