Why Gut Health Matters
Your gutotherwise known as your digestive system or your gastrointestinal system digests the foods you eat, absorbs nutrients from it and uses those nutrients to fuel and maintain your body.
The gut plays a huge role in the health and well-being of our bodies, says Alicia Romano, a specialized clinical dietitian at Tufts Medical Center in Boston and a spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. In addition to digesting food and absorbing nutrients, the gut is in tight communication with the brain, playing a constant game of telephone and influencing a number of factors, including immune activity, GI muscle contractions and fluid secretion. And the gut is a key player in the bodys immune systemover 70% of your immune cells reside in the gut.
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What is the microbiome? From digestion to depression, healthy skin, and a strong immune system, our gut health our gut microbiome has a say of what goes on elsewhere in our bodies. So, why is the gut still considered by many people to be nothing but an organ? Although the extent to which our gut influences our health all over our bodies is slowly coming to light, some experts believe that this is just the tip of the iceberg.
Our gut is home to a hefty 100 trillion bacteria that influence our health and well-being and even our mood. Our gut flora is important for digestion, protection against dangerous germs and toxins, and strengthening the immune system. Experts now link various diseases, allergies, skin conditions such as neurodermatitis, and even depression to the fact that our intestinal flora is out of balance.
In Japan, people regard the gut as the center of physical and mental strength in our bodies. In this part of the world, however, our guts are often still considered a purely digestive organ and is thus grossly underestimated. Flatulence, diarrhea, and constipation are taboo subjects, and it seems as though digestive health does not appear high on the priority list for many people in the United States.
Restore Gut Flora With A Potent Probiotic Formula
Sometimes the unexpected happens! We get an unfortunate stomach bug, an unexpected bout of food poisoning, or were prescribed antibiotics to fight infection. These are all instances when our gut flora can become compromised. Antibiotic treatment is so effective in fighting off unwanted bacteria that it can take out healthy bacteria also. Stomach viruses and infections can alter our bacterial ratios. When the delicate balance of gut flora is compromised, our digestive defenses are weakened and more prone to overgrowth of unhealthy bacteria that threaten our health.Dr. Formulated Restore is a highly potent formula containing 200 Billion CFU of beneficial probiotics, including 11 different strains, to kick-start the replenishment of a threatened gut microbiome. If we have compromised gut flora, due to unexpected illness or antibiotic treatment, it is important to replenish probiotic bacteria and support the proliferation of diverse and intricately linked gut flora. The specific and diverse strains of bacteria available in the Restore formula are resistant to stomach acid and bile to quickly reestablish the groundwork of a healthy digestive system.
Dr. Formulated Restore
Dr. Formulated Once Daily
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Gut Flora Specialist Testing
The gastrointestinal tract has two main functions
- To digest and absorb important nutrients for the bodys growth and function
- To act as a barrier to keep harmful substances and microorganisms from entering the blood.
Within the gastrointestinal tract thousands of different bacterial species can be found. These bacteria also play a key role in digestion, nutrition, pathogen defence and immune system development.
When the function and interplay within this complex system is disturbed, ill-health can easily develop. Multiple areas can influence this fine balance including digestion, absorption, the location, number and specific species of bacteria, parasitic infection, as well as epithelial integrity and inflammation.
Typical symptoms consist of diarrhoea, constipation, bloating, bad breath, abdominal pain, anemia, food sensitivities and osteoporosis. However, other conditions not typically recognized, but associated with gastrointestinal health, include chronic fatigue, depression, autism, atopy, arthritis and autoimmune disorders.
These conditions may result from leaky gut and the subsequent exposure to foreign particles which may trigger local and systemic immune and inflammatory mechanisms.
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How Can Probiotics Prevent Diarrhea When Taking Medication
The strongest evidence supports the claim that probiotics can reduce your chances of getting diarrhea when taking medication. Antibiotics are designed to kill harmful bacteria but, in the process, they can also wipe out the protective bacteria in your gut, which results in diarrhea. Taking probiotics alongside your antibiotics can help to safeguard the friendly bacteria in your system.
Find out more about diarrhea when taking medication.
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Buyers Guide: How To Find The Most Effective Probiotic Supplement
Probiotics are live microorganisms that are edible and usually included in fermented foods and supplements. Numerous studies have shown the effects of a balanced and imbalanced number of bacteria in ones digestive functions and how it can affect our overall health and wellness.
So, start taking probiotic supplements. They provide the right amount of gut bacteria needed by the body, resulting in an array of health benefits. Some of these include weight loss and improvement in digestive health, immune functions, and more.
How Can I Help My Gut Bacteria To Recover After Antibiotics
Theres no definitive way to help your gut bacteria recover after antibiotics. The reality is that even though the science on the microbiome is advancing fast, theres still so much we dont know.
Theres something we know for sure: a healthy microbiome is all about diversity, and antibiotics definitely dont encourage that. You can take charge of your gut health and learn ways to improve the diversity of your microbiome on our Gut Health Program.
