GUT CHECK: OPTIMIZING YOUR STOMACH’S MICROBIOME

Probiotics from fermented foods can help balance your microbiome.

YOU’VE PROBABLY HEARD A LOT about probiotics, the “good bacteria” commonly found in yogurt and fermented foods like sauerkraut. These microorganisms can help balance your gut’s microbiome and alleviate dozens of digestive issues. But they can’t fight alone. To reap the benefits of probiotics, you’ll need to fuel them... with prebiotics.

Never heard of prebiotics? Well, they don’t get as much attention as their probiotic cousins but they’re equally important. That’s because prebiotics are what feed the friendly bacteria in your stomach, helping your microbiome flourish and fighting inflammation along the way.

When the bacteria in your gut feast on a meal of prebiotics, they release a chain of fatty acids into the colon, activating a protein known to increase your body’s anti-inflammatory powers. The UMass Chan Medical School even developed an anti-inflammatory diet for Irritable Bowel Disease sufferers that includes prebiotics (e.g. bananas, garlic, asparagus) and probiotics (e.g. miso, pickles, raw honey).

A diet rich in prebiotics which includes things like onions, garlic, chicory root and dandelion greens will not only keep your gut bacteria happy, it’ll also curb your consumption of food additives. According to a 2015 study in Autoimmunity Reviews, some of the most basic food additives including salt, glucose, and microbial transglutaminase (found in many processed foods) may be increasing your risk of inflammation.

Researchers discovered that these additives increase the permeability of the cells lining your intestine, making it easier for foreign substances to leach through your digestive tract. If left unattended, crack and holes can develop in your intestine, causing a condition called “leaky gut syndrome.”

Thankfully, these conditions are relatively easy to avoid. Eat whole, plant-based foods and avoid heavily processed foods Don’t overindulge in artificial sweeteners, which can disturb your gut’s bacterial balance. Consume lots of soluble and insoluble fibers, the latter of which will sweep out your digestive tract like a broom. And lastly, pay attention to not just what you eat but how. When you eat more slowly, you give your stomach time to tell your brain when it’s full.