Your gut flora (microbiome) has a massive impact on your digestive health, immune system, and even your mood.
When you take good care of your gut flora, you’ll enjoy:
Your digestive system contains your gut flora, which refers to the trillions of bacteria living inside of you. These bacteria can be both “good” and “bad”, and together they form a complex ecosystem.
Ideally, you want the good bacteria to outweigh the bad. But thanks to processed foods, stress, environmental pollution, and antibiotics, this balance often becomes disrupted.
Which is why putting a little extra effort into maintaining a healthy gut is essential, if you want to enjoy optimal health for years to come.
So, here are five simple strategies you can start using today to ensure you’re enjoying all the health benefits of a well-balanced microbiome:
Sugar-filled foods can feed the bad bacteria in your gut, skewing the ratio of good:bad bacteria, throwing your microbiome out of balance.
In fact, many gut health issues stem from a diet full of sugary snacks. So eliminating foods like candy, ice cream, and cookies is the first step toward restoring optimal gut health.
For instance, many people have issues with foods containing dairy or gluten. If your body feels uneasy or “off” after consuming milk or bread, try removing them from your diet for a month or two and see if you feel better.
In fact, one study found3 that people who regularly consume 85% or darker chocolate experienced an improved mood, thanks to the beneficial impact of the dark chocolate on the gut biome.
This week, try adding foods like oatmeal, lentils and berries to your shopping list to help support the good gut flora in your digestive system.
The best probiotic-rich foods are yogurt, kombucha, and fermented foods like sauerkraut and kimchi. You can also supplement with a concentrated probiotic formula if you’re unable to get enough good bacteria through your diet.
Consuming daily probiotics is a fantastic habit, and a powerful way to impact your overall mood, health, and immune system.
Use these five strategies to keep your gut flora happy, healthy, and enjoy the benefits of optimal gut health for years to come.
To your health,
Dr. Mark Rosenberg
