One Ingredient You Need To Eat For Good Gut Health

Your gut health is very important to your menopause health. When we eat, we consume about trillion bacteria along with it & affects our weight & mood.

Your gut health has a major impact on your menopause health.

What is a healthy gut microbiome?

Your intestines serve as the principal site of nutrient absorption of vitamins, minerals, and macronutrients.

However, the cells in our gut don’t do this job alone; they are aided by an entire microscopic ecosystem that exists along the walls of the intestine consisting of trillions of microorganisms.

Benefits of healthy gut flora:

Digestive Support
Nervous Support
Immune Support

Poor diet, toxic load, exposure to harmful microbes and even stress can all impact your gut flora.

It's a little known fact that oestrogen stimulates the muscle that line the intestine and progesterone has a more relaxing effect. They work together to create a natural equilibrium.

Then our oestrogen and progesterone levels start to decline during menopause, you may start to experience digestive issues due to the disruption of this natural balance.

This has the potential to affect the movement of food and waste products.

The result:

Indigestion
Reflux
GERD
Bloating
Constipation
Diarrhoea
Water retention

For some women, this can become a more persistent health issue so it's important to take steps to resolve the problem. One simple solution is by regularly including certain foods in your diet.

What and how we eat has a great impact on our gut microbiome.

When we eat, we consume about a trillion bacteria along with it and these microbes affect our weight, our anxiety and even our mood.

It’s all connected to your gut in one way or another.

These microbes break down the food in the digestive system and use it as their energy resource. Such microbes can transfer to our belly through multiple sources such as the environment and, most importantly, through our diet.

But there are some bacteria that help your gut system to stay in shape. They play their role in reducing inflammation, protecting you from illness, and possibly preventing heart diseases. They also aid in fat burning and support a slim and fit belly.

These are called prebiotics and are essential for good gut health.

What Are Prebiotics?

Prebiotics are special plant fibres that help healthy bacteria grow in your gut which improve the way your digestive system works.

Prebiotics vs. Probiotics

Both prebiotics and probiotics are good for your gut, but they help in different ways.

Prebiotics are a source of food for your gut’s healthy bacteria. They’re carbs your body can’t digest. So they go to your lower digestive tract, where they act like food to help the healthy bacteria grow.

Probiotics are live yeasts and good bacteria that live in your body and are good for your digestive system.

You can take both prebiotics and probiotics as supplements or get them through food.

Here are a few foods that can provide the pre-biotics you need or other contributions to your gut’s health:

Prebiotic Foods

You’ll find prebiotics in many fruits, vegetables, and whole grains:

Apples
Artichokes
Asparagus
Bananas
Barley
Berries
Chicory
Cocoa
Dandelion greens
Flaxseed
Garlic
Green vegetables
Leeks
Legumes (peas and beans)
Oats
Onions
Tomatoes

Probiotic Foods

For probiotics you need to increase your intake of fermented foods because they contain bacteria that produces lactic acid. Kefir, kimchi, yogurt, sauerkraut, and kombucha are natural, healthy sources of probiotics.

Such foods are different than prebiotics but help to improve your digestive system all the same.

Let's look in detail at a few of these foods:

Bananas:

Bananas provide fibre, potassium, and magnesium. Fibre is excellent for digestive health as it restores the health of the bacterial community. They can even help soothe an upset stomach.

Broccoli and cabbage:

Vegetables play a vital role in the health of your stomach. Vegetables like broccoli and cabbage contain metabolites that are rich in sulphur. These metabolites reduce inflammation and may help reduce the risk of lung, breast and stomach cancers.

Blueberries:

Blueberries are excellent for your immune system. It diversifies gut bacteria. Blueberries are also a good source of vitamin K, fibre, and antioxidants. They are not only good for your gut but also good for your immune system and your mind.

Beans:

Your gut health is directly connected to your weight. If you struggle with weight issues, you most likely have issues with your gut as well. Beans can help support weight reduction. They contain fat acids that strengthen the cells of the intestine. If your intestinal cells are in good condition the absorption of the micronutrients will improve, resulting in weight loss and good gut health.

Oats:

Many people enjoy oats for their breakfast but they can be hard on your stomach. It is recommended to eat oats along with apple cider or lemon juice because they neutralise the phytic acid in the oats and make them easier to digest.

If you don’t want to add lemon or apple cider you can simply rinse them before use for the same effect.

Yogurt:

Yogurt is an excellent dairy product that contains the special prebiotics your gut needs. Plain Greek yogurt (ALWAYS FULL FAT) is best because it contains less sugar than more processed and flavoured yogurt.

The sugar and flavouring can contaminate your belly and lead to unhealthy fat. It can contain up to 15 grams of sugar per serving, which is not recommended.

If you have issues with dairy or lactose, Kefir is a smooth, lactose-free yogurt that is easily digestible. It is a good source of protein as well.

Supplements:

What is the best probiotic supplement?

If you choose to add a daily supplement to ensure you are receiving all the benefits of your prebiotics and probiotics I recommend doTERRA PB Assist^®+ which contains both probiotic and prebiotic elements to support the health of your gut microflora.

A closer look at PB Assist+

Probiotics: Each capsule contains over six billion live cells, representing six different strains of gut-friendly bacteria. Organisms included belong to one of two types: Lactobacillus or Bifidobacterium. These strains were selected for their ability to adhere to the walls of the intestine and support healthy digestive and immune function.
Prebiotics: FOS, or fructooligosaccharides, are long-chain sugar molecules produced by plants that can be used as prebiotics, supporting the growth of gut-friendly bacteria.
Delivery Method: Double-encapsulation helps protect live probiotics from the hostile, acidic conditions of the stomach as they travel to the intestines to colonize. The capsule also helps prolong the shelf life of this supplement.

You can purchase this supplement HERE

Categories: : Anxiety, Digestion, Gut Health, Hot Flushes, Microbiome, Mood swings