Having a healthy colon and a healthy gut bacteria balance is very important for the overall functioning of our entire body. In this post I am going to show you how to improve colon health by eating good gut bacteria foods.
“Every day we live and every meal we eat we influence the great microbial organ inside us – for better or for worse.”
― Giulia Enders, Gut: The Inside Story of Our Body’s Most Underrated Organ
The intestinal microflora is also called gut flora or microbiota.
Our intestinal microflora is essential to promote the proper functioning of our body, to boost our immunity and improve our overall wellbeing and physical shape. Intestinal bacterial flora unbalance may cause several disorders, prevent nutrients from being assimilated and make body weight management much more difficult.
Drug therapies (with antibiotics, for example), prolonged use of laxatives, stress or wrong eating habits make our intestinal bacterial flora get weaker.
How to improve colon health?
One of the best ways to restore intestinal microflora naturally is to eat certain specific foods that help gut health and bacterial balance.
Some foods, the so-called prebiotics, prevent pathogenic microorganisms from proliferating, promote the growth of “good” bacteria (probiotics) and improve the health of intestinal microflora.
10 good gut bacteria foods
1 – Sauerkraut
This is one of the healthiest probiotic-rich foods. Sauerkraut is fermented finely cut cabbage. During the fermentation process lactic acid is produced, which is extremely efficient in battling “bad” microorganisms. Eating sauerkraut may help make intestinal bacterial flora stronger and more stress tolerant.
2 – Onions
Onions contain fructooligosaccharides, a prebiotic fiber protecting the intestinal mucosa. What is more, onions prevent colon cancer, because they help limit putrescence giving off toxins in the intestine.
3 – Chicory
Chicory is extremely rich in inulin, a prebiotic fiber promoting the intestinal bacterial flora balance.
4 – Kefir
Kefir (or kephir) is a fermented milk drink and tastes like a yoghurt drink. Not only has kefir a positive impact on intestinal bacterial flora balance, but also on the health of the entire digestive system. Thanks to its lactobacilli and acetobacteria, kefir protects the digestive system from harmful germs and bacteria.
Drinking kefir consistently may help regulate intestinal activity, preventing costiveness, but also diarrhea because it promotes the intestinal bacterial flora reactivation.
5 – Greek yoghurt
Greek yoghurt, thanks to the presence of milk enzymes, boosts intestinal bacterial flora and helps it battle putrescence in the bowels.
6 – Honey
Honey has highly antibacterial and antibiotic properties, and this is the reason why it is the right food to eat in case of diarrhea in order to reactivate the intestinal bacterial flora balance.
7 – Miso
Miso is a fermented Japanese soya food made using the special koji fermentation culture and different types of grains. Miso is extremely rich in milk enzymes (lactobacilli) essential for our intestinal bacterial flora. Miso promotes digestion and boosts immunity against intestinal disorders.
8 – Wine
If you drink it moderately, wine protects both our cardiocirculatory system and gut health. Research has shown polyphenols wine is loaded with may protect the intestinal bacterial flora balance and help kill pathogenic microorganisms.
9 – Black tea
Polyphenols black tea contains have the same action mechanism as those contained in wine and prevent “bad” bacteria from proliferating. This property of black tea may prove helpful when it comes to colon cancer prevention.
10 – Cider vinegar
Cider vinegar contains acetobacter. This microorganism is similar to bacteria present in the intestine; it reactivates intestinal bacterial flora, battles harmful bacteria, fermentation and putrescence. If we often consume cider vinegar, we put “good” bacteria in our body, which boost the intestinal bacterial flora.
Paying attention to our nutrition and eating gut-friendly foods more often is essential to keep the intestinal bacterial flora balance, to improve and preserve our health and both physical and emotional wellbeing.
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