When you hear, “bacteria”, what is your first thought or reaction? Something harmful, right? That is what we have been taught to think since we were little. Truth is, there are good bacteria that help to fight off the bad bacteria in our bodies. We are filled with 100 trillion live bacterial microbes that help play an essential role in our digestive processes, skin health, and more. So much more in fact, that researchers in recent years have found that both the type and number of bacteria in your gut is closely linked to your likelihood of developing diabetes, obesity, depression, or even cancer! Even more of a reason to understand that digestive health is about more than just what we put in our mouth, it is a critical factor in our overall health and wellness.

There are hundreds of different types of bacteria in our gut which line our entire digestive system. They are continually interacting with our nervous, immune, and endocrine systems. Because of this, these bacteria impact our lives in ways we wouldn’t think of, like our mood or the strength of our immune system and are responsible for how efficiently our bodies process the foods we eat. Imbalances in our gut bacteria slow down our metabolism, affect our mood, and can even cause constipation or irritable bowel syndrome. Just like a fingerprint, our gut microbiome (what we call the bacteria and their world) is unique to each individual. Too much or too little bacteria can cause a variety of health issues but with a combination of a healthy diet, active lifestyle and proper chiropractic care of our nervous system, can dramatically improve our overall gut health.

Here are some ways to improve our gut microbiome. First, we need to understand what probiotics are and how we can help keep them healthy. PRObiotics are the healthy bacteria! They are living single cell organisms that help us. We can build them up in our gut by eating foods that have been fermented to an optimal point, foods like:

• Live culture yogurt
• Kefir
• Miso
• Aged cheeses (60+ days)
• Kimchi
• Sauerkraut
• Pickles
• Kombucha

But like other living things, probiotics need a food source - PREbiotics. Prebiotic foods help mend the gut by feeding the bacteria properly so they can ferment them into short-chain fatty acids that help nourish the gut barrier, help prevent inflammation, and mend insulin sensitivity. They also help regulate appetite and keep your skin glowing. Here are some sources of prebiotics:

• Chocolate (higher cocoa content the better)
• Underripe banana
• Blueberries
• Apples
• Dandelion greens
• Spinach
• Onion
• Garlic
• Leeks
• Chia and Flax seeds

Having a happy, healthy gut sounds pretty good to me. These two lists can be used to make everything from breakfast to dinner, and are some of the best ways to break an intermittent fast or if you have been doing a longer fast for your health. We will touch more on these in our workshop at the end of the month. So, join us Tuesday October 27th at 6pm to get the full scoop!