You can do a lot to ensure you are promoting good bacteria in your body. One way to foster the growth or activity of beneficial bacteria is by eating prebiotics which are compounds nondigestible in the small intestine and feed the colon bacteria. The intake of prebiotics starts with about 200 types of milk sugars called oligosaccharides derived from lactose that promote the development of bifidobacteria in the baby’s intestine. After lactose and fat, oligosaccharides are the third most abundant solid in human milk.
Promoting good bacteria is also accomplished when you eat fresh vegetables and consume foods that contain “resistant starches.” Resistant starch occurs naturally in chicory, garlic, leeks, seeds, and legumes such as beans and lentils. Resistant starch may also be added as part of dried raw foods or used as an additive in manufactured foods. The benefit of resistant starch is that it is not digested in the small intestine, so it provides nourishment for the good bacteria in the large intestine that help them thrive.
Some people find it uncomfortable to eat the foods cited above, as they cause bloating and flatulence. The reason for this is that these foods contain inulins, which are oligosaccharides made from the molecules of fructose (sugar) commonly present in those foods. Inulins are indigestible by the human enzymes that normally digest starch, and so the gut bacteria metabolize them, releasing carbon dioxide, hydrogen, and methane. This is what causes the adverse gastrointestinal effects.
You can mediate the effects of these foods by taking medications containing simethicone that promote the coalescence of smaller bubbles into larger ones that are more easily passed from the body. In addition, digestive enzyme supplements may significantly reduce the amount of flatulence caused by components of foods not digested by the body which promote the action of microbes in the small and large intestines.
Another solution to boost healthy gut bacteria is to consume foods that contain probiotics. These are “live microorganisms” that confer health benefits to you by improving your intestinal microbial balance. Fermented products that contain lactic acid bacteria such as yogurt, kefir, and buttermilk, are prime examples. Many drinks such as kombucha are made with billions of probiotics in them are available, as well. Some studies suggest that probiotics have a beneficial effect especially for people with depression and anxiety.
In addition, limit your consumption of the grains and grain-flour products made from them, such as wheat, corn, and rice. These complex carbohydrates often require salt to improve their taste, and this creates the environment in which H. pylori thrives. As cited above, this can damage the lining of the stomach and lead to infection and the further production of bad bacteria.
Finally, efforts are underway to collect and preserve healthy gut bacteria for transplantation into the colon of people harboring unhealthy bacteria. In fact, across Europe and in the United States, “stool banks” have emerged to serve the increasing demand. In addition, cultured intestinal bacteria are being studied as an alternative to the fecal microbiota transplant. In this regard, it is educational to note that animals such as elephants, hippos, koalas, and pandas are born with sterile intestines, and to digest vegetation, they need bacteria which they obtain by eating their mothers’ feces. Other animals eat dung. This suggests that we might anticipate supplements containing cultured gut bacteria becoming available in the future.
In my article, Bacteria and Keeping Your Gut Healthy, I presented the reasons why having good gut bacteria is beneficial for the body.
As a best-selling author and Nationally Syndicated Columnist, Dr. John Poothullil, advocates for patients struggling with the effects of adverse lifestyle conditions.
Dr. John’s books, available on Amazon, have educated and inspired readers to take charge of their health. There are many steps you can take to make changes in your health, but Dr. John also empowers us that we must demand certain changes in our healthcare system as well. This article is an excerpt taken from “Diabetes: The Real Cause and the Right Cure”, now available in a second edition.
Follow or contact Dr. John at drjohnonhealth.com.
As a best-selling author and Nationally Syndicated Columnist, Dr. John Poothullil, advocates for patients struggling with the effects of adverse lifestyle conditions.
Dr. John’s books, available on Amazon, have educated and inspired readers to take charge of their health. There are many steps you can take to make changes in your health, but Dr. John also empowers us that we must demand certain changes in our healthcare system as well. This article is an excerpt taken from “Diabetes: The Real Cause and the Right Cure”, now available in a second edition.
Follow or contact Dr. John at drjohnonhealth.com.
Check out more lifestyle stories here.
