Nourish Your Good Bacteria to Unleash Their Healing Potential
If you’ve been experiencing digestive health challenges, such as occasional gas, bloating, discomfort, loose stools, or constipation, your body is sending you a clear message. It’s letting you know its stores of beneficial gut bacteria have been depleted. And when the “good guy” population isn’t at full strength, it allows bad bacteria and other potentially harmful microbes to move in and take over.
The delicate balance of the body’s intestinal and digestive flora (the bacteria that make up your microbiome) can easily be disrupted through diet, especially if you’ve eaten a lot of foods that are:
- High in sugar
- Processed
- Fried
- Full of saturated fats
On top of those microbiome disrupters, ingredients like artificial sweeteners, emulsifiers (chemicals that make low-fat foods feel richer), and artificial colors have also been shown to upset the balance, leading to dysbiosis – where the bad bacteria outnumber the good bacteria.
What’s more, new research tells us that it only takes 24 to 48 hours of “bad” eating (so common around the holidays!) to set off changes in your microbiome.
But no matter what knocked your microbiome out of whack, Just Thrive can get it back on track.
Out of Balance
When the bacteria in your digestive system are out of balance – meaning the bad guys outnumber the good – your body can’t properly digest foods or absorb nutrients. And since it takes just a day or two of “bad” eating to create that imbalance, splurging on vacation or during holidays can set the stage for digestive issues. And even if you return to a great diet the next day, you may not reap all of its benefits because of the fast-paced changes to your gut flora.
Those changes can bring on distressing gastrointestinal challenges that lead you to limit or alter your diet again. If you’re feeling bloated or gassy, for example, you probably won’t feel like eating a big salad or a veggies-and-hummus platter. Instead, you might want toast, crackers, or white rice – foods that feel like they’re comforting, but really add to the dysbiosis. It’s can be tough cycle to break out of… unless you have the right allies on your side, like the four proven probiotic strains in Just Thrive Probiotic.
Hidden Probiotic Killers in the Western Diet
Along with specific types of foods and ingredients that can mess with your gut bacteria, some of the main staples of the Western Diet (like bread and milk,) contain hidden dangers – things you won’t see on labels, but come along with those common foods.
These secret slayers have a deadly effect on the good bacteria in your gut, and some may even encourage the growth of bad bacteria – the kind that cause disease and inflammation. And unless you’re paying close attention, you may not even realize you’re consuming them.
- Glyphosate, a very common weed killer that’s been found in wide range of both whole foods - like wheat, corn, and spinach - and processed foods - like granola bars and breakfast cereal. (resource)
- GMOs (genetically modified organisms) are natural foods (like soybeans and strawberries) that have been altered, sometimes to include weed killers and pesticides, and may have a negative effect on beneficial bacteria populations
- Antibiotics can be found in many meat and dairy products, and antibiotics are well known for destroying good gut bacteria
You can see how your microbiome faces many potential threats from everyday foods. But you can protect your gut bacteria, increase good bacteria populations, and improve digestion and nutrient