For now, lets take a look at what research can tell us about how to increase that diversity, whether thats after antibiotics or not.
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How Long Does It Take To Restore Gut Flora
There are good and bad bacteria in your body. When your microbiome is experiencing homeostasis , the good bacteria outnumber the bad. But bad bacteria are always fighting to enter the body, and sometimes they can outnumber the good bacteria. This is when you get sick. Probiotics work by boosting the amount of good bacteria in your gut. Think of them as a balancer. It may take some days or weeks to get back to your desired healthy balanceevery body is different so it will vary. Check with your healthcare professional if you are having ongoing digestive issues.
What To Do With This Information
Before taking a probiotic, talk to your doctor about which specific products would be best for you. Your ideal probiotic will depend on your digestive health, which diseases you do or dont have, your diet and lifestyle, and many other factors. For example, the bacterial strains that work well for someone with constipation-predominant irritable bowel syndrome are likely different than the ones that help someone with Crohns disease. For most people, eating fermented foods and prebiotics can help improve digestive health. Just make sure to take it slowly when adding in these foods by starting small and adding more as you can tolerate, and follow our tips for being a good microbe host.
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What Is Gut Microbiome: Why Is It Important
Bacteria are not always harmful. In fact, gut bacteria is essential for human survival. Among other things, the gut microbiome plays a very important role in the digestion of food.The good bacteria that make up our intestinal flora, which are vital for our body, have numerous other functions, for example:
- They produce what is known as butyrate from our food, which has been shown to contribute to good gut health by promoting mechanisms to combat stress
- They produce a number of essential amino acids
- They produce certain vitamins, such as vitamin K and water-soluble B vitamins
A study published in the journal Science revealed that the gut microbiome can block allergic reactions. Through its influence on our immune system, it can inhibit immune cells that are responsible for triggering allergies. This link could be an approach for new treatment options for allergy sufferers in the future.
Take A Probiotic Supplement
Scientific research shows that consuming certain clinically identifiable strains of probiotics in specific amounts can powerfully support your internal ecosystem.* The ultimate supplements for digestive health are called synbiotics, containing both prebiotics and probiotics to truly nourish your microbiome. Prebiotics are like food for your pre-existing gut flora, while probiotics are new living bacteria that you add to your system.
Support your personal population of microorganisms with New Chapters synbiotic family of digestion-supporting supplements. New Chapters All-Flora Probiotic offers prebiotic, probiotic, and postbiotic nourishment that includes clinically studied bacteria strains Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium. All-Flora also delivers clinical-strength Saccharomyces boulardii yeast. Why probiotic yeast? It provides a more complete approach to supporting gut flora than just having probiotic bacteria alonesince our gut is home to both bacteria and yeast species.
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Probiotics Prebiotics And The Microbiome
Did you know that all multicellular organisms, including every animal and plant, are covered in a vast array of microorganisms? Microorganisms, also known as microbes, are extremely small , living organisms, such as bacteria, viruses, yeast, parasites, and more. They live on our skin, in our body fluids, and throughout our digestive tract in large quantities and varieties. The moment we are born, we encounter countless microorganisms. The number of single-celled organisms on and within you is greater than the number of cells that make up your own body. This collection of microorganisms, which is unique to each individual, is their microbiota. The collection of the genetic information from all these microorganisms in a specific environment is referred to as the microbiome. Different parts of the body, for example the skin or the intestinal tract, have their own microbiomes and microbiota.
The gut microbiome is exceptionally diverse, with estimates of 100 trillion microorganisms, from 500-1,000 different species! Despite these vast numbers and varied species there is a fine balance. We have co-evolved with these microorganisms we give them a place to live and food to eat and they help support our overall health. They produce certain vitamins and short chain fatty acids, interfere with the growth of harmful bacteria, modify the immune system, and improve our health in ways researchers are only beginning to study.
How Do I Heal My Gut After Antibiotics
A few years ago, it was not recommended to take probiotics at the same time as antibiotics. Yogurt, kefir, and sauerkraut were to be avoided during antibiotic treatment. It was thought that the antibiotic would kill the probiotics. Today, we know that probiotics can be very useful during antibiotic treatment to restore imbalanced gut flora. The best time to take probiotics is at least one hour before or two hours after taking the antibiotic.A clinical study investigated the effect of probiotics during antibiotic treatment. Of the study participants who took probiotics at the same time, 25 percent fewer participants got sick with diarrhea.
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If You Can Breastfeed For At Least 6 Months
A babys microbiome begins to properly develop at birth. However, studies suggest that babies may be exposed to some bacteria even before birth .
During the first 2 years of life, an infants microbiome is continuously developing and is rich in beneficial Bifidobacteria, which can digest the sugars found in breast milk .
Many studies have shown that infants who are fed formula have an altered microbiome with fewer Bifidobacteria than infants who are breastfed (
38 ).
