The Gut-Mood Connection: Are Probiotics The New Prozac?
While many think of their brain as the organ in charge of their mental health, your gut may actually play a far more significant role. The health of one directly effects the other.
The gastrointestinal (GI) tract/digestive tract — and the liver, pancreas, and gallbladder, plus a combination of nerves, hormones, bacteria, and blood – is so important, not just for breaking down our food into nutrients, which the body uses for energy, growth, and cell repair, but also for our nervous, endocrine and immune system. Did you know that digestion actually begins in the brain?
Do you get a stomach ache when you’re nervous? That is the Gut-Mood/Brain Connection.
There is some truth to the old expression, having 'dirt for brains'. The microbes in our soil, on our plants, in our stomachs are all a result of our actions. Antibiotics, herbicides, vaccines, and pesticides, and the tens of thousands of synthetic chemicals we've created all have impacts and result in reactions from these microbes.
Mounting research indicates that problems in your gut can directly impact your mental health, leading to issues like anxiety and depression.
The gut-brain connection is well-recognized as a basic tenet of physiology and medicine, so this isn't all that surprising, even though it's often overlooked. There's also a wealth of evidence showing intestinal involvement in a variety of neurological diseases.
With this in mind, it should also be crystal clear that nourishing your gut flora is extremely important, because in a very real sense you have two brains, one inside your skull and one in your gut, and each needs its own vital nourishment. A recent article titled "Are Probiotics the New Prozac?" reviews some of the most recent supporting evidence.
While many think of their brain as the organ in charge of their mental health, your gut may actually play a far more significant role. The health of one directly effects the other.
The gastrointestinal (GI) tract/digestive tract — and the liver, pancreas, and gallbladder, plus a combination of nerves, hormones, bacteria, and blood – is so important, not just for breaking down our food into nutrients, which the body uses for energy, growth, and cell repair, but also for our nervous, endocrine and immune system. Did you know that digestion actually begins in the brain?
Do you get a stomach ache when you’re nervous? That is the Gut-Mood/Brain Connection.
There is some truth to the old expression, having 'dirt for brains'. The microbes in our soil, on our plants, in our stomachs are all a result of our actions. Antibiotics, herbicides, vaccines, and pesticides, and the tens of thousands of synthetic chemicals we've created all have impacts and result in reactions from these microbes.
Mounting research indicates that problems in your gut can directly impact your mental health, leading to issues like anxiety and depression.
The gut-brain connection is well-recognized as a basic tenet of physiology and medicine, so this isn't all that surprising, even though it's often overlooked. There's also a wealth of evidence showing intestinal involvement in a variety of neurological diseases.
With this in mind, it should also be crystal clear that nourishing your gut flora is extremely important, because in a very real sense you have two brains, one inside your skull and one in your gut, and each needs its own vital nourishment. A recent article titled "Are Probiotics the New Prozac?" reviews some of the most recent supporting evidence.
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The featured proof-of-concept study, conducted by researchers at UCLA, found that probiotics (beneficial bacteria) actually altered participants' brain function. The study enlisted 36 women between the ages of 18 and 55 who were divided into three groups:
Before and after the four-week study, participants underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans, both while in a state of rest, and in response to an "emotion-recognition task."
For the latter, the women were shown a series of pictures of people with angry or frightened faces, which they had to match to other faces showing the same emotions.
"This task, designed to measure the engagement of affective and cognitive brain regions in response to a visual stimulus, was chosen because previous research in animals had linked changes in gut flora to changes in affective behaviors," the researchers explained.
Compared to the controls, the women who consumed probiotic yogurt had decreased activity in two brain regions that control central processing of emotion and sensation:
During the resting brain scan, the treatment group also showed greater connectivity between a region known as the 'periaqueductal grey' and areas of the prefrontal cortex associated with cognition. In contrast, the control group showed greater connectivity of the periaqueductal grey to emotion- and sensation-related regions.
