Antibiotics and Probiotics: Part Two

Hippocrates said " All disease begins in the gut" and this is truer than ever with research and studies showing the correlation between your gut health and chronic diseases. Not only is it responsible for maintain your health and fighting against disease and bacteria in your body it is also responsible for fat burning and your mental health or your gut - brain axis.

Probiotics is defined as "a microorganism introduced into the body for its beneficial qualities." Pro-biotic is quite literally the opposite of anti-biotic, with the emphasis on biotic meaning "living organisms", with antibiotic literally meaning against living organisms. Biotic also refers to life, the condition of living organisms, biology, the study of life and biotic material which is derived from living organisms. Once we grasped the terms we can understand their functions, that one is for our health and the other against, we can begin to make informed choices regarding our health and well being starting with our gut. 

Everyday activities from what you eat, how much you sleep and stress can all affect your digestive system, in turn affecting your overall well being. Usually you can identify this by bloating, changes in appetite poor nutrient absorption, frequent colds and flus and worsening allergies and food sensitivities. If you do suffer from a poorly function digestive system, the next step is to identify factors in your life that may include; poor diet, not enough sleep or stress. The best way you can begin to respond to this is by starting with relaxing and exercising, it doesn't have to be time consuming but it should balance out the stress and sedentary behaviour ie. working or studying. 

Your daily diet is what fuels your whole body, it should viewed and respected with the understanding that you wouldn't put diesel in a petrol car and vice versa, so you wouldn't fuel your mind and body with processed foods. They may seem convenient and satisfy your cravings but thats all they are, cravings. They are not substantial in any way and with a lot of get fit quick schemes and various diets that promise fit and healthy minus the effort, do not be fooled by getting quick results because undoing what has been done over a period of time must be given time to be undone. 

It is not just about eating smaller portions or more vegetables, it is about what is actually occurring in your gut and if you are actually helping it grow the good bacteria your body and mind needs to overcome any illness or build up of bad bacteria your body may have. If you can take care of your gut flora and microbiome, it will heal and nourish your body and you will feel it and see it, inside and out. It is about upgrading your foods and not cutting them out as our bodies have come to adjust and adapt over time. It's simple things like changing from refined grains to wholemeal grains, eating fermented foods like kimchi, kefir or sauerkraut, increasing fibre and getting the nutrients your body needs from the right foods. 

Definitions reference: Wikipedia via Google