How to Heal Your Gut with a Probiotic Diet
April 08, 2024
A weak immune system is, to say the least, a total bummer. That’s why discovering how to heal your gut with a probiotic diet can be such a game changer. Here are a few tips, facts, and suggestions about eating foods with good bacteria, identifying the best probiotics for gut health, and more.
What is a Probiotic?
Essentially, a probiotic is any type of food or supplement containing living microorganisms that can contribute to or facilitate the growth of good bacteria in the body (Mayo Clinic).
The Benefits of a Properly Digested Probiotic Diet
A variety of “microbes” (or microorganisms) can be found within the human body. Some of these microbes are bad for us — causing diminished health or disease. Others, however, play a positive role, actually fighting off bad bacteria and illness. The idea is that foods with good bacteria (probiotics) can work alongside the illness-fighting microbes in our bodies to ward off disease (Cleveland Clinic).
How to Heal Your Gut Through the Benefits of Probiotics
When effectively administered, a bit of probiotic support can have an undeniably positive effect on the microbiome. However, more research may need to be done in order to illuminate the best probiotic diet support practices. Traditional oral supplements, for instance, have been shown not to work in all cases or for everyone, given the fact that probiotic cultures don’t always survive the digestion journey (Isaac Eliaz, MD, MSc, LAc; presented in The National Library of Medicine).
1.) Consume a Probiotic Diet
Probiotics already exist inside our bodies, but many foods pack an extra supply of these incredible microorganisms. Consumables like pickles, kombucha, kefir, yogurt, and certain cheeses offer our bodies a tasty probiotic boost!
2.) Experiment With Different Cultures
While learning a different language and trying foreign foods can be wonderful horizon-broadeners, that’s not the type of “culture” we mean here. Probiotic cultures
What Are the Best Probiotics for Gut Health?
Not all probiotics are created equal. Far from it. However, the best probiotics for you may be different from the ones that work best for others. According to the NCBI, the following are “seven core genera of microbial organisms most often used in probiotic products” that you can look for:
- Lactobacillus
- Bifidobacterium
- Saccharomyces
- Streptococcus
- Enterococcus
- Escherichia
- Bacillus
3.) IV Therapy + Probiotics
A probiotic diet, supplement, or other effective means of delivery to your gut, when combined with the immediate nutrient and vitamin boost of IV therapy, can provide a powerful combination (Liquivida). IV cocktails like our Trimune Booster contain various vitamins and nutrients that may strengthen the gut microbiota and immune system when combined with eating a probiotic diet and/or other gut-healthy activities and supplementation.
4.) Prebiotics
If you’ve done any amount of research into probiotics or tried to purchase them at a grocery store, you may have noticed and quickly become confused by their very similarly named doppelgänger. “Prebiotics” can also be very helpful in the quest to support good bacteria and heal your gut microbiome, but… what are they, exactly?
Prebiotic vs Probiotic
If probiotics are a living army of good bacteria, prebiotics are the rations needed to feed the troops. In other words, prebiotics support the work of probiotics in your gut which, in turn, support a healthier you!
Prebiotics are carbs that our bodies can’t digest. Therefore, they make it through the process of digestion undisturbed and ready to go. Many fruits, veggies, and whole grains naturally contain prebiotics, but there are other foods, such as yogurt, that may have prebiotics added too. (WebMD)
5.) Speak With a Medical Professional
The safest recourse before implementing any dietary or medical changes is always a consultation with a qualified doctor or other licensed medical professional. Before embarking on a probiotic diet, choosing between different probiotic cultures, or supplementing your gut health with vitamins from IV therapy, it’s wise to speak with a professional who can advise you based on your medical history and individual health needs.
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