The fact that this study showed any improvement at all is remarkable, considering they used commercial yogurt preparations that are notoriously unhealthy; loaded with artificial sweeteners, colors, flavorings, and sugar. Most importantly, the vast majority of commercial yogurts have clinically insignificant levels of beneficial bacteria. Clearly, you would be far better off making your own yogurt from raw milk—especially if you're seeking to address depression through dietary interventions.
Your Gut Bacteria Are Vulnerable to Your Diet and Lifestyle.
Processed, refined foods in general will destroy healthy microflora and feed bad bacteria and yeast, so limiting or eliminating these from your diet should be at the top of your list. Following my recently revised nutrition plan is a simple way to automatically reduce your intake of sugar from all sources. Processed foods wreak havoc on your gut in a number of different ways:
Your gut bacteria are also very sensitive to and can be harmed by:
Antibiotics, unless absolutely necessary (and when you do, make sure to reseed your gut with fermented foods and/or a probiotics supplement); Conventionally-raised meats and other animal products, as CAFO animals are routinely fed low-dose antibiotics, plus genetically engineered grains, which have also been implicated in the destruction of gut flora; Chlorinated and/or fluoridated water Antibacterial soap.
If you must take an antibiotic then take your probiotic 4-6 hours later (or before) or they will cancel each other out.
How To Reseed Your Gut Flora.
Considering the fact that an estimated 80 percent of your immune system is located in your gut, reseeding your gut with healthy bacteria is important for the prevention of virtually ALL disease, both physical and mental. The first step is to clean up your diet and lifestyle by avoiding the items listed above. Then, to actively reseed your gut with beneficial bacteria, you'll want to:
As an added bonus, they can also be a great source of vitamin K2 if you ferment your own using the proper starter culture. We tested samples of high-quality fermented organic vegetables made with our specific starter culture, and a typical serving (about two to three ounces) contained not only 10 trillion beneficial bacteria, it also had 500 mcg of vitamin K2, which we now know is a vital co-nutrient to both vitamin D and calcium. Most high-quality probiotics supplements will only supply you with a fraction of the beneficial bacteria found in such homemade fermented veggies, so it's your most economical route to optimal gut health as well.
Nurture Your Gut for Optimal Health & Mental Well Being.
Foods have an immense impact on your body and your brain, and eating whole foods as described in my nutrition plan is the best way to support your mental and physical health.
Mounting research indicates the bacterial colonies residing in your gut may in fact play keyroles in the development of brain, behavioral and emotional problems—from depression to ADHD, autism and more serious mental illness like schizophrenia. Certainly, when you consider the fact that the gut-brain connection is recognized as a basic tenet of physiology and medicine, and that there's no shortage of evidence of gastrointestinal involvement in a variety of neurological diseases, it's easy to see how the balance of gut bacteria can play a significant role in your psychology and behavior.
With this in mind, it should also be crystal clear that nourishing your gut flora is extremely important, from cradle to grave, because in a very real sense you have two brains, one inside your skull and one in your gut, and each needs its own vital nourishment.
Cultured foods like raw milk yogurt and kefir, some cheeses, and fermented vegetables are good sources of natural, healthy bacteria. So my strong recommendation would be to make cultured or fermented foods a regular part of your diet; this can be your primary strategy to optimize your body's good bacteria.
If you do not eat fermented foods on a regular basis, taking a high-quality probiotic supplement is definitely recommended. A probiotic supplement can be incredibly useful to help maintain a well-functioning digestive system when you stray from your healthy diet and consume excess grains or sugar, or if you have to take antibiotics.
Digestive enzymes vs. probiotics. Both are important to our digestive health, and both reside within our digestive system and help us stay well. But what’s the difference?
Often, these products are marketed to help similar digestive issues when, in fact, they perform different functions in the body. For one, enzymes are proteins and probiotics are live organisms. That means enzymes can actually digest food and are effective at relieving common issues, including occasional gas, bloating, indigestion, heartburn and general discomfort. Probiotics, on the other hand, are useful in supporting overall health of the gastrointestinal tract as well as helping to support our immune system and the health of other body systems.
