If you read my previous blog on gut microbiota, then you will know how important it is to manage your bacteria friends in your gut. The reason why this topic has become increasingly popular, is not because it is some gimmicky trend that will phase out and you don’t need to worry about it – au contraire!
More and more research is coming out on it so you might as well educate yourself on what it is and how to optimise your gut health!
So how can we improve our gut microbiota so it can continue doing all the great things for us?
The best way is by ensuring you eat a healthy balanced diet that includes food that are full of probiotics.
What are probiotics?
Probiotics are, according to The World Health Organization (WHO), “live micro-organisms which, when administered in adequate amounts, confer a health benefit on the host”.
You can actually ingest foods that already contain these beneficial micro-organisms which can really help boost your gut microbiota.
Probiotics are mainly found in fermented foods such as:
- grass-fed milk products like yoghurt (sugar-free), lassi, kefir, cottage cheese or quark
- non-GMO soy products like tofu, bean curd, tempeh, natto
- non-GMO vegetables like cabbage (ie. kim chi, sauerkraut), cucumbers (dilled pickles), turnips, onions, tomatoes, carrots, etc…
These foods can really give a boost to your friendly bacteria population. Which can give you a host of health benefits mentioned in the previous blog.
What do you do if you can’t find enough fermented foods in your daily life to feed your gut microbiota?
You take probiotic supplements.
I don’t normally recommend taking supplements, but this is an exception.
I’ve interviewed Seher Azazi, Nutritional Therapist of CanBest Probiotics to gain some further insights on how to optimise our gut microbiota using probiotic supplements.
According to Seher, probiotic capsules contain certain beneficial bacteria species like the ones mentioned in my previous blog Lactobacilli and Bifidobacteria. However, they have been freeze-dried and so are in a semi-live state – like cryo-stasis for you sci-fi fans.
The bacteria samples have been gathered from goat, cow’s milk, specific soil locations, plant-life, and even human feces! As mentioned previously, 60% of the dry mass in human feces is made up by the bacteria from your gut.
The scientists then test the bacteria strains to see if they produce certain beneficial enzymes, bile salts, neurotransmitters,if they neutralise toxins, if they out-crowd bad bacteria and if they can survive the stomach acids.
Once the capsule dissolves in the stomach, the bacteria species must reach the colon. There, certain environmental triggers like the pH level, moisture level, temperature, activates the bacteria and they become re-animated.
When they wake up, they adhere to the lining of the intestinal walls and begin to multiply exponentially. They start to crowd-out the bad bacteria (pathogens) and compete with them for nutrients.
However, there are certain factors in our day-to-day lives that can affect the balance of our gut microbiota. Seher mentions aging, stress, commute times, steroids, contraceptives, anti-inflammatories, diet, medication, antibiotics and pesticides from food and water run-off can all cause your good bacteria to diminish.
This is why taking a probiotic supplement can be beneficial. They are like booster shots for them to fight the good fight.
Luckily, for you loyal readers of my blog, I have partnered up with CanBest Probiotics and have secured a great deal if you are keen to supplement your probiotics intake!
The probiotics on offer are the following:
You can place an order through the newsletter (email) by clicking the ‘Order Probiotics’ button at the top of the newsletter under the ‘Important Updates’ section at anytime.
If you’ve neglected your gut microbiota your whole life, then now is the time to take action and help your little guys in your gut so they in turn can help you live a healthier and more prosperous life!