Top Up Your Good Bugs
Your diet and lifestyle play a major role in the balance of bacteria (or bugs) in your body. Amazingly, you are actually
a ‘superorganism’ made up of hundreds of microbes living together in and on your body. Your immune system’s job is to monitor the many kinds of bacteria to ensure that healthy bugs are in larger numbers than troublemakers, such as viruses and yeasts. The best way to balance the good with the bad is to ensure you maintain adequate levels of beneficial bacteria in your digestive tract, and maintain a lifestyle that keeps the bad guys in check. No matter where the unhealthy bacteria live, you can influence your immune system’s fight by starting with good flora in the gut. If you experience any of the common symptoms below, you may need a top up with good bugs (also known as probiotics):
• Bloating and/or flatulence
• Constipation or diarrhoea
• Frequent colds and the flu
• Eczema or allergies
Bug Basics
The most effective way to replenish beneficial bacteria in the gut is by taking probiotics. There are many different types of probiotic bugs, and in many ways they are just like us. We employ them because of their occupation. Different strains do different jobs in the body, so it is important to choose the right strain for the right condition. For example, specific strains have been scientifically proven to help with health problems including irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and eczema. To enhance your health and wellbeing, your Practitioner can assist in
electing the probiotic strain that is the most appropriate for you.
Lifestyle Tips to Boost Your Good Bugs
To keep your ‘superorganism’ balanced, you need to include and avoid certain factors in your diet and lifestyle.
Here are some easy everyday ideas that maintain your good and bad bugs in harmony:
- Eat plain organic yogurt or Kefir or fermented vegetables.
• Reduce alcohol: Reduce your weekly consumption as
excess drinking kills off large proportions of the good bugs.
• Manage stress: Stress can lead to an imbalance of
bacteria. Talk to your Practitioner about techniques and
supplements to support your response to stress.
• Exercise: Moving your body a little each day assists immune
function and keeps your bowel moving too.
• Basic nutrition: Drink plenty of water, a minimum of eight
glasses per day, and avoid excessive caffeine, sugar and
salt intake to keep your good bugs flourishing.
