Not feeling like yourself? Probiotics may offer a solution!

Trying to stay healthy nowadays can present itself with many challenges. The selection process can be intimidating to most, with so many options on the shelves. What am I supposed to take? What will be the most effective? & how much are all these supplements going to cost me?? Fortunately, we've already come equipped with the ultimate host defense solution! Our gut biome houses a complex ecosystem of approximately 300 to 500 bacterial species. To put that into perspective, that represents ~0.3% of our overall body weight or about the same weight as our brain! [1] Although the connection between our brain & gut has been studied for years, it's much more complicated than initially thought. Your gut & your brain talk to each other & when the gut talks, the brain listens. So it seems rational that you should take care of your "second brain" as much as you do the one on your head! Probiotics can offer a wide array of beneficial effects to your body & mind, such as:

Reducing the frequency of Infections

Probiotics offer a simple solution to getting the most out of your health & nutrition. For example, in a 2013 study, it was found that probiotic supplementation reduced the duration & incidence of infections.[2] The participants never experienced a single upper respiratory tract illness (URTI) or gastrointestinal (GI) episode while taking probiotics.

Restoring your Immune System

Probiotics may benefit the body by restoring balance to the microbiome after an illness or treatment. [3,4] Your body usually takes a heavy toll after getting sick & through the positive manipulation of your gut microbiome, you can regenerate your immune system back to its full fighting self.

Regulate Mood

Scientists have noticed a link between bacteria in the gut that could affect the nervous system & the way that people think & feel. [5] We know that people who are depressed & anxious have very different microbiomes than people who are not depressed. With depression, you have more harmful bacteria that produce inflammatory chemicals, endotoxins, which get sent back to the brain & distributed in the body, so the ideal scenario is to have a diverse population of bacteria strains. [6,7]

Regulate Gut Biome

The foods you eat are essential in balancing good and bad gut bacteria. Once you regularly feed the wrong bacteria, they can grow and colonize faster; without as many helpful bacteria to prevent them, your risk of gastrointestinal issues can increase. Probiotics for specific gastrointestinal diseases have generally positively affected disease prevention and treatment.[8,9]

Reduce Cholesterol Levels

The bacteria living in our gut can even affect our cholesterol levels. The mechanism behind this is probiotics can prevent cholesterol from being made and absorbed by binding to it and helping break it down. [10,11]

Replenishment through the Appendix

Researchers observed that when the body was under attack by pathogens, the appendix would release probiotic bacteria that would perfectly counter the specific type of invaders. [12] The appendix, once thought to be a useless feature, has been identified as being able to store probiotics that can be released when needed to combat specific pathogens.

Foods High in Probiotics

Kimchi- a spicy Korean side dish, usually made from fermented cabbage. Its lactic acid bacteria, Lactobacillus kimchii, may benefit digestive health. [13,14]
Miso- a fermented soybean paste and a popular Japanese seasoning. It contains several essential nutrients and may even reduce the risk of cancer and stroke. [15]
Kombucha- a fermented black or green tea drink. Reports have stated that drinking kombucha can prevent cancer and cardiovascular diseases, promote liver functions, and stimulate the immune system. [16]

Probiotics vs Prebiotics

Probiotics- Live bacteria found in certain foods or supplements. They support healthy body systems from your mouth to your gut and help control harmful pathogens. At the proper levels, probiotics aid digestion and improve nutrient absorption.

Prebiotics are typically fibers or carbs that feed the bacteria that humans can't digest. This allows your gut bacteria to produce nutrients for your gut cells, which leads to a healthier digestive system. [17]

Foods High in Prebiotics

Garlic- A flavorful herb linked to various health benefits due to its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and lipid-lowering properties. Garlic acts as a prebiotic by promoting the growth of beneficial Bifidobacteria in the gut. It also helps prevent disease-promoting bacteria from growing. [18]
Onions- A tasty, versatile vegetable that helps strengthen your gut flora, helps with fat breakdown and boosts your immune system by increasing cell nitric oxide production. [19]
Whole oats- A grain rich in beta-glucan fiber. They increase healthy gut bacteria, improve blood sugar control, and may reduce cancer risk. [20, 21]

Summary

The more good bacteria you have, the better & you can increase the diversity by taking probiotic supplements and probiotic foods. Remembering that probiotics work best when taken on an empty stomach or a light meal is important. Probiotics are essential for gut health, giving rise to good overall health. So it would be most important to take care of your gut so that it can take proper care of you back!