A number of studies have shown that vegetarian diets may benefit the gut microbiome, which may be due to their high fiber content.
For example, one small 2013 study found that a vegetarian diet led to reduced levels of disease-causing bacteria in people with obesity, as well as reductions in body weight, inflammation, and cholesterol levels .
A 2019 review noted that plant foods are rich in specific nutrients that can increase levels of beneficial bacteria and decrease harmful strains of bacteria to support gut health .
However, it is unclear if the benefits of a vegetarian diet on the gut microbiome are due to a lack of meat intake or if other factors may also play a role.
Summary
Vegetarian and vegan diets may improve the microbiome. However, it is unclear if the positive effects associated with these diets can be attributed to a lack of meat intake or if other factors may be involved.
The Type Of Antibiotic
If you go to your doctor with an infection, youre very likely to come away with a broad-spectrum antibiotic. Thats because unless your doctor takes a sample and sends it to a lab to be cultured, they dont know what type of bacteria is causing your infection. Prescribing a broad-spectrum antibiotic makes it more likely to work on your infection, but your gut bacteria will take a harder blow.
When researchers gave mice either a broad-spectrum cephalosporin antibiotic, or a combination of three antibiotics , both antibiotic treatments caused significant changes in the gut microbial community.
The mice given the broad-spectrum antibiotic didnt recover their normal diversity, but the other mice given the amoxicillin-containing combination mostlybut not completelyreturned to pre-treatment levels .
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The Lack Of Consistency In The Findings On Probiotics Comes In Part Because They Are Being Treated Like Conventional Drugs
This opens the door to developing personalised probiotic treatments based on someones genetic profile. Such a system is realistic and could be developed relatively soon, says Elinav, but at this stage it remains a proof of concept. To become a reality, it will need more research on probiotic tailoring and testing more bacterial strains in larger groups of people.
This kind of personalisation may release the full potential of probiotic treatments for gut health. At the moment, the lack of consistency in the findings on probiotics comes in part because they are being treated like conventional drugs. When you take a paracetamol tablet, you can be more or less sure that the active component will do its job and work on receptors in your brain, dulling your sensation of pain. This is because most peoples pain receptors are similar enough to react in the same way to the drug.
But the microbiome is not just a receptor it is closer to an ecosystem, and sometimes likened to a rainforest in its complexity.
As a result, finding and tailoring a probiotic treatment that will work on something as intricate and individual as your own internal ecosystem is no easy task. And with that in mind, its not so surprising that a dried-out pack of bacteria from a supermarket shelf may well not do the trick.
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Skip The Artificial Sweeteners And Food Additives
Artificial sweeteners damage the guts microbiome diversity. They interfere with the bodys ability to absorb sugar in the blood.3
A similar thing occurs with strong emulsifiers in processed foods. These break up the protective layer of mucus in the intestines and cause inflammation.
This layer is where many good bacteria spend their time. The most damaging emulsifiers include carboxymethylcellulose and polysorbate 80.
Common artificial sweeteners and emulsifiers include:
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How To Restore Healthy Gut Flora
Probiotics are generally safe, and sometimes even recommended to take during a course of antibiotics, except for hospitalised patients and people with compromised immune systems. They are especially helpful afterward to support the recovery of your gut microbiome.
TIP There is no such thing as a clean gut diet your gut naturally cleans itself. However, you can help your gut bacteria keep you healthy with a plant-rich prebiotic diet.
What Should I Eat To Restore Good Bacteria After A Course Of Antibiotics
Here are some foods that can help restore gut flora after antibiotics:
Probiotics
Probiotics are foods or supplements that contain live microorganisms, most commonly Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium and Saccharomyces boulardii . Taking probiotics helps the gut microbiome return to a healthy state after it has been disturbed. Probiotics also have a positive influence on the immune system of the body. The timing of your probiotic intake is important – doctors advise that you take probiotics at least 2 hours before your antibiotic dose.
Prebiotics
Prebiotic foods support beneficial microbes in the human gut . High-fiber foods are prebiotics. A diet rich in fiber can therefore help restore gut flora after antibiotics by promoting the growth of good bacteria. Eating high-fiber foods like whole grains, lentils, fruits, and vegetables , nuts and seeds not only stimulates the growth of healthy bacteria in the gut but also slows the growth of harmful bacteria. Besides natural prebiotic foods, prebiotics are also available as dietary supplements.
Fermented foods
Fermented foods like yogurt, cheese, cider, sauerkraut, kombucha, and kimchi contain beneficial bacteria that can help restore a healthy gut after antibiotic use. Some fermented foods like yogurts are supplemented with probiotics and can be especially helpful in restoring the gut microbiota and reducing antibiotic side effects.
Collagen-rich foods
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Is It Something You Ate
IMODIUM capsules have been a trusted remedy in helping to restore your bodys natural rhythm for more than 40 years.Doctor recommended Imodium gives fast and effective relief it can stop diarrhea in just one dose and in just one hour.
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