But there’s more to it than that. Let’s take a closer look at each of these nutrients and their role in your health.
Digestive enzymes vs. metabolic enzymes. Enzymes are created within the body, as well as absorbed from food or supplemental sources. They are proteins made up of amino acids. All enzymes power different life functions, but they mainly serve digestive and metabolic activities.
The benefits of digestive enzymes include the breaking of chemical bonds in food to reduce the size of food particles. They are produced in response to the presence of food, thus digestive enzymes can be found throughout the digestive system – from the mouth to the large intestine.
Metabolic enzymes primarily do the opposite and are involved in building molecules. However, metabolic enzymes also help break down certain molecules for bodily functions. These enzymes are produced in every cell of the body and support everything from energy production to all specialized functions of a cell – whether in the brain, liver, heart or part of the immune system.
Fast fact: Metabolic enzymes are too large to be absorbed intact and cannot be added through diet or supplements. Digestion requires energy. Your body spends energy creating enzymes, but enzymes will do their assigned job until they run out of their own energy. Enzymes have very specific jobs, because each enzyme breaks down different types of foods. For example, protease breaks down proteins and lactase breaks down dairy. The hundreds of different enzymes are categorized based on what exactly they digest.
Digestion can take up to 80% of your body’s energy, leaving only 20% left for metabolic enzymes that support every other function, such as immune health. The more your body needs to work at digestion, fewer metabolic enzymes are being produced to power the rest of your body. That’s why you may feel tired after eating a big meal. The more energy put toward digestion, the less energy you have for other functions.
This system also works in reverse. If your body is having an occasional metabolic challenge, more energy will be put into producing those enzymes and fewer enzymes will be produced for digestion. With fewer digestive enzymes, you may experience digestive discomforts.
Missing or deficient enzymes can contribute to digestive discomforts like occasional gas, bloating or heartburn. The most common types of enzyme deficiencies presents as food intolerances. Being food intolerant means your body may not digest specific types of food as well as it should due to a missing enzyme. For example, lactose intolerance is the result of the body not having enough lactase to digest the dairy sugar known as lactose. If you think you’re experiencing an enzyme deficiency, look for supplements with that specific enzyme.How can you get more enzymes? You can get sufficient amounts of enzymes by incorporating more raw foods into your diet. Raw foods are rich in enzymes that would otherwise be lost during the cooking process. Cooking and processing foods breaks down the enzymes, meaning your body must then produce all the necessary digestive enzymes. Since raw foods contain active enzymes, your body will spend less energy digesting them. However, raw foods only contain the enzymes needed to break down that specific food and typically no, or limited, additional enzymes.
One of the best ways to increase your digestive enzymes is by adding a natural enzyme supplement. I prefer fungal-based enzymes over animal sources, whenever possible. The best general digestive enzyme formulas contain a blend of all the enzyme categories – protease, lipase, amylase and cellulase. You also want to look for a formula that works at different pH levels throughout the digestive system.
So what are probiotics? Probiotics are bacterial organisms that live within your digestive system. You do have bacteria that are naturally found in the body, and these are referred to as part of your “microbiome.” Probiotics cannot be made by the body, so they must be added through supplements and diet. Their livelihood can be greatly influenced by your environment. Maintaining a good colony of probiotics can help support the enzymes your body produces. But the two main functions of probiotics are supporting your digestive and immune health.
Probiotics are essential for supporting immune health, because the majority of the immune system (up to 75%) is found within the digestive tract. If your digestive system is functioning optimally, it will be easier to maintain a healthy immune system as well. In addition, probiotics are helpful in increasing immunity cells and maintaining the function of the immune system.
Probiotics are also useful in supporting digestive health through regularity. Probiotics are another reason why one of my core beliefs is that natural digestive health is essential for total body wellness.
Fast fact: Probiotics also help the body produce and absorb vitamins and minerals!
