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Drinking enough water is crucial for healthy digestion. It helps break down the food you eat, allowing waste to pass more easily through the intestines and boosting nutrient absorption. Water also softens stool, which helps to prevent constipation. While people should aim to drink about eight 8-ounce glasses of water a day, you shouldn’t only focus on the quantity.
When it comes to drinking water, you should always question the quality.
Modern water systems are treated with chlorine to help protect us against illnesses. While the idea behind using this highly efficient disinfectant is a good one, researchers say the chlorine in tap water doesn’t only kill pathogenic bacteria in our H2O.
It also kills our beneficial gut bacteria!
Researchers say chlorine can kill good gut flora, just like antibiotics
While chlorine is harsh enough on gut bacteria, many water supplies also contain fluoride, lead, and a laundry list of other chemicals that negatively impact the gut microbiome. It’s important to note that your gut microbiome is delicate and is completely influenced by your lifestyle.
Don’t drink unfiltered water!
If you don’t already have an effective water filter then go out and get one ASAP. There are several different types of filters. You can use a special pitcher (like a Brita), a faucet-mount, a faucet-integration system, or an under-the-sink filter.
Various filters are made from different substances, which vary in effectiveness. Some of the best filters use activated carbon (AKA activated charcoal). Activated carbon works by binding to contaminants and removing them from your water.
If you drink tap water regularly, chances are your gut bacteria is unbalanced. Not having enough beneficial bacteria (AKA probiotic) has been linked to:
The best way to improve your gut health is to take a high-quality probiotic supplement. Before you buy any probiotic supplement, though, do your homework! New research suggests most probiotic brands are actually useless. There are two major problems:
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