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<\/p>\nIt may be unsettling to think about, but your intestines are home to hundreds of species of bacteria. Keeping these microscopic creatures healthy is essential to your own health, because an imbalance in your gut flora can have major consequences for your mood and even your skin. A healthy gut will not only break down and digest foods, but also absorb nutrients and eliminate toxins.<\/p>\n
When something\u2019s wrong with that microbiome, you can suffer from:<\/p>\n
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The more species of good bacteria you have in your intestines, the more prepared you\u2019ll be to combat illness. In other words, you\u2019ll want to diversify your gut portfolio. As neurologist and New York Times best-selling author Dr. David Perlmutter says, \u201cA healthy microbiome translates into a healthy human.\u201d<\/p>\n
So how do you grow a healthy biome? It\u2019s easier than you think. We’ll tell you how to improve gut health naturally.<\/p>\n
1) Vegetables, Fruits, Beans and Legumes<\/strong><\/p>\n You just knew it was going to be vegetables, didn\u2019t you? Your doctor may encourage you to include more fruits and vegetables in your diet, but did you know they\u2019re also great for your gut bacteria? In fact, there\u2019s nothing better.<\/p>\n Your body can\u2019t break down all the fiber that\u2019s in fruits, vegetables, beans and legumes. However, certain bacteria in your gut just love to chow down on them.<\/p>\n 2) Fermented Foods<\/strong><\/p>\n Yogurt, kimchi, sauerkraut, kefir and kombucha are rich in lactobacilli bacteria, which may reduce the bad bacteria that cause irritable bowel syndrome. As dietitian and founder of NAO Nutrition, Nikki Ostrower, explains, \u201cLactobacillus bacteria…crowds out bad bacteria in the gut and allows the beneficial gut flora to flourish. This helps to lower irritable bowel syndrome symptoms like gas, bloating, and indigestion. Also the sour taste in fermented foods are organic acids that help probiotics to really work their magic.\u201d<\/p>\n Natural yogurt (full-fat with no sugar added) contains a high volume of beneficial probiotics that \u201crepair gut and other irritable bowel syndrome symptoms,\u201d says Ostrower. \u201cThere are also beneficial enzymes that help improve digestion.\u201d<\/p>\n If dairy doesn\u2019t agree with you, there are also dairy-free yogurts made from soy, almond or rice milk. These may contain such beneficial cultures as S.Thermophilus<\/em>, L. Bulgaricus<\/em>, L. Acidophilus<\/em>, and Bifidobacteria<\/em>.<\/p>\n Some kinds of pickles are also rich in probiotics, though not if they\u2019re pickled using vinegar. Look for labels that say \u201cnaturally fermented\u201d on the jar. You may see bubbles in the liquid that signal live organisms are inside.<\/p>\n Feeling Adventurous?<\/strong><\/p>\n If you\u2019re feeling adventurous, you might want to try Natto<\/a> \u2013 a popular dish in Japan that is not for the faint of heart. It\u2019s made from fermented soybean and smells like pungent cheese. The most vivid description comes courtesy of New York Times<\/em> reporter Richard Schiffman, who writes that Natto has a \u201cmild, earthy taste and looks like a mishmash of tiny brown jelly beans suspended in white goo.\u201d<\/p>\n This food is commonly eaten for breakfast, along with rice, raw eggs and chives. Dr. Ann Yonetani, a microbiologist who cooks the stuff, claims that just one tablespoon of her Natto contains a thriving colony of Bacillus subtilis that is one billion strong!<\/p>\n 3) Polyphenol-Rich Foods<\/strong><\/p>\n You may not be familiar with the term \u201cpolyphenol,\u201d but you\u2019ve definitely eaten it before. Polyphenols are plant compounds that are found in several common foods like dark chocolate, red wine, grape skins, green tea, almonds, onions<\/a> and blueberries. (Personally, we\u2019re thrilled by any excuse to eat chocolate, and several health food companies have taken note. There are many brands that now offer prebiotic- and probiotic-enhanced chocolate bars. )<\/em><\/p>\n Not all of these foods can be digested by human cells but, once again, your gut bacteria will be more than happy to gobble them up.<\/p>\n In turn, these foods engender a range of superior health benefits, such as:<\/p>\n Good gut bacteria like Bifidobacteria<\/em> and Lactobacilli<\/em> are especially fond of polyphenols. By eating the above foods, you cause their numbers to grow, which guards your GI tract against harmful bacteria like Clostridia<\/em> and Bacteroides<\/em>.<\/p>\n 4) Wild Salmon<\/strong><\/p>\n Wild salmon<\/a> is just a great food in general. Its omega-3 is an essential fatty acid that your body needs but can\u2019t produce on its own. Studies show that fatty acid may protect against some forms of cancer as well as chronic diseases like Alzheimer\u2019s, asthma, depression, diabetes and rheumatoid arthritis.<\/p>\n Last year, researchers at Nottingham University<\/a> and King\u2019s College London examined 876 women and found a notable correlation between omega-3 intake and healthy microbiota. The study concluded that omega-3 nourished N-carbamylglutamate (NCG), a bacteria that has previously been linked to lower inflammation and obesity.<\/p>\n Mackerel, walnuts and chia seeds are also good sources of omega-3<\/a>.<\/p>\n Need a boost of probiotics, but you\u2019re not too fond of pickles? Don\u2019t have time for a cup of yogurt? That\u2019s what supplements are for!<\/p>\n![\"foods](\"https:\/\/www.naturalwellness.com\/nwupdate\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/raspberries2-1024x912.jpg\")
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<\/p>\nProbiotic Supplements for Gut Health, Improved Digestion and More
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