How to Boost Gut Health
You may not realise it, but there’s a war going on inside your gut. There are about 20 billion combatants and they’re in diametrically opposed camps; good bacteria and bad bacteria.
The sad news is that, for most of us, the good bacteria are hugely outnumbered. This is largely due to the Standard Western Diet, with its emphasis on high-glycemic carbohydrates, something which bad bacteria absolutely love.
The good news is that we’re able to come to the aid of our good bacteria with the smart use of enzymes and probiotics.
The Power of Enzymes
Digestive enzymes help to break down food to allow for complete utilization of nutrients There are three key categories of enzymes that break down the three macronutrients:
Lipases break down fats
Proteases break down proteins
Amylases break down carbohydrates
Many people have enzyme deficiencies, which leads to an array of digestive and gut problems, including gas, bloating, stomach pain, belching, diarrhea and constipation. Supplementing with digestive enzymes allows the gut to break down macromolecules in the foods you eat into much smaller molecules, allowing for complete nutrient absorption.
People who suffer from food sensitivities often also are deficient in specific enzymes. For example, people who are lactose intolerant may have a lactase deficiency. The body’s enzyme production also naturally decreases as we age.
Taking supplemental enzymes has been shown to greatly improve many digestion-related complaints. In one study, subjects who suffered from digestive problems were given either a common medication or an enzyme blend. After five days, the enzymes provided the same or better results with no side effects whatsoever.
Taking a supplement that includes a combination of enzymes will allow you to fully digest the food molecules that enter your body, eliminating the common problems associated with poor digestion.
Probiotics
Probiotics are living microorganisms that work to rebalance your gut bacteria, resulting in improved digestion and bringing relief from a whole array of gut related problems. Among the most effective in terms of gut health are Lactobacillus Acidophilus, and Lactobacillus Fermentum.
The best probiotic supplements will include both probiotics and enzymes to provide a synergistic approach which provides dual mechanisms toward improved gut health.
Fructooligosaccharide
Fructooligosaccaride (FOC), is a plant-based carbohydrate that is commonly used as an alternative sweetener that doesn’t spike insulin levels. It is also classified as a prebiotic. Prebiotics act as food for probiotics. Look for a probiotic that includes prebiotic such as FOC, because it will actually act as nourishment for the probiotics that are also in the formulation. This allows them to act even more powerfully to restore bacterial balance.
Green Tea Extract
Green tea is a product of the fresh leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant. When steamed at very high temperatures a class of very powerful antioxidants known as polyphenols is released. These polyphenols have been shown to improve digestive health by attacking bad bacteria.
Green tea extracts have proven to be especially beneficial in helping to break down fats. Green tea is also very high in antioxidants which help the body’s cells to function more effectively and assist in waste elimination. Green tea extract contains an especially powerful polyphenol which reduces stomach swelling to improve digestion. It also contains B vitamins which help to digest carbohydrates
Putting It All Together
Individually the four key probiotic ingredients that we’ve discussed provide powerful stand-alone actions to boost digestive health. Yet, it is when they act in concert that the ‘wow’ factor really kicks in.
Getting into the daily habit of taking a quality probiotic that contains these ingredients will transform your gut health, relieving unwanted symptoms and allowing you to get 100 percent of the nourishment from the foods you eat.
