A need for Probiotics….

We all know that Antibiotics kill bacteria. But the trouble is they are not selective, they kill good and bad bacteria regardless. Bacteria are essential to our health with our gut being home to 300 to a 1000 different species of bacteria. They help us digest our food and enable our body to utilities vitamins, protect against invading pathogens, create neurotransmitters, and much more.

By taking an antibiotic we need to be aware of the necessity to replenish the good bacteria in our gut. This is required to stop other bacteria’s taking hold and wreaking havoc, throwing our body out of balance. To replace good bacteria you must use foods that promote their growth, taking a probiotic can speed this up although you need to create the right environment for them to thrive.

Prebiotic is simply raw food

You may have heard the term prebiotic, don’t rush out to buy any, you don’t need to. Prebiotic simply comes about from raw vegetables and fruits that naturally create the right environment for the bacteria. Insoluble fibre provides food for good bacteria while giving it a structure upon which to multiply. Raw vegetables and fruits should always comprise 80% of your diet (more vegetables than fruits). After antibiotics, following this 80% rule (with mostly vegetables) is essential to regain the proper bacterial balance in your gut.

These prebiotics are the most important. You must eat the right balance and fill up on healthy greens and others veggies, and fermented foods. If 80% of our immune system is contained within our gut, antibiotic’s are essentially killing off your immune defence. Addressing this key aspect of gut health will help to steer you away from most illnesses generally.

Sugar is the bad guy again

By avoiding processed sugar you will not give the bad bacteria the food source it needs. Processed sugar feeds Candida and “bad” bacteria (including the pathogen you are trying to destroy with the antibiotic). Processed foods, heavy starches, and chemicals (sugar substitutes other than stevia, artificial colours, flavourings, and preservatives) should be completely avoided. Even fruit is best avoided if you are trying to replenish good bacteria.

Taking a trusted probiotic supplement is key to help you repopulate the gut with good bacteria. Stomach acid kills off a lot of the probiotics we ingest in any form so you need to eat a lot of them.

Other sources

Fermented vegetables like homemade sauerkraut and kimchi, kombucha, coconut kefir, and other fermented foods do deliver live beneficial bacteria into the gut along with nutrition and enzymes.

Try this simple recipe to make your own super gut boosting

Cabbage Kimchee (Korean Pickles)

1 Head of cabbage, cut into 2 inch pieces
1 pound white radish, cut into half moons
5 cups of water
2 tablespoons of Celtic sea salt
2 tablespoons of ginger, minced
1 clove of garlic
1 onion diced
½ teaspoon of cayenne

In a large bowl combine water, 1 ½ tablespoons of Celtic sea salt, cabbage, radish and set aside for 12 hours.
Remove cabbage and radish from liquid and combine with ginger, garlic, onion, cayenne and remaining salt.
Put in a sterilised glass jar and pour on soaked liquid used previously up to 1 inch from the top.
Cover loosely with a clean cloth and set aside for 3 to 7 days. 1 cup serves 6 – 8 people.

Delicious and your gut will love it. I add a little spoonful to my meals. Enjoy.

Sources:
Healing with Wholefoods – Paul Pitchford
The Nature Doctor – Dr HCA Vogel

http://www.organiclifestylemagazine.com

http://www.healingthebody.ca

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