The human body has been shown to house more than 100 trillion bacteria, which is more than 10 times the number of human cells in the entire body. Bacteria are smaller and take up much less space than cells, which is why they are found in such high amounts, outnumbering human cells 10 to 1. With this great quantity of bacteria living inside us it is very important to have a substantial amount of beneficial bacteria in the body to promote health and wellness. It is pertinent that the quantity and type of microorganisms in the digestive tract interact with the body in a way that promotes good health. Ideally the ratio in the gut should be around eighty-five percent good to fifteen percent bad.
Research has found that the digestive system plays a very important role in immunity and is responsible for 80% of the body’s resistance to pathogens. Not only does the immune system rely on the digestive system for support, but the condition of the mind and mood also depend on a well-functioning digestive system. We now know that the majority of the serotonin is produced in the gut and not the brain, which is why some health officials refer to the gut as the “second brain”.
Generally the connection between lowered immunity and depression as indicators of poor digestive health is completely disregarded. The brain develops from the same fetal tissues as the gut. One part develops into the central nervous system and the other grows into the enteric nervous system. Both are connected by the vagus nerve also known as the tenth cranial nerve; which runs down from the brainstem directly into the abdomen, providing a direct link for intestinal health and mental well-being. This explains that link between neurological disorders and digestive health.
To optimize the functioning of the digestive system and improve overall health there are a few simple dietary strategies we can incorporate such as eliminating sugar and refined carbohydrates; increasing intake of organic vegetables; and supplementing with probiotics. Simple sugars promote the growth of yeast, fungi, and other harmful bacteria. Sugar is the substance that feeds these harmful entities, so by eliminating sugar from the diet it starves off harmful bacteria that reside in the digestive system. If harmful bacteria receives nourishment from simple sugars such as those found in fruit juices, sodas and artificial sweeteners it will enhance their development and inhibit the body for operating optimally. To successfully eliminate sugar from the diet be sure to make informed decisions by reading nutritional fact labels. Avoid foods that are advertised as low-fat, often times manufactures replace fat with sugar, which is not only harmful for the body, but also adds empty calories to the diet and can lead to indigestion and exacerbate problems such as obesity, diabetes, depression and heart disease. Other factors that imbalance digestive flora are antibacterial soaps, fluoridated water, chlorine, and antibiotics. Antibiotics can include those that are prescribed to us and those that are consumed through a diet that includes meat where the livestock received antibiotics.
Fresh organic vegetables should be added to the diet to promote good health in the digestive tract. Vegetables contain prebiotic fibers and sources of nutrients, when digested and metabolized it feeds the good bacteria and through metabolic processing of vegetables the body produces byproducts that help to eliminate bad bacteria. It is also important to choose organic produce. Produce that has been treated with pesticides and other chemicals will naturally remain within the produce and when ingested those chemicals destroy good bacteria in the digestive system.
The standard American diet is lacking in fermented foods which are a wonderful addition to any diet to help restore beneficial bacteria in the gut. Fermented foods such as sauerkraut, miso, and kimchi, are strongly recommended to increase the amount of beneficial bacteria. Kimchi is a spicy condiment made from fermented red cabbage found in Korean dishes. Koreans typically consume 40 pounds of kimchi per person annually. “Kimchi over cheese” is the preference of Koreans. It is served at every meal as condiment or side mixed with noodles or rice.
Some other fermented options include pickled and fermented vegetables such as cabbage, cucumbers, turnips, green beans, beets, or carrots. Fermented foods also make wonderful chelators and are able to draw out a wide variety of heavy metals and toxins from the body; only a small amount of fermented foods such as 1/3 of a cup daily need to be consumed to help restore the belly. Beneficial bacteria can also be included in the diet through fermented drinks such as kombucha or kraut juice, which is now popping up at farmer’s markets.
Contrary to popular believe commercial yogurts and kefir are not as beneficial as they are advertised. This is because most products contain high amounts of sugar and artificial sweeteners which will promote the growth of bad bacteria. Most manufactures also use pasteurized milk to make their products, which should be avoided due to its high amount of processing. In addition, the amount of beneficial bacteria that is cultured into the product is usually a trivial amount and has a short shelf life, so by the time the product is ingested there may only by a trace amounts or no probiotics at all. If one would like to consume yogurt for its beneficial bacteria it would be ideal to purchase raw organic milk along with a culture and make it at home or find it from a local raw organic source.
Probiotics are crucial for those who do not want to consume fermented foods. The jury is still out when it comes to enteric coating. It is promoted because of its ability to pass through the acidic environment of the stomach where it is likely to kill off beneficial bacteria before they have the opportunity to function, but enteric coated probiotics can be quite costly and to save a few bucks one can purchase a probiotic supplement that has bioacid resistant strains such as Lactobacillus plantarum and Bifidobacterium lactis which will survive the journey to the intestines and cost much less.
Probiotics should be taken on an empty stomach preferably about 15 minutes before a meal, because the acidity in the stomach is closer to neutral making it a less hostile environment. Probiotics should also be free of dairy, wheat, GMOs, fillers, gluten, caking agents, and contain all human strains of bacteria such as Lactobacillus acidophilus DDS-1.
Probiotics are essential for optimal digestion and assimilation of vitamins, minerals and nutrients; and help the body produce non-essential vitamins and eliminate toxins. According to Green Med Info there are more than 200 studies that have linked probiotics to more than 170 diseases and health problems including eczema, acne, herpes, food allergies, liver diseases, colds, chronic fatigue syndrome, behavioral disorders and high cholesterol. Common signs that the digestive flora may be out of balance include fatigue, gas, bloating, headaches, constipation, sugar cravings, nausea, and diarrhea.
