Healthy Gut, Healthy You

A healthy gut makes a huge difference to your overall health, not only to your digestive health. Research is showing that gut health plays a role in your mental health, heart health and in your immune system.  It may also help prevent some cancers and autoimmune diseases. 

There is evidence that these bacteria may impact longevity and some gut bacteria may give athletes an edge, thriving in their bodies and improving their performance.

Each part of the gut, from the oesophagus to the bowel, has a different job and needs different colonies of microorganisms in order to function efficiently.

Your diet can influence these colonies, so, for example, a diet with lots of sugar rich foods will encourage sugar loving bacteria, which are not the healthiest colonies to live in the gut. A healthy diet, with fibre rich colourful vegetables, encourages healthy colonies and a healthy gut. Fermented foods like yoghurt, kimchi and sauerkraut are also beneficial to gut health.

The most common supplements used to rebalance the bacteria in the gut are probiotics. Udo’s Choice Probiotics boast some of the largest bacterial counts available. The Udos range includes probiotics tailored to different age groups and there are also Udos Super 5 targeted at oral health.

TerraNova combines Prebiotics with Probiotics. Prebiotic fibres help feed and strengthen probiotic bacteria. Taking the two in combination can help make your probiotics more effective.

Homeopathic Microflora Liquescence may be beneficial in safely improving the health of the gut of people on medications who are concerned about taking supplements.

There are also targeted probiotic complexes available. Solgar’s Ultibio Immune is a high quality probiotic with added immune supporting nutrients. Biocare’s Cranberry Intensive, combines cranberry and probiotics and is a very effective supplement for people who suffer from urinary infections.

Call in to see us at New Leaf to find your own ideal gut health supplement.