There are billions of different probiotic bacteria living in the digestive system. This balance of bacteria is what allows your digestion and immunity to run smoothly, while an imbalance may cause seasonal challenges. How can you get more probiotics? Since our bodies cannot produce these essential bacteria, it is up to us to make sure we are maintaining a healthy flora of good bacteria. One way is to try more fermented food recipes. Foods like yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut and kimchi are rich in probiotics, because the fermentation process gives probiotics the optimal environment to grow. Some other great probiotic foods include natto, kombucha and tempeh.
Another way to increase your probiotic intake is through probiotic supplements. Most probiotic supplements measure their amount of bacteria in CFUs, or Colony Forming Units. Look for a formula that contains a variety of different probiotic strains rather than a formula that has billions of just a few bacteria. By using a supplement with a variety of strains, you’re more likely to target the bacteria your digestive system needs, since each strain does something different for your body. The most popular families of probiotics are Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium.
Probiotics are living bacteria, which means there are a few key things to look out for when picking probiotic supplements. Make sure the bottle is protected from light through a solid bottle or cardboard box packaging. These live organisms can be degraded by too much exposure to light, so it’s important they are protected. Many probiotics must also be refrigerated to keep the bacteria alive, but there are some shelf-stable formulas available, as well, which are perfect for travel.
Should I be taking enzymes or probiotics? Actually, you can take both! Enzymes and probiotics are both essential for your digestive health and total body wellness. Enzymes and probiotics work well together to help alleviate occasional gas, bloating and discomfort. Look for a formula that blends together a variety of digestive enzymes and probiotics and is active across the pH levels of the digestive system.
When it comes to digestive enzymes vs. probiotics, here’s a snapshot of their differences:
- The treatment group ate yogurt containing several probiotics thought to have a beneficial impact on intestinal health, twice a day for one month
- Another group ate a "sham" product that looked and tasted like the yogurt but contained no probiotics
- Control group ate no product at all
Before and after the four-week study, participants underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans, both while in a state of rest, and in response to an "emotion-recognition task."
For the latter, the women were shown a series of pictures of people with angry or frightened faces, which they had to match to other faces showing the same emotions.
"This task, designed to measure the engagement of affective and cognitive brain regions in response to a visual stimulus, was chosen because previous research in animals had linked changes in gut flora to changes in affective behaviors," the researchers explained.
Compared to the controls, the women who consumed probiotic yogurt had decreased activity in two brain regions that control central processing of emotion and sensation:
- The insular cortex (insula), which plays a role in functions typically linked to emotion (including perception, motor control, self-awareness, cognitive functioning, and interpersonal experience) and the regulation of your body's homeostasis, and
- The somatosensory cortex, which plays a role in your body's ability to interpret a wide variety of sensations
During the resting brain scan, the treatment group also showed greater connectivity between a region known as the 'periaqueductal grey' and areas of the prefrontal cortex associated with cognition. In contrast, the control group showed greater connectivity of the periaqueductal grey to emotion- and sensation-related regions.
The fact that this study showed any improvement at all is remarkable, considering they used commercial yogurt preparations that are notoriously unhealthy; loaded with artificial sweeteners, colors, flavorings, and sugar. Most importantly, the vast majority of commercial yogurts have clinically insignificant levels of beneficial bacteria. Clearly, you would be far better off making your own yogurt from raw milk—especially if you're seeking to address depression through dietary interventions.
Your Gut Bacteria Are Vulnerable to Your Diet and Lifestyle.
Processed, refined foods in general will destroy healthy microflora and feed bad bacteria and yeast, so limiting or eliminating these from your diet should be at the top of your list. Following my recently revised nutrition plan is a simple way to automatically reduce your intake of sugar from all sources. Processed foods wreak havoc on your gut in a number of different ways:
- First, they are typically loaded with sugar, and avoiding sugar (particularly fructose) is in my view, based on the evidence, a critical aspect of preventing and/or treating depression. Not only will sugar compromise your beneficial gut bacteria by providing the preferred fuel for pathogenic bacteria, it also contributes to chronic inflammation throughout your body, including your brain.
