Gut Health: Is that a real thing?

We often think of bacteria in terms of diseases. However, many bacteria are beneficial for many aspects of your health, such as your heart, immune system, mood, and even weight. In fact, our bodies are filled with trillions of microorganisms.

If you’re squeamish about the idea of bugs living inside you, you might want to skip to the end right now because your gut seethes with over 200 bacteria, viruses, and fungi that wriggle around down there. The good news is that they provide unique metabolic functions for you that are fundamentally important for your good health and disease prevention.

Collectively, they are known as the microbiome. They are so important for health that your body actually contains more bacterial cells than human cells!

Most of these microbes exist in your intestine and are known as your gut microbiome; they are critical for gut health. Here are some tips to develop a healthy microbiome for optimal health.

• Good bacteria thrive on fiber. Make the base of your diet rich in fiber. Some examples are vegetables, beans, whole grains, nuts and fruits.
• Eat fermented foods such as sauerkraut, kim chi, yogurt and vinegars.
• Antibiotic regimes that are so important for fighting bad bacteria will also attack the good gut bacteria as well. Consume fermented foods when needing to take an antibiotic.
• Excessive alcohol consumption can damage healthy bacteria. Drink alcohol in moderation and choose the beverages that are made up of real ingredients.
• Finally, much attention is being given to stress and our gut microbiome health. Managing stress is key!