Does your gut need a tune up? Do you have digestive symptoms such as bloating, gas, bowel irregularity, or hard to lose weight?

Over the age of 40 we ALL need regular digestive tune ups.

We work our digestive systems like a sweat shop. Hardly a vacation, 24/7, hard-to-digest demands etc. The good news is we have a lot of influence over our microbiome through the food we eat.

We need a healthy microbiome for these reasons:

1. Protection against pathogens
2. Synthesis of vitamins
3. Immune system development
4. Promotes new blood vessels in the intestines
5. Modulates fat storage
6. Modulates nervous system
7. Fermentation of dietary fiber via SCFA (small chain fatty acids) which regulate metabolism

The microbiome is the genetic material of all the microbes – bacteria, fungi, protozoa and viruses – symbiotic microbial cells that live on and inside the human body. We have about 10 times as many microbial cells as human cells, more diversity than a rain forest.

These organisms impact human physiology, both in health and in disease, contributing to the enhancement or impairment of metabolic and immune functions. An imbalance of unhealthy and healthy microbes in the intestines may contribute to weight gain, high blood sugar, high cholesterol and other disorders.

The bacteria in the microbiome help digest our food, regulate our immune system, protect against other bacteria that cause disease, allow for a communication network for neurotransmitters, hormone signaling, and is more like an organ (like the skin).

The gut microbiome is called your second brain because it affects your mood, happiness, motivation, and contributes to neurological function. Your microbes actually produce about 90% of serotonin or your “happiness neurotransmitter.”
Leading edge research is concluding that our gut is the ‘epicenter’ of health. All mucous membranes are lined with microbes (ideally friendly)…nose, mouth, lungs, stomach, colon, reproductive organs, skin.

This is your front line of defense for everything that enters your body from the outside world.

How to create good microbiome balance:

3 Best Ways to cultivate a healthy inner terrain:

1. Pre-Probiotics supplements
2. Fermented foods like kefir, yogurt with live active cultures, pickled vegetables, tempeh, kombucha tea, kimchi, miso, and sauerkraut
3. Eat lots of plants (feeds good biome)

3 of the Worst things to do:

1. Sugar, processed
2. Stress
3. Bad fats

The problem is…most people have a poorly balanced and deficient microbiome.

Digestive Enzymes: Breaks down macronutrients (food we eat) into smaller building blocks. If we can’t break the food down it causes stagnation in the gut.

What are the symptoms of lack of digestive enzymes?

Symptoms may include:

• bloating
• excessive gas, often w/odor
• cramping after meals
• diarrhea
• foul-smelling stools

There are digestive enzyme supplements as well as foods that have natural digestive enzymes such as:

• pineapple
• papaya,
• raw fruit/vegetables
• fermented (kimchi, sauerkraut etc.)

What’s one thing you’d be willing to change to cultivate a healthier microbiome?  You can leave a comment here (and watch the video on the above info if you’d like)