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Gut bacteria does what?
Finally, doctors, scientists and researchers are discovering the key to living a long and healthy life. And we can promise you, it’s not what you think it is. The truth is, the key to living your best life now begins by healing your gut.
With the hype surrounding gut health and all the “trendy” advertisements about probiotics, you may have heard or started to wonder what they heck they are!
This is normal.
There are a lot of misconceptions out there about probiotics. What are they? How do they work? Why do I need them? Do they work? — just to name a few.
We are here to tell you everything you MUST know about probiotics and to help you get the facts. The main thing people seem confused about is why we need to put bacteria in our body.
The word “bacteria” alone frightens most people. (I mean, just think about how many products are designed just to get rid of it, for fear of it getting on us–ahhh!)
It’s this word that has endlessly been drilled into our brains with such a negative connotation that it will take some serious letting go to get past what our minds have convinced us is bad.
The average person doesn’t see the point of putting bacteria back into their body, which is essentially the sole purpose of probiotics. We’re going to break down the important questions for you–all in one place. We want to help you, and the only way to do that it is to educate you as best as we can.
Like the saying goes, there is no such thing as a stupid question. And to be honest, this was the first question I asked myself when I heard the term ‘probiotics‘. Simply put, probiotics are the good bacteria that line your digestive tract and support your body’s ability to absorb nutrients and fight infection.
Without these much-needed good guys in our body, we are unable to function properly and our health suffers as the consequence.
See, we told you not all bacteria was bad!
There are really only two ways to get good, healthy probiotic bacteria into your digestive system!
For hundreds of years, people have been eating fermented, probiotic-enriched foods with the intention of keeping their bodies healthy and strong. Many other cultures around the world still consume these products on a regular basis, keeping them as a staple in their daily diet. Now let’s give you a quick little culture lesson on probiotic foods from around the world!
Miso: This traditional Japanese ingredient is made from fermented soybeans, barley or brown rice mixed with koji. If you’ve ever had Miso soup at a Japanese restaurant (you know the yummy one that comes with those seaweed leaves floating around in it, then you’ve tried it–woohoo!)
Kefir: When you add kefir grains to milk from a cow, goat, or sheep and leave it to ferment for one day, this results in a lactose-free drink known as kefir. This European drink is particularly popular in Sweden, Norway, Hungary, and Finland. The fermentation process for kefir can also be made from soy, coconut, or rice milk.
Natto: Many Japanese people begin their day with this funky-smelling fermented soybean, believing that this is the perfect breakfast food to jumpstart their day. (Sounds like wishful thinking to me, now pass me some eggs, please!)
Yogurt: If you are familiar with probiotics, then obviously yogurt comes to mind. Yogurt is made from the bacteria that ferments the natural sugars in milk. But the main problem is, the yogurt that we know today has been so processed that it is stripped of any digestive enhancing qualities. Yes, that means your favorite Chobani is not good for you like you think it is. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news:(
Fermented Cabbage: Sauerkraut (German) and kimchi (Korean) are both fermented forms of cabbage that offer many probiotic benefits when consumed. (Have you ever tried Sauerkraut? I did once on a dare. Keyword, once.)
Soft (Raw) Cheese: Okay, now we’re talking! Cheeses that come from goat or sheep’s milk, as well as other aged cheeses (think Gouda), contain particularly high levels of probiotics. Sounds like a guilty pleasure that’s not so guilty!
Kombucha: You may have noticed Kombucha bottled drinks before at the grocery store, as their many health benefits have gained them popularity in recent years. This drink is made from an effervescent fermentation of black tea. The health drink has been around for over 2,000 years, originating in the Far East before spreading in popularity to Japan and Russia.
Kvass: Common in Eastern Europe, this is a vegetable and rye/barley fermented beverage. It is another one that has also been around since ancient times.
Tempeh: Another probiotic foods made from fermented soybeans, this food is typically found in Indonesian cuisine.
Okay, so let’s be honest here: Aside from the cheese, yogurt, and sauerkraut, how many of those foods have you ever even heard of? And if you have, could you imagine yourself eating 3 servers per day to restore your good guy bacteria supply?
Thankfully there’s a much simpler solution that has the power to give you everything you need, every single day, and it doesn’t require you to eat excess amounts of foods that don’t sound tempting and are even harder to come by. We’re talking about good ol’ probiotic supplements.
There is no such thing as a “MAGIC PILL” … but if there ways it would be called probiotics!
With just one serving a day, this is the simplified method to maintaining a steady balance of good, healthy bacteria in your body. With the right, high quality probiotic you can restore your bodily functions and revitalize your health in ways you never thought possible.
Researchers estimate there is between 500 – 1000 species of bacteria that colonize our digestive system. New research shows specific strains of bacteria have a specific impact in the body!
This is HUGE and very very important when selecting the right probiotic! Below is a list of bacterial strains that have all been proven and tested for their ability to help/heal your body:
When buying a probiotic supplement, be sure to understand exactly what strains are being used and what those specific strains will do in the body! Don’t be confused by billions of CFU’s or dozens of strains. Just keep it simple and look for the most important/beneficial bacteria!
There are toxins all around us and they all have an impact on the healthy bacteria in our digestive system. Your digestive system is a complex ecosystem of good and bad bacteria. New research suggests that we have 100 trillion micro-organisms (live bacteria) living inside our digestive tract.
We have good, beneficial bacteria that aids in digestion and elimination and bad, harmful bacteria that leads to fungus, yeast infections, weight gain and dangerous digestive issues.
The “good bacteria” or probiotics are critical to a healthy digestive system. These “good guys” help you digest food, eliminate waste, promote healthy immune function, regulate your metabolism and are responsible for maintaining a healthy GI tract.
When our digestive system is balanced with 80% good bacteria vs 20% bad bacteria, our digestive system functions at its best. Numerous scientific studies have proven the beneficial affects of this healthy probiotic balance, linking probiotics to everything from weight management, higher energy levels, mental clarity and a stronger immune system.
With just one daily dose of the right probiotic you can:
Amazing, right??
And this is not just our opinion, a mountain of medical research studies proves it! Over 20,000 research papers in the last 10 years have been written about probiotics, and numerous lab tests have shown they have a real, measurable, positive impact on your digestive system, colon and numerous other areas of the body!
Maintaining a healthy balance of good probiotic bacteria in your gut with a high quality probiotic supplement may be the fastest, safest and easiest way to promote a healthier digestive system and healthy body!
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