The intestine health is a fire-current topic, with which most scientific studies were concerned in the last years. The research results show that the state of health of the intestinal flora (also known as the "microbiome" as the totality of microorganisms living in the intestine) influences numerous bodily functions and thus your general health, for better or worse. An unbalanced intestinal microbiome not only affects digestive health, but can also have devastating consequences for your emotional health, weight or skin, and even lead to serious, chronic autoimmune diseases.
When your intestinal health deteriorates, it may be related to European standard eating habits, with their low levels of fermented foods and excessive use of antibiotics and anti-bacterial products.
What role do intestinal bacteria play in intestinal health?
Many people believe that bacteria - all bacteria - are harmful. However, this is by no means true. Our environment is full of bacteria. Your body and everything you touch is covered with bacteria. Your digestive tract contains between 400 and 500 species of bacteria, which together make up about 1.5 kg of your body weight.
Under ideal circumstances, potentially dangerous and harmful strains of bacteria are kept in check among these types of beneficial bacteria. Only when certain "bad" bacteria multiply uncontrollably do we get problems. These can be simple in nature (such as diarrhea) or as complex and serious as a systemic infection.
There is no way to remove all potentially harmful bacteria from the environment, and this would not be advisable. It is important for humans to maintain the balance between "bad" and "good" bacteria, not only in our environment but also in our bodies themselves.
The intestine as the cause of many problems
The human intestine is a warm, moist and nutrient-rich place that lacks oxygen and strong digestive juices - an ideal place for bacteria to grow and thrive. If you consider today's eating habits of our society (low fiber and an excess of sugar, salt and refined foods), you will surely understand that pathogenic bacteria in the intestine have an easy stand. But this is getting worse; because we are eating less and less vegetables, healthy essential fatty acids (as found in certain types of fish like salmon, mackerel or herring) and flaxseed.
This leads to an imbalance in the intestinal flora. And that in turn promotes the growth of harmful bacteria that constantly introduce toxins into our system. So our immune system has to work overtime to keep things under control.
10 unmistakable signs that your intestinal health is declining:
- Digestive problems in the form of flatulence, diarrhoea, irritable bowel syndrome, heartburn, bad breath, etc.
- Common fungal infections
- Allergies
- ravenous appetite for sweets
- Inexplicable weight gain
- skin problems like acne, eczema, psoriasis, hives
- Depressions
- Joint Pain
- Learning and concentration difficulties
- Behavioural disorders
These symptoms clearly indicate that the intestinal flora is out of balance. Do something for your intestine immediately - because 80% of your immune system is dependent on it!
If your intestine is doing well - you are doing well.
How you maintain your bacterial balance in the intestine
Probiotics are one measure to restore the bacterial balance. These are useful bacteria that help to regain your intestine, so to speak, and make the microbiome bloom again, which is an effective strategy against dangerous organisms. So take additional probiotics - either in the form of capsules or fermented foods such as kefir, yogurt, sauerkraut, pickled vegetables, kimchi and kombucha tea.
Probiotics require prebiotics - food that "feeds" the healthy gut and helps to restore or maintain gut health. Prebiotic fibers such as inulin and arabinogalactan are abundant in artichokes, leeks, onions, beans, garlic, asparagus, carrots and okra.
Numerous other factors can also change the bacterial flora in the digestive tract: stress, dietary changes, contaminated food, chlorinated water, etc. To be on the safe side, probiotic supplements should be taken at least once a day - even on days when you eat fermented food.
4 strategies for your intestinal health
How probiotics can prevent infections, flu or colds
Strategy 1: Probiotics for a healthy immune system
When your immune system is weakened, it is much more difficult and takes much longer for you to recover from simple illnesses such as colds and flu, but also from infections and surgical procedures. Taking antibiotics upsets the natural bacterial balance, because while effective antibiotics kill the "bad" bacteria that caused the health problem, they also kill many of the "good" bacteria that your body depends on.
Dr. Stefano Guandalini, Professor of Pediatrics and Gastroenterology at the University of Chicago, says: "The immune system is not challenged enough by pathogenic organisms. It is believed that taking beneficial bacteria in the form of probiotics challenges the immune system in a healthy way".
Strategy 2: Probiotics and diarrhea prevention
One third of prescribed antibiotics can cause diarrhea, and the benefits of probiotics have been shown to be extremely successful in treating this side effect. An analysis of the Journal of the American Medical Association of more than 80 studies conducted on this topic concluded that probiotics reduce antibiotic-induced diarrhea by 42 %.
A study conducted by Yale University examined the effectiveness of probiotics with regard to many physical systems. A positive effect on diarrhea prevention was observed, in the regulation of the immune system, in the treatment and prevention of eczema and in the alleviation and reduction of digestive disorders.
Another study showed that 19 % of just over 600 children who were given a probiotic yoghurt drink as part of their day care were less susceptible to ear infections, colds, diarrhoea and sore throats.
Strategy 3: Probiotics in the fight against infections
In a study conducted by China's North Sichuan Medical College, researchers found that the immune system of patients suffering from traumatic brain injury was compromised and no longer able to fight infection.
Those patients who had been administered probiotics via a probe recovered more quickly and spent less time in intensive care than patients who had been treated in the usual way. The bodies of the probiotic patients contained more anti-infectious T cells, the deficiency of which makes people in poor health more susceptible to pneumonia and sepsis.
The lead investigator of the study, Prof. Jing-Ci Zhu, explains the benefits of increased T-cell counts: "Probiotic therapy reduced the number of infections that occurred after seven days, reduced the number of different antibiotics needed to treat the infections and shortened the time patients had to spend in intensive care".
In the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, researchers conclude that "good" gut bacteria guide the way the body deals with infections and how effectively it fights viruses. Useful bacteria help the immune system to react faster and more effectively against viral or bacterial threats.
The Cochrane Library published a similar Chinese study, which found that probiotics reduced the risk of upper respiratory tract infections by 12% among 3.400 subjects.
The British Journal of Nutrition found that infants given bifidobacterium Lactios BB-12 suffered fewer infections in their first year.
Strategy 4: Probiotics for the regulation of the emotional state
Prof. John Cryan and his team from the University of Cork (Ireland) have found that probiotics in mice reduce anxiety, depression and stress. Especially the probiotic Lactobacillus Rhamnosus influences the chemical processes in the brain and reduces the production of stress hormones. The team believes that "good" intestinal bacteria communicate with the brain via the vagus nerve. Prof. Cryan gave the following explanation: "We could develop therapies that treat mental illness starting from the intestine. One could therefore use a probiotic yoghurt instead of an antidepressant. Our] results underline the important role of bacteria in the communication between the intestine and the brain, and suggest that certain probiotic organisms could be useful in stress-related disorders.