Nutrition. Vitamins. You.
Understanding the digestive system can seem intimidating. But could your system be trying to tell you something? It may not be fun to talk about but complications with digestion can result in a multitude of digestive issues and associated health problems, like heartburn, constipation, and …
Photo by Artem Kovalev on Unsplash A team of researchers from the Shanghai Mental Health Center at Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, set out to investigate if there was evidence to support improvement of anxiety symptoms by regulating intestinal microbiota, or gut bacteria. …
Are you spending time browsing the vitamin aisle, trying to figure out which Probiotic will work best for your personal health and wellness needs? There are dozens of choices, and while all of them promise to support healthy digestion, clear skin and more energy, how do you know that your probiotic is working? And what actually happens to a probiotic after you ingest it?
Bacteria is commonly thought of as negative. There are plenty of harmful bacteria that can lead to a number of risks when it comes to the bacteria inside of your body. But with harmful bacteria comes beneficial bacteria called Probiotics. Research suggests that choosing a quality probiotic will help with digestion and help you maintain a healthy gut.
Here are all of the signs that your probiotic is working. Click here >>
Probiotics are friendly bacteria that make up the microbiome in your gut or digestive tract and are the key to good health, especially to good digestion and regularity. Bacteria, though naturally present in the body, accounts for two pounds of bio-mass in your intestines, which need a balance of beneficial bacteria to promote good health.
Levels of probiotics decrease with age and can also be affected by other factors, including a poor diet and obesity. As the levels of probiotics decrease, problematic bacteria in the gut thrive, which can lead to digestive problems like bloating and gas.
It’s important to remember that probiotics are live organisms; they need to survive the manufacturing process but also the journey from your mouth all the way to your lower gut, where it flourishes and repopulates.
Right after you ingest a probiotic, digestive enzymes in your saliva are already beginning to break it down. In your stomach, this beneficial bacteria comes into direct contact with strong stomach acids that are necessary to break down and digest food, which is bad news for the probiotic – most bacteria do not survive this acidic environment. The strains that do make it move into the small intestines, which is less acidic than the stomach, where it flourishes and repopulates the good bacteria in your gut. Whew!
In order to make sure your probiotic can withstand digestive enzymes and acidic environments, turn to one that is offered in an enteric-coated capsule. This kind of capsule helps to protect probiotics from the stomach’s acidity.
A superior probiotic will not only be made of enteric-coasted capsules, but will also offer non-GMO bacterial strains, be offered in a vegetarian formula (free of milk, soy and wheat), and contain five species of CFUs. CFUs, or colony-forming units, can further ensure the survival and colonization of this beneficial bacteria in your gut.
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Photo by i yunmai on Unsplash In a preliminary study published in the August issue of Mayo Clinic Proceedings, researchers suggest that, for some, specific activities of gut bacteria may be responsible for their inability to lose weight, despite them sticking to strict diet and …
According to a new study performed by the University of Illinois of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences, there may be a remedy to delay memory and brain issues as we age – dietary fiber.
The study reports, “As mammals age, immune cells in the brain (known as microglia) become chronically inflamed. In this state, they produce chemicals known to impair cognitive and motor functions. That’s one explanation for why memory fades and other brain functions decline during old age.”
Dietary fiber promotes the growth of good bacteria in the gut. When the bacteria digest the fiber, they produce short-chain-fatty-acids (SCFAs). One of the most important SCFAs is Butyrate, which has been shown to have anti-inflammatory properties on microglia and improve memory in mice, according to a study entitled, Frontiers in Immunology.
Researchers report that butyrate derived from dietary fiber should have the same benefits in the brain as the drug form, but it has never been tested before.
The researchers fed low- and high-fiber diets to groups of young and old mice, then measured the levels of butyrate and other SCFAs in the blood, as well as inflammatory chemicals in the intestine.
“The high-fiber diet elevated butyrate and other SCFAs in the blood, both for young and old mice. But only the old mice showed intestinal inflammation on the low-fiber diet. It’s interesting that young adults didn’t have that inflammatory response on the same diet. It clearly highlights the vulnerability of being old.”
When the old mice consumed the high-fiber diet, their intestinal inflammation was reduced dramatically, showing no difference between the age groups. Researchers then turned to examining signs of inflammation in the brain – 50 unique gene in microglia. They concluded that the high-fiber diet reduced that inflammatory profile in ages animals.
Johnson concludes, “dietary fiber can really manipulate the inflammatory environment in the gut.”
Dietary fiber is material from plant cells that cannot be broken down by enzymes in the digestive tract. It is important for the health of the digestive system and in lowering cholesterol. There are two types of fiber – water-soluble and water insoluble.
Soluble fibers absorb water during digestion, increase stool bulk and may decrease blood cholesterol levels. Soluble fiber can be found in fruits (like apples and oranges), vegetables, legumes and oats.
In-soluble fibers remain unchanged during digestion, promoting normal movement of intestinal contents. It can be found in fruits with edible peels and seeds, whole grain products (wheat bread and pasta), cereals and brown rice.
According to The American Heart Association, total dietary fiber should be 25 to 30 grams a day from foo. Currently, dietary fiber intakes among adults in the U.S. average about 15 grams a day – 10 grams below the current recommended intake.
If you are having a difficult time with your intake of dietary fiber, your doctor or a certified nutritionist may recommend fiber supplements. The three most studied and beneficial fiber supplements contain –
Inulin is a type of prebiotic fiber, non-digestible carbohydrates that act as food for probiotics. They play a major role in how you absorb nutrients and produce hormones. You can find Inulin in high-quality fiber supplements, however you’ll want to make sure it is a non-gmo, organic inulin, made following cGMP (current Good Manufacturing Practices).
Methylcellulose, is a common soluble fiber made from cellulose that is non-fermentable, meaning it is less likely to contribute to bloating and gas.
Psyllium contains 70% soluble fiber, which can help increase fullness and slow digestion. It also contains some insoluble fiber, so it passes through the gut easier, helping to keep you regular.