- Many contain artificial sweeteners and other synthetic additives that can wreak havoc with brain health. In fact, depression and panic attacks are two of the reported side effects of aspartame. Preliminary findings presented at the 65th annual meeting of the American Academy of Neurology also report that drinking sweetened beverages―whether they're sweetened with sugar or artificial sweeteners—is associated with an increased risk of depression.
- Processed foods are also typically loaded with refined grains, which turn into sugar in your body. Wheat in particular has also been implicated in psychiatric problems, from depression to schizophrenia, due to Wheat Germ Agglutinin (WGA), which has neurotoxic activity.
- The majority of processed foods also contain genetically engineered (GE) ingredients (primarily corn and soy), which have been shown to be particularly detrimental to beneficial bacteria. There are several mechanisms of harm at work here. For example:
- Eating genetically engineered corn may turn your intestinal flora into a sort of "living pesticide factory," essentially manufacturing Bt-toxin from within your digestive system on a continuing basis
- Beneficial gut bacteria are very sensitive to residual glyphosate (the active ingredient in Roundup). Due to mounting resistance, GE Roundup Ready crops are being drenched with increasing amounts of this toxic herbicide. Studies have already confirmed that glyphosate alters and destroys beneficial gut flora in animals, as evidenced by the increasing instances of lethal botulism in cattle
- Recent research also reveals that your gut bacteria are a key component of glyphosate's mechanism of harm, as your gut microbes have the identical pathway used by glyphosate to kill weeds!
Your gut bacteria are also very sensitive to and can be harmed by:
Antibiotics, unless absolutely necessary (and when you do, make sure to reseed your gut with fermented foods and/or a probiotics supplement); Conventionally-raised meats and other animal products, as CAFO animals are routinely fed low-dose antibiotics, plus genetically engineered grains, which have also been implicated in the destruction of gut flora; Chlorinated and/or fluoridated water Antibacterial soap.
If you must take an antibiotic then take your probiotic 4-6 hours later (or before) or they will cancel each other out.
How To Reseed Your Gut Flora.
Considering the fact that an estimated 80 percent of your immune system is located in your gut, reseeding your gut with healthy bacteria is important for the prevention of virtually ALL disease, both physical and mental. The first step is to clean up your diet and lifestyle by avoiding the items listed above. Then, to actively reseed your gut with beneficial bacteria, you'll want to:
- Radically reduce your sugar intake. I'm being repetitive here, to drive home the point that you can take the best fermented foods and/or probiotic supplements, but if you fail to reduce your sugar intake you will sabotage your efforts to rebuild your gut flora. This would be similar to driving your car with one foot on the accelerator and one on the brake simultaneously. Simply not a good strategy at all. When you consume sugar at the level of the typical American you are virtually guaranteed to have a preponderance of pathogenic bacteria, yeast and fungi, no matter what supplements you are taking.
- Eat traditionally fermented, unpasteurized foods: Fermented foods are the best route to optimal digestive health, as long as you eat the traditionally made, unpasteurized versions. Some of the beneficial bacteria found in fermented foods are also excellent chelators of heavy metals and pesticides, which will also have a beneficial health effect by reducing your toxic load. Healthy choices include:
- Fermented vegetables
- Lassi (an Indian yoghurt drink, traditionally enjoyed before dinner)
- Fermented milk, such as kefir
- Natto (fermented soy)
As an added bonus, they can also be a great source of vitamin K2 if you ferment your own using the proper starter culture. We tested samples of high-quality fermented organic vegetables made with our specific starter culture, and a typical serving (about two to three ounces) contained not only 10 trillion beneficial bacteria, it also had 500 mcg of vitamin K2, which we now know is a vital co-nutrient to both vitamin D and calcium. Most high-quality probiotics supplements will only supply you with a fraction of the beneficial bacteria found in such homemade fermented veggies, so it's your most economical route to optimal gut health as well.
- Take a high-quality probiotic supplement. Although I'm not a major proponent of taking many supplements (as I believe the majority of your nutrients need to come from food), probiotics are an exception if you don't eat fermented foods on a regular basis.
