Helping to restore the good bacteria to your gut
Healthy bacteria are essential for our bodies. Gut microbiota, more commonly called gut flora, are the tiny microbes living in your intestine. Each person will have tens of trillions of microorganisms living inside of them, and about two thirds of this bacteria is specific to each and every one of us. This explains why some people have intolerance to dairy and others do not. However, even though each one of us has unique microbiota, it will always accomplish the same physiological function. One of the main functions of microbiota is to help the body digest certain foods that the stomach and small intestine are not able to digest, as well as synthesize certain vitamins. It also helps with your immune system, acting as a barrier. A balanced gut microbiota is key to ensuring optimal digestion and a strong metabolism.
When we think about our digestion and restoring that good gut bacteria, we often think that we need to eat more yogurt, or take a probiotic supplement, but there is more to think about. Your body needs to be stable in order to grow the healthy bacteria. The colon needs to be slightly acidic so that it can fight against other harmful, undesirable bacteria such as E. coli or salmonella. With that being said, the best way to restore your gut flora is to create acidity. One way to do this is by eating fermented foods. Fermented foods promote probiotics within your intestine and help move food through your gut.
Even though “fermented food” sounds a bit aggressive, it is actually immensely good for you. When foods are fermented, they go through a process called lacto-fermentation, where natural bacteria feed on the sugar and starch in the food, which eventually creates lactic acid. This process creates an acidic environment that preserves the food and creates useful enzymes, B-vitamins, and strains of probiotics.
Fermented foods can be an acquired taste, and it could take a while before you start to get used to them, but for the benefit of your gut flora here is a list of fermented foods to [pullquote align=”left” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]…ensuring optimal digestion and a strong metabolism.[/pullquote]
choose from: sauerkraut (a German classic made from pickled cabbage), Kombucha (a fermented drink made from sweetened black or green tea and bacteria), yogurt (you can also make yogurt from coconut milk, which is great for dairy intolerant people or vegans), Kefir (a fermented milk drink made with complex grains), pickled fruits and vegetables, Kimchi (a traditional Korean dish), and/or seed cheese (vegan cultured cheese made from sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds and other nut combinations.)
While some of these foods may sound a little adventurous, including more yogurt into your diet could be a great way to start building up the probiotics in your digestive system. For the dairy intolerant or vegans out there, there are plenty of non-dairy alternatives such as the aforementioned coconut yogurt or various vegan cultured cheeses. Remember, the more diversity you have in your gut bacteria, the better your long-term health and digestive system will be.