A couple weeks ago, we discussed the microbiome and how it affects our mood. (If you missed it, read about it here first)
Someone asked me about probiotics and ways to keep their microbiome healthy.
GREAT QUESTION!! Going back to the analogy that your microbiome is a white fence when it is healthy. To avoid a hole in your white picket fence, we need to keep up on the maintenance.
Probiotics is a buzzword most of us have heard. But what are they exactly?
Probiotics are living microorganisms that are usually found in fermented foods, yogurt, and dietary supplements. They support a healthy microbiome because probiotics are like the microorganisms found in our gut.
These gut bacteria help with digesting foods, producing vitamins, prevent bad bacteria from harmful food or drinks into entering the bloodstream (thank goodness, no one likes food poisoning) and destroy disease-causing bacteria. These little guys do a lot!!
One way to keep your white picket fence nice, pristine, and hole-free is to incorporate probiotics into your diet. You can eat yogurt, kim-chi, sauerkraut, kombucha and basically anything fermented because they will contain these microorganisms. Another route is to take a daily probiotic supplement that has a diverse number of active cultures to make sure your bacterial fence is nice and steady.
Aside from keeping the fence nice and neat, we also must make sure the ground around the fence is solid. Basically, your fence may look okay, but if a stray dog digs a hole below your fence, well…you will have a problem with unwanted creatures coming into your yard, and your fence will not be as secure.
Cue prebiotics. Prebiotics are foods that stimulate and promote the growth of healthy bacteria in your gut. These are not live microorganisms but more like the soil where your fence is placed. Making sure it is solid ground. Prebiotics are found in high fiber foods which include fruits (apples, raspberries, apricots), veggies (garlic, onions, asparagus, carrots, green beans), complex carbohydrates, and resistant starches.
Now, you may be asking what the heck is a resistant starch. They are similar to fiber in that they resist digestion, so they end up being great food for the bacteria in your gut. Resistant starches are found in boiled then chilled potatoes, green bananas, rice that is cooked and then chilled and chickpeas that are also cooked then chilled. So if you are planning on making beans, legumes, rice or potatoes, if you want the maximum bang for your buck, cook these foods and let them cool. This allows the resistant starch to emerge, and you can reheat your food and have the added benefit of resistant starch when you eat it. Turns out your leftover reheated rice is healthier!!
Just like probiotics, prebiotics also have a host of benefits like helping regulate bowel movements, enhance your anti-inflammatory response, improve your immune system, and most importantly, help increase the production of good bacteria and decrease bad bacteria in the gut.
Studies show that changing your diet especially when you include pre and probiotics can change your microbiome in as little as 3 days. That is all it takes to have a healthier stomach which sends signals that improve your mood and can change your cravings.
Why wait?!?!?! You could start today and start feeling better even before the weekend starts!!