In this article we are focusing on digestive health; the microbiome and how to support your bacteria. There are many other contributing factors that support your overall health.
Making friends with your body’s bacteria
What if you knew that taking care of your body’s bacteria is a key factor in your health? What if you knew that your body was made up of more bacteria, viruses, and fungi than human body cells? What if you knew the importance of keeping these organisms in balance?
Would you make different choices on diet, lifestyle, changing old habits and ways to see how you can enhance your bodies bacteria? Would you embrace opportunities to learn and bring life, vitality, tastes and, flavours into your meals?
What Is the Gut Microbiome?
Bacteria, viruses, fungi and other microscopic living organisms are referred to as microorganisms, or microbes, for short. Collectively these organisms are known as the microbiome. Trillions of these microbes exist mainly inside your intestines and on your skin. Most of the microbes in your intestines are found in a “pocket” of your large intestine called the cecum, and they are referred to as the gut microbiome. There are a potential 1,000 species of bacteria in the human gut microbiome. Every strain of bacteria has a different role in your body functions. We all have our own unique blend of bacteria. These bacteria are determined by our environment, what we eat, drink, stress, living in cities or the countryside and what we put on our skin. While some bacteria are associated with disease, others are important for your immune system, heart health, under or over-weight and many other aspects of health. An imbalance of healthy and unhealthy microbes is called gut dysbiosis.
Disease and the Digestive system
Hippocrates: “All disease begins in the gut.”
The gut is one of the core disease-fighting systems of the human body as 80% of your immune systems lives in your gastrointestinal tract. Bacteria is seen to be important when it comes to controlling immune function and inflammation. Therefore, the choices you make through what you put into your body not only with food and beverages but also through your senses will determine the strength of your immune system.
Fermented Foods
In the last few years, Fermented foods have been a hot topic. Fermented foods and beverages have been around since the beginning of time. Each culture has a fermented product unique to their own. These foods and beverages are included in their diets as the benefits are immense. Fermentation is the process in which a substance breaks down into a simpler substance. Microorganisms like yeast and bacteria usually play a role in the fermentation process. An example is Kombucha Tea. Kombucha Tea is made with a Scoby and sweetened tea. The Scoby is called- a symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast. The bacteria and yeast in the Scoby break down the tea’s sugars and convert them into natural alcohol, carbon dioxide, and acids. The fermentation process increases the concentration of probiotics.
Cultures throughout the world have been taking fermented probiotics for literally thousands of years. Food truly has been their medicine. Examples are beer, wine, bread, sauerkraut, yogurt, kefir, kombucha, health beverages, condiments, fermented meat and are more abundant than what we realise. In South Africa, we have a traditional fermented food called Amasi or maas, made with dairy milk.
What upsets your digestive health?
Tobacco is a number 1 destroyer of your bacteria. A high sugar diet. Remember, the hidden sugars in foods and beverages; over-use of medications; chlorinated water, stress, inactivity, not getting into nature.
Looking after your digestive health:
Exercise, Reduce and manage your stress, drink clean, pure water, correct breathing, eating whole foods, choose organic, clean foods, deep sleep, increase your fibre intake and eat a variety of leafy greens, vegetables, quality fruit and try to eat seasonally; reduce gluten and dairy, eat a variety of fermented foods containing live microbes as our microbes thrive on diversity.
Conclusion
Whether you have an ailment, a chronic condition or a disease, begin your back-to-health journey by cleaning up your digestive system. Get support, clarity and a deeper understanding about how your body functions and what supports its well-being. Start a cleanse with the correct guidance and support. Colon hydro-cleansing is a wonderful way of cleaning up the digestive system. A colonic tones, hydrates and rejuvenates the colon muscles which improves peristaltic action, reduces transit time of faecal matter, permits better water absorption and hydration of the colon and the body as a whole. A clean colon is able to absorb nutrition more effectively and prevent mineral and vitamin deficiencies. Follow that with probiotic support as in supplements, fermented foods, and beverages and remember delicious whole-foods are your medicines.
Become Bacteria-Savvy- eat, drink and be merry with your bacteria friendlies
Deborah (Sutherland) Prosser – Colon hydrotherapist- Fermenteer- Yoga instructor- situated at
Rest & Digest Wellness Haven- a detox, cleanse haven located in Gillitts.
Fermented foods and drinks can we be ordered for you at Thrive – send orders to info@wethrive.co.za