The “Indigestible” Food Your Gut Needs To Thrive – Prebiotics

You eat to feed your cells and nourish your body . . . but did you know that when it comes to your health, you need to feed your non-human cells as well? What?! Here’s a startling fact . . . you’re not entirely human. In fact your body has more bacterial cells than human cells – trillions of them. These bacteria cells outnumber your human cells 10 to 1.[1] And while some can be harmful, many of these microbes living inside of you are essential for good health. These bacteria keep your immune system sharp and strong, they help you digest food, they even produce important nutrients. Because they’re so good for your health, these friendly bacteria are called “probiotics” which means “for life.” But here’s the thing . . . these probiotics don’t eat the same food we do. So in addition to eating for your liver and spleen cells, you have to start thinking about eating for your bacteria cells as well. What To Feed Your Non-Human Cells So what do these tiny health allies eat? Prebiotics. Prebiotic food is fiber we can’t digest. But probiotic bacteria love it. For example, the helpful bifidobacteria that live in your colon turn this fiber into butyric acid which not only feeds them, but also helps feed your colon cells. And when you feed these helpful bacteria right, your body can respond in amazing ways. In one 2012 University of Illinois study involving patients whose intestines had stopped working, researchers were amazed to find that simply by feeding patients fructooligosaccharides (one of the fibers the gut bacteria likes to snack on), they could regrow the intestines and improve intestinal function significantly.[2] So what kinds of foods have the fiber these friendly bacteria need? Wheat, onions, chicory and garlic all have been shown to be great sources of prebiotics. The good bacteria in your gut also love the fiber and nutrients found in chlorella algae. Thanks to its rich supply of prebiotic food, chlorella can actually triple the rate of growth of good bacteria in the gut.[3] Doctors Love The Benefits Prebiotics Bring Prebiotics are gaining lots of attention in the nutrition world. Natural health practitioners consider the relationship between you and the friendly bacteria inside of you to be a key factor in your health. “I love talking about the gut and stomach,” says Dr. David Nelson, Ph. D. of the Center for Advanced Medicine. “Because they’re probably the most important organ of the body in determining whether you’re going to be healthy or sick.” “We need to have a good quantity of healthy bacteria in our intestines,” adds Dr. Mark Drucker, MD also from the Center for Advanced Medicine. “When people don’t feel well often they have an imbalance of microorganisms in the digestive system.” As these two doctors point out, you can’t afford to neglect these good bacteria. And to make sure they are happy living inside of you, you need to tune your diet to their needs – even if it means taking in nutrients your digestive system can’t manage. rnGive them tough, fibrous prebiotics. When you give them the prebiotics they need to survive, your probiotic bacteria will thrive. And when they flourish, you’ll flourish as well. Sources: [1] Pollan, M. Say Hello To The 100 Trillion Bacteria That Make Up Your Microbiome. New York Times. May 2013. [2] University of Illinois College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences (2012, October 15). Prebiotic may help patients with intestinal failure grow new and better gut. ScienceDaily. Retrieved December 20, 2013. [3] The diverse effects of chlorella, Management, Menu for Mass Feeding, June 1966, reprinted by Scientific Reports on Chlorella in Japan, Silpaque Publishing.