by Marcey Klein BS, CNC
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Did you know that we have trillions of beneficial bacteria roaming around in our digestives tracts? Yes trillions. That’s about three pounds of them, and they mostly live in our large intestine. We also have beneficial bacteria in our mouth, skin, and for woman, the vaginal canal. These guys are very important, we want to feed them and take care of them so they stick around.
How do we nurture these friends you might ask? Well there are several opportunities for us to do just that. Try your best to eat clean. Pesticides, highly processed foods, and refined sugars can damage your good bacteria and feed the bad. However, foods higher in fiber like the ones in complex carbohydrates help to feed the beneficial bacteria. These include whole grains, beans, legumes, and starchy vegetables. Some of the best vegetables are the ones that contain a high amount of prebiotics such as Jerusalem artichokes, asparagus, garlic, leeks, and bananas.
And you’ll want to adopt a healthy lifestyle. Smoking, some prescription meds, unchecked stress, chlorinated water, and excess alcohol consumption all can damage our good flora. We want to give these good guys as much opportunity to thrive because they keep the harmful yeasts and bacteria in check. They also help break down the foods we consume, communicate with the immune system, and keep our moods up by creating serotonin. Indeed, this is why many health practitioners have called the gut our second brain, and why can say we have a “gut feeling” about something.
It’s important to keep introducing foods that contain these beneficial bacteria to our system every day. Fermented foods like raw sauerkraut or the brine, which is my favorite, miso, kefir, yogurt, beet kvass, and tempeh are great additions. And taking a probiotic a few times a week will also be great for your immune system, digestive system, and mood as well. If you feel you are just really having a hard time with your digestion even after doing these suggestions, you may need to add a prebiotic fiber to your regime. These help to support your probiotic bacteria by feeding them exactly what they need for them to thrive. These fibers are processed in such a way that they are highly digestible to our beneficial bacteria, and you should notice a difference right away.
Come in to see me at Wild Roots in Boulder Creek if you have any questions or concerns, otherwise, be well!