When your gut is happy, you are happy.
Did you know that your gut is made up of about 100 trillion (not a typo…trillion with a T) good and bad types of bacteria? Think of them as your own personal army that has the power to keep you healthy. Research has shown that the type and quantity of live bacteria in your gut interact with your body and can either prevent or encourage many diseases. An optimal ratio is 85% ‘good’ and 15% ‘bad’ bacteria for good health.
Your gut bacteria plays a few important roles in your health:
- Metabolizes nutrients from food and certain medications.
- Serves as a protective barrier against intestinal infections.
- Produces vitamin K.
The following can affect your gut bacteria ratio:
- Age
- Genes
- Environment
- Diet
- Medications (mostly anti-biotics)
Signs your gut bacteria ratio might be off balance:
- Gas and bloating
- Constipation or diarrhea
- Fatigue
- Nausea
- Headaches
- Sugar cravings, and cravings for refined carb foods
- Depression (more on this soon)
- Low immunity (80% of your immune system is located in your gut)
What can you do right now to improve your gut bacteria ratio?
- Don’t overuse antibiotics. This medication will deplete your ‘good’ gut bacteria.
- Eat fermented foods like pickled vegetables, yogurt and kefir. Your gut bacteria is alive and needs to eat too.
- Eat less sugar. Eating sugar actually nourishes the BAD bacteria yeast in your gut.
- Take a probiotic supplement. I like advanced gut health by Genuine Health. This can help boost your good bacteria count.
Choosing the right probiotic supplement:
I prefer advanced gut health by Genuine Health because it delivers healthier and heartier strains of probiotic bacteria to where it is needed most.
Other benefits to choosing advanced gut health include:
- There are 15 human strains that mimic a healthy human gut flora.
- Guaranteed potency – the unique encapsulation process delivers up to 10 x more bacteria to the gut.
- Clean and toxin-free process.
- 100% Vegan, Soy-Free, Gluten-Free, and Non-GMO
Interested in learning more about improving your gut health? Dr. Angelina Yee outlines 3 steps to healing your gut and reducing belly bloat here.