Welcome to publish #2 in my 4-part Intestine Well being collection! I’m honoring colon most cancers consciousness month by sharing up to date info concerning vitamin and meals for a wholesome colon. Find post #1 (Gut Health Post #1: The Ins & Outs) here!
[FYI I presented an hour long webinar discussing this topic, and you can find the recording and suggested resources here: www.cancerdietitian.com/guthealth.]
At this time’s matter explains how we decide intestine well being, and the way prebiotics and probiotics assist in creating, repairing and sustaining intestine well being. Let’s get to it!
What classifies “intestine well being”?
Intestine well being will not be measured by one particular variable; there are 5 standards for a wholesome intestine:
- Efficient digestion and absorption of meals
- Absence of GI sickness
- Ample immune operate
- Regular and secure intestinal microbiota
- Standing of well-being
Variety, Illness, and Digestion.
The microbes current in our gut helps to give our physique publicity to a wide range of supplies. When the physique has publicity to all kinds of fabric, it will likely be extra in a position to shield itself sooner or later. Variety within the microbiota means there may be a lot of completely different bacterial, yeasts and viruses.
Insults to the intestine, comparable to antibiotics, sickness, or surgical procedure, can disrupt the system. Variety permits the microbiome to be resilient and return to a secure state after these adjustments have occurred.
Intestine well being can also be outlined by the absence or administration of gastrointestinal ailments. This might embrace acute ailments (meals poisoning) or persistent situations (chrohn’s, irritable bowel illness or most cancers).
Final (however not least!!) – it can be crucial for the physique to correctly digest meals. Ample breakdown and absorption of vitamins is a sign of intestine well being. Monitoring comfy and common bowel actions can also be a technique to monitor the well being of the intestine.
Sustaining Intestine Well being: Prebiotics and Probiotics
There are a number of methods to keep up and enhance intestine well being. A technique we will enhance bacterial variety within the intestine is thru the consumption of prebiotics and probiotics. This may be completed via consuming entire meals or supplementation.
What’s the distinction between prebiotics and probiotics?
Prebiotics are a plant fiber that acts as a fertilizer for micro organism. I wish to consult with prebiotics as “meals for the nice micro organism.” This can permit the probiotics to work and flourish within the intestine. Prebiotics are current in fruits, greens, and non-digestible carbohydrates.
Probiotics are the dwell organisms of micro organism. I refer to those as “good micro organism.” Probiotics are current in fermented meals, comparable to: yogurt, keifer, sauerkraut, kimchi, and tempeh.
The advantages of consuming probiotics embrace:
- prevention of gastrointestinal illness
- delay of allergy symptoms in younger youngsters
- prevention of vaginal and urinary infections in girls.
For most individuals with a secure intestine, probiotic dietary supplements should not wanted! For extra on this, try this very useful podcast. I discovered it very informative! The Unbiased Science Podcast Episode: Do you need probiotics? Trust your gut.
Consuming a correct ratio of each prebiotics and probiotics can foster a wholesome and various ecosystem of micro organism within the intestine.
Try my earlier posts on prebiotics and probiotics:
Wish to know extra on this? Right here is a few extra studying.
We’ll see you subsequent week with publish #3 – “Really feel as Good because it Tastes.”
-Julie & The Interns
