Good gut health is very important for our overall wellbeing, but an increasing number of people are struggling with digestive problems.
Many names and labels are given to bowel dysfunction. Whatever the name or label you have been given for your gut problem, the secret to reclaiming your health is to restore the balance of your microbiome. Read on to learn more, including three things that are vitally important if we are to restore bowel health.
Good gut health is very important for our overall wellbeing, but an increasing number of people are struggling with digestive problems.
Many names and labels are given to bowel dysfunction. Whatever the name or label you have been given for your gut problem, the secret to reclaiming your health is to restore the balance of your microbiome.
Read on to learn more, including three things that are vitally important if we are to restore bowel health.
Names & Labels for Digestive Problems
Many names and labels are given to bowel dysfunction. Whatever the name or label you have been given for your gut problem, the secret to reclaiming your health is to restore the balance of your microbiome. Addressing the imbalance will put your body back on the road to wellness, whether you are suffering from bloating, IBS, constipation, colitis, leaky gut, candida, SIBO or allergies.
The bowel has got many functions and all the microbes that live there have got a key role to play in our health. Much of our immune system is contained in our gut and it is important for nutrient absorption and for carrying wastes and toxins out of the body. When you consider the amazing fact that the number of microbial cells living in our bodies outnumber human cells you will begin to realise just how important our microbiome is. We will function better when we have the right type of microbes living happily in a symbiotic relationship with our bodies. Frequently this is not the case which results in problems with many names and labels but frequently with a common cause.
Restore Balance for Optimum Health
An increasing number of people are struggling with digestive health problems. Good health begins in the gut and the results of digestive problems are reflected in many areas of the body. Very often people do not see the connection. If we address the gut problem, we will help every other body system and enjoy optimum health. Nowadays we are fortunate that there is a better understanding of the causes of digestive tract health issues, and we have solutions to restore the body to optimal health.
For many people their gut problems originate in their childhood. Many of us were prescribed antibiotics when we were children and there appears to be a connection with the use/overuse of antibiotics and disruption in the health of the microbiome which has never been corrected. This combined with diets which include too many processed foods, are low in fibre and high in sugars, has significantly worsened the problem. Malfunctions in the gut have caused a growing number of people to suffer problems which are making day to day living a struggle.
There has been extensive research carried out over the last couple of decades on the role of the microbiome in health and recommendations have been made as to the microbial strains that should be used. Although this offers considerable hope to sufferers it frequently leaves many disappointed.
Three Vital Things to Restore Bowel Health
There are three things that are vitally important if we are to restore bowel health using a probiotic regime:
- Address the gut environment
- Introduce the type of microbes that feel at home
- Implement dietary changes
When we get these things right we will see huge benefit. If we get them wrong it can lead to money down the drain.
Address the Gut Environment
The first thing that must be addressed is the gut environment. The type of microbes that belong in the gut are very sensitive to their environment and if the environment is not right they will not proliferate. The environment depends on many factors including hydration, body temperature, pH balance, mineral balance, vitamin D levels, oxygen flow, nutrient flow etc. If the environment is not optimal then good bacteria will not grow happily there. Therefore, the first thing to consider is to improve the gut environment by creating conditions where good bacteria will feel at home and colonise.
Introduce the Type of Microbes that Feel at Home
Secondly, we need to use microbial strains that intuitively belong in the human body - the type of microbes that are present in a healthy new-born baby. However, many of the probiotic products available are bovine. The environment in the gut of a cow is very different from the environment in the gut of a human body so such probiotics are unlikely to happily proliferate there. This results in people having to take them on a continuous basis to get a result.
It is estimated that there are over 100 trillion microbes living in the human gut. A high strength probiotic of 40 billion will be a small fraction of the total. To get real benefit we need to introduce microbes in sufficient numbers to be able to compete.
When we combine an improved bowel environment with the right strains of microbes, introduced in high concentrations, we will begin to see results as the body restores balance. As that happens symptoms of dysfunction will begin to disappear, and we will begin to enjoy better health and an improved immune system.
Implement Dietary Changes
In addition to implementing an improved environment and a good probiotic focused regime there are several dietary changes that will also be helpful. Start drinking plenty of good water - that is water with good structure that will be properly absorbed in the body. Reduce, or ideally eliminate, sugar and refined carbohydrates from your diet because these foods feed and encourage all the wrong type of microbes. Eat plenty of fibre, particularly if regularity is a problem. Foods such as chia seeds and flax seed powder can be particularly helpful for this. Eat organic, if possible, as chemicals such as glyphosate (Round Up) are prevalent in the food chain and are particularly unhelpful for gut health.
The Gut-Brain Axis
Of vital importance is the connection between gut health and brain health. Many problems such as depression and anxiety have their roots in the gut. This is not surprising since serotonin is predominantly produced in the gut. Therefore, improving gut health can have a significant impact on mood. There is considerable evidence that poor gut health also contributes to brain degenerative diseases such as MS, Parkinson’s and dementia. Improving gut health has also proven to be helpful for children suffering from autism and ADHD.
Conclusion
In conclusion I would stress the importance of good gut health for our overall wellbeing. There are natural approaches that are immensely powerful in helping to restore bowel health. Working in harmony with nature always brings the best results.
This article was written by Roddy MacDonald founder of Water for Health Ltd. Water for Health distribute several unique ranges of products to help people maintain or regain health through hydration and nutrition. In particular Water for Health are UK distributors for Progurt an Australian company who have developed their unique approach to gut health by giving the body what it needs. Their product range includes products to improve the gut environment and concentrated human derived microbes that intuitively regard the human body as home.
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