Nurture Your Gut for Optimal Health & Mental Well Being.
Foods have an immense impact on your body and your brain, and eating whole foods as described in my nutrition plan is the best way to support your mental and physical health.
Mounting research indicates the bacterial colonies residing in your gut may in fact play keyroles in the development of brain, behavioral and emotional problems—from depression to ADHD, autism and more serious mental illness like schizophrenia. Certainly, when you consider the fact that the gut-brain connection is recognized as a basic tenet of physiology and medicine, and that there's no shortage of evidence of gastrointestinal involvement in a variety of neurological diseases, it's easy to see how the balance of gut bacteria can play a significant role in your psychology and behavior.
With this in mind, it should also be crystal clear that nourishing your gut flora is extremely important, from cradle to grave, because in a very real sense you have two brains, one inside your skull and one in your gut, and each needs its own vital nourishment.
Cultured foods like raw milk yogurt and kefir, some cheeses, and fermented vegetables are good sources of natural, healthy bacteria. So my strong recommendation would be to make cultured or fermented foods a regular part of your diet; this can be your primary strategy to optimize your body's good bacteria.
If you do not eat fermented foods on a regular basis, taking a high-quality probiotic supplement is definitely recommended. A probiotic supplement can be incredibly useful to help maintain a well-functioning digestive system when you stray from your healthy diet and consume excess grains or sugar, or if you have to take antibiotics.
Digestive enzymes vs. probiotics. Both are important to our digestive health, and both reside within our digestive system and help us stay well. But what’s the difference?
Often, these products are marketed to help similar digestive issues when, in fact, they perform different functions in the body. For one, enzymes are proteins and probiotics are live organisms. That means enzymes can actually digest food and are effective at relieving common issues, including occasional gas, bloating, indigestion, heartburn and general discomfort. Probiotics, on the other hand, are useful in supporting overall health of the gastrointestinal tract as well as helping to support our immune system and the health of other body systems.
But there’s more to it than that. Let’s take a closer look at each of these nutrients and their role in your health.
Digestive enzymes vs. metabolic enzymes. Enzymes are created within the body, as well as absorbed from food or supplemental sources. They are proteins made up of amino acids. All enzymes power different life functions, but they mainly serve digestive and metabolic activities.
The benefits of digestive enzymes include the breaking of chemical bonds in food to reduce the size of food particles. They are produced in response to the presence of food, thus digestive enzymes can be found throughout the digestive system – from the mouth to the large intestine.
Metabolic enzymes primarily do the opposite and are involved in building molecules. However, metabolic enzymes also help break down certain molecules for bodily functions. These enzymes are produced in every cell of the body and support everything from energy production to all specialized functions of a cell – whether in the brain, liver, heart or part of the immune system.
Fast fact: Metabolic enzymes are too large to be absorbed intact and cannot be added through diet or supplements. Digestion requires energy. Your body spends energy creating enzymes, but enzymes will do their assigned job until they run out of their own energy. Enzymes have very specific jobs, because each enzyme breaks down different types of foods. For example, protease breaks down proteins and lactase breaks down dairy. The hundreds of different enzymes are categorized based on what exactly they digest.
Digestion can take up to 80% of your body’s energy, leaving only 20% left for metabolic enzymes that support every other function, such as immune health. The more your body needs to work at digestion, fewer metabolic enzymes are being produced to power the rest of your body. That’s why you may feel tired after eating a big meal. The more energy put toward digestion, the less energy you have for other functions.
This system also works in reverse. If your body is having an occasional metabolic challenge, more energy will be put into producing those enzymes and fewer enzymes will be produced for digestion. With fewer digestive enzymes, you may experience digestive discomforts.
