Probiotics, Gut Health, and the Immune System
As the fall season approaches, it’s a great time to pay more attention to our health. If you’re someone who is learning or even interested in gut health, this is a great place to start. Probiotics have typically been known to help with digestive health, but what many don’t often associate probiotics with is immune support. Your gut basically controls almost everything in your body including stress levels, mood, immunity, sleep, etc. Think of your gut as a “garden”, you have to water and nourish it so it can build a healthy, balanced ecosystem for it to grow flowers. So when we are looking to keep our overall health and immune system on track, probiotics are a great place to start.
You may be asking “so how do probiotics help keep our immune system healthy?” Having a balance of good and bad bacteria in our gut helps us prevent “The Bad (Bacteria) Guys” from taking over in our bodies. Our digestive system contains over 70% of our immune system. There’s a key process that happens in our digestive tract that allows our body to know when to fight off harmful bacteria, otherwise known as “The Bad (Bacteria) Guys”. When we consume food, it gets broken down by the acids and enzymes that live in our stomachs. Probiotics introduce more good bacteria, know as “The Good (Bacteria) Guys” into our bodies which can help reduce the chances of getting sick or having digestive issues. This helps protect the body from infection and illness.
Whether you’re looking to alleviate digestive issues or keep your immune system up, here are 5 tips that can help you when these colder temperatures start rolling in.
5 Tips to Help Support Your Immune Health:
Include more Healthy Foods: fruits, vegetables, fresh herbs, nuts, and seeds into your diet can help ensure that you’re getting the right nutrients and maintaining your energy levels to help your immune response. Add a handful of fresh parsley, basil, sunflower, or sesame seeds to your next meal.
Exercising for 30 minutes most days of the week can help boost circulation, allowing cells to move through the body and do their job efficiently. This can be as simple as going for a walk with your dog, friend, or family member.
Manage your Stress levels: Long-term stress causes inflammation. Schedule time in your day to slow down: meditate, unplug, do gentle stretching, or spend time in nature. Stay connected with family and friends by giving them a Zoom or Facetime call.
Getting enough sleep helps us recharge both mentally and physically. Our immune system responds better when we are well-rested. Try going to sleep and waking up at the same time so your body can maintain a natural rhythm. If you struggle with relaxing before bed, charge your phone in another room at night and try reading your favorite book or taking a hot bath with Epsom salts and lavender essential oil to ease your body and mind.
Get enough Probiotics in your diet. Keep a healthy balance in your gut by including live fermented vegetables and Doctor D’s in your diet. Garnish your meal with a tablespoon of Kimchi. Make a morning smoothie with Doctor D’s and enjoy some with a meal.
Consuming probiotic-rich raw food/drinks such as live fermented vegetables and Doctor D’s can help maintain a healthy immune system and digestive tract. Doctor D’s is a live-cultured Water Kefir. Different fermented foods and beverages can contain different amounts and types of probiotics. Water kefir contains 7-25 strains of lactobacillus probiotics. The diversity of probiotics is key in providing benefits and balance to the gut and immune system. Read more about Water Kefir here.
Lactobacillus Probiotics help to support immune health by inhibiting the growth of harmful bacteria in the lower GI. Probiotics - AKA “The Good (Bacteria) Guys”, also helps our bodies absorb nutrients from food and enhance our mood. These types of probiotics can help maintain the balance between good and bad bacteria.
In today’s fast-paced world we live in it’s important to remember to slow down and take care of ourselves. Basic steps like including good nutrition, staying active, slowing down, getting enough sleep, and consuming probiotics in your diet can go a long way to supporting a healthy immune system.