Your gut health also affects your weight, mental health, liver, and blood sugar. A healthy gut is also crucial in nutrient absorption and toxin elimination. This means that when your gut flora is out of whack, you’re in serious problems. Fortunately, you can introduce these six types of foods into your diet that can lead to a diverse microbiota.

1. Probiotics

Probiotics are foods altered by microbes. Technically, the process of fermentation involves bacteria or yeasts. These convert the sugars present in food to alcohol or organic acids. Probiotics are the “ideal bugs” and can be found in fermented food like kimchi, yogurt, kefir, and tempeh. Most of these foods are rich in lactobacilli, a bacteria that can immensely benefit your health. Research shows that people who consume yogurt have more lactobacilli in their intestines. Also, these people have fewer Enterobacteriaceae. Enterobacteriaceae is a bacteria associated with inflammation and some chronic diseases.

Probiotics can also help you deal with diarrhea, strengthen your immunity, and keep your skin and heart-healthy.

2. Whole Grains

Brown or white rice? White bread or whole-meal? “You want to consume whole grains if you want your gut to function better,” says Linda Ann Lee, MD, Associate Professor and a Fellow of the American Gastroenterological Association. “For optimal colon function, your body requires at least 25 grams of fiber daily,” adds Lee. Compared to simple carbohydrates, like white rice and white bread, whole grains provide your body with plenty of fiber. They also offer added nutrients, such as omega-3 fatty acids. “Gut bacteria help ferment fiber and this leads to the production of short-chain fatty acids,” explains Lee. These molecules lead to the proper functioning of the cells lining your colon.

3. Legumes, Beans, and Vegetables

Vegetables are the ideal sources of nutrients for a healthy microbiota. They have a high volume of fiber, which your body can’t digest. But, fiber can be digested by the bacteria in your gut, which increases their growth. Additionally, legumes and beans contain high amounts of fiber. Raspberries, green peas, lentils, broccoli, and artichokes are examples of high-fibre foods that are great for your gut bacteria.

Research has shown that following a diet high in vegetables and fruits can curb some disease-promoting bacteria’s growth.

4. Consider Low-Fructose Fruits

“If you usually experience bloating and gas, it’s in your best interests to lower your consumption of fructose,” says Lee. Foods like mangoes, apples, and pears are high in fructose. Berries and citrus fruits, such as mandarin and bitter orange, contain less fructose. This makes it easier for your gut to tolerate and less likely to cause bloating. Bananas are also great examples of low-fructose fruits that are fiber-rich and contain inulin. Inulin is a substance that encourages the growth of good bacteria in the gut. “It’s also in your best interests to eat avocado. Avocado is packed with fiber and nutrients which help promote a healthy digestive system,” adds Lee.

While it’s good to take the advice of considering low fructose fruit, do not completely eliminate other fruits like mangoes and apples, consider your situation and circumstances.

5. Polyphenols

Polyphenols are micronutrients predominantly found in plants. Consuming polyphenols is thought to improve digestion and brain health. They can also protect against type-2 diabetes, heart disease, and some specific cancers. Tea, coffee and berries are the best-known sources of polyphenols. Polyphenols can also act as antioxidants.

This means they can eliminate harmful free radicals that can damage your cells and increase your risk of conditions like heart disease, cancer, and diabetes. Polyphenols are also thought to curb inflammation, which is believed to be the leading cause of many chronic illnesses. Polyphenols present in green tea can help fight bacteria like E. coli and calm symptoms of IBS.

6. Prebiotic Foods

These are foods that help promote the growth of essential microbes in the gut. They are primarily complex carbs and fiber that cannot be digested by human cells. Many whole grains and vegetables contain prebiotics. But, they can also be found on their own. Resistant starch is also another excellent example of prebiotic. This kind of starch isn’t absorbed in the ileum. Instead, it passes into the colon, where the microbiota breaks it down.

A diet consisting of these foods will see you have improved gut health. However, you want to check with your doctor whether a change in diet may affect you negatively. You need to understand which foods your body is allergic to for instance. This helps you make well-informed decisions when planning your meals. Remember: your gut health is essential in many aspects of your health,  treat it wrong, and you’re preparing a recipe for a health disaster.

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Today’s generation faces a lot of environmental threats that weaken the immune system. There are viruses, pollution, and a stressful lifestyle that often lead to diseases. Amidst the global pandemic brought about by the COVID-19, people around the world are searching for ways to strengthen their immunity.

There is a wide array of activities, food, and nutritional supplements such as Enzyme Defense for immune support that can create a protective shield from within. They can stimulate the body’s defense mechanism against the harmful effects of illnesses, kind of acting like a preventative measure.

If you have made a vow to become stronger and healthier this year, here are some surefire ways to jump start your journey towards immunity and wellness. You can take Proteolytic Nutritional Supplements for the below mentioned reasons.

For Digestion

Common signs of a weakened immune system include frequent colds and infections. Chronic stomach troubles such as diarrhea and Irritable Bowel Syndrome are also indicators that the immune system has taken a nosedive.

Studies show that 70 percent of the immune system can be found in the digestive tract. A low amount of beneficial gut bacteria poses a high risk for viruses and inflammation. So, a nutritional supplement that enhances the digestive system’s capability to protect the body is needed to ward off those nasty bugs.
Proteolytic enzymes such as protease, regulate and modulate the body’s inflammatory response. These protein-destroying enzymes inhibit the growth of pathogenic complexes, which adversely affect immune functions.

These enzymes are commonly produced in the stomach or the pancreas. But, if the body cannot produce enough, supplements can be a helpful support.

Studies suggest that proteolytic enzymes found in supplements like Enzyme Defense for immune support, break up, or prevent the formation of pathogenic immune complexes. It consequently leads to enhanced lymphatic drainage. This optimum functioning of the body’s systems significantly boosts the immunity.

For Circulation

Proteolytic enzymes can also reduce the viscosity of the blood, which facilitates good circulation. If the blood flows on an optimal level, the supply of oxygen in the body increases. It consequently transports essential nutrients to the organs and takes away waste products like clockwork.

A few everyday things that you can and should be doing already, to help keep you and your immune system in tip top shape are next.

Eat a Healthy Diet

A healthy gut equals a more robust immune system. If the intestinal flora is in tiptop shape, the body can fight off infections better.

Doctors recommend a diet rich in vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and healthy fats. Food that is rich in Vitamin C, antioxidants, and zinc significantly lower inflammation and ward off infections.

People are advised to stay away from processed and fried food since they all tend to be more inflammatory.

It would be best to add more fermented foods such as sauerkraut, miso, yogurt, kimchi, or kefir in your regular meals. They provide more good bacteria in the gut, which then supports the whole immune system.

Get Adequate Sleep

If computers need to rest so that they do not overheat, more so for humans who need rest as well. Sleep essentially reboots the whole system of the body.

When you get a full seven to eight hours of sleep every night, your immune system gets boosted naturally.

On the other hand, surviving on a sleep-deprived state forces your body to churn out stress hormones. These hormones are called cortisol, and may keep you awake and alert, but it wrecks your immune system big time.

So, to ward of illnesses, make sure to get that much-needed shut-eye. The human body is a fantastic structure that is made to weather out any storm. It may get tired or weary at times, so it needs that much needed immune system boost.

Photo credits:

• Pigoff PhotographY on Unsplash
• freestocks
• Michele Blackwell
• Humphrey Muleba

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