Missing or deficient enzymes can contribute to digestive discomforts like occasional gas, bloating or heartburn. The most common types of enzyme deficiencies presents as food intolerances. Being food intolerant means your body may not digest specific types of food as well as it should due to a missing enzyme. For example, lactose intolerance is the result of the body not having enough lactase to digest the dairy sugar known as lactose. If you think you’re experiencing an enzyme deficiency, look for supplements with that specific enzyme.How can you get more enzymes? You can get sufficient amounts of enzymes by incorporating more raw foods into your diet. Raw foods are rich in enzymes that would otherwise be lost during the cooking process. Cooking and processing foods breaks down the enzymes, meaning your body must then produce all the necessary digestive enzymes. Since raw foods contain active enzymes, your body will spend less energy digesting them. However, raw foods only contain the enzymes needed to break down that specific food and typically no, or limited, additional enzymes.
One of the best ways to increase your digestive enzymes is by adding a natural enzyme supplement. I prefer fungal-based enzymes over animal sources, whenever possible. The best general digestive enzyme formulas contain a blend of all the enzyme categories – protease, lipase, amylase and cellulase. You also want to look for a formula that works at different pH levels throughout the digestive system.
So what are probiotics? Probiotics are bacterial organisms that live within your digestive system. You do have bacteria that are naturally found in the body, and these are referred to as part of your “microbiome.” Probiotics cannot be made by the body, so they must be added through supplements and diet. Their livelihood can be greatly influenced by your environment. Maintaining a good colony of probiotics can help support the enzymes your body produces. But the two main functions of probiotics are supporting your digestive and immune health.
Probiotics are essential for supporting immune health, because the majority of the immune system (up to 75%) is found within the digestive tract. If your digestive system is functioning optimally, it will be easier to maintain a healthy immune system as well. In addition, probiotics are helpful in increasing immunity cells and maintaining the function of the immune system.
Probiotics are also useful in supporting digestive health through regularity. Probiotics are another reason why one of my core beliefs is that natural digestive health is essential for total body wellness.
Fast fact: Probiotics also help the body produce and absorb vitamins and minerals!
There are billions of different probiotic bacteria living in the digestive system. This balance of bacteria is what allows your digestion and immunity to run smoothly, while an imbalance may cause seasonal challenges. How can you get more probiotics? Since our bodies cannot produce these essential bacteria, it is up to us to make sure we are maintaining a healthy flora of good bacteria. One way is to try more fermented food recipes. Foods like yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut and kimchi are rich in probiotics, because the fermentation process gives probiotics the optimal environment to grow. Some other great probiotic foods include natto, kombucha and tempeh.
Another way to increase your probiotic intake is through probiotic supplements. Most probiotic supplements measure their amount of bacteria in CFUs, or Colony Forming Units. Look for a formula that contains a variety of different probiotic strains rather than a formula that has billions of just a few bacteria. By using a supplement with a variety of strains, you’re more likely to target the bacteria your digestive system needs, since each strain does something different for your body. The most popular families of probiotics are Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium.
Probiotics are living bacteria, which means there are a few key things to look out for when picking probiotic supplements. Make sure the bottle is protected from light through a solid bottle or cardboard box packaging. These live organisms can be degraded by too much exposure to light, so it’s important they are protected. Many probiotics must also be refrigerated to keep the bacteria alive, but there are some shelf-stable formulas available, as well, which are perfect for travel.
Should I be taking enzymes or probiotics? Actually, you can take both! Enzymes and probiotics are both essential for your digestive health and total body wellness. Enzymes and probiotics work well together to help alleviate occasional gas, bloating and discomfort. Look for a formula that blends together a variety of digestive enzymes and probiotics and is active across the pH levels of the digestive system.
When it comes to digestive enzymes vs. probiotics, here’s a snapshot of their differences:
- Enzymes are biologically active proteins, while probiotics are living bacterial organisms.
- Enzymes are present throughout the body while probiotics are concentrated in the digestive system.
- Enzymes can be naturally produced in the body but probiotics cannot.
- Enzymes are the energy for all life functions and can be produced by probiotics as their food source.
- Both work in the digestive system and support immune health, but enzymes also work in the metabolic processes in the body.
- Both can be incorporated into your diet. Look for raw foods rich in enzymes, and opt for fermented foods thriving with probiotics.
- Both enzymes and probiotics can be added through natural supplements.
