A Healthy Gut Equals a Healthy Life!

The digestive system is made up of a series of organs that coordinate the movement, breakdown, and absorption of food. The organs in the digestive tract, or “gut,” consist of the mouth, esophagus, stomach, small intestine, large intestine, colon, and rectum. The liver, gallbladder, and pancreas are also involved in the digestive process because they produce enzymes and hormones that aid in the breakdown of food. During digestion, the proteins, carbohydrates, and fats in food are turned into nutrients, which the body then uses for energy, growth and cell repair. The digestion process also involves the elimination of waste.A strong immune system is critical for optimal health as our immune system is our main defense against infection and disease. Immune function starts in the gut and is where 70% of the body’s immune defenses are found. There are trillions of bacteria in the GI tract, which affect both digestion and overall health. If the bacteria flora in our GI tract is out of balance, our health is affected. Today’s diets often lack the beneficial bacteria and nutrients to maintain healthy flora. In addition, stress, inflammation, injury, age, illness, and antibiotics can also affect the balance of the bacteria in our gut leading to decreased immunity.In order to support the bacteria in our GI tract, we need to consume plenty of probiotics. Probiotics are live bacteria that aid in maintaining the microflora, or natural balance of organisms, in the gut. Regular probiotic intake helps balance our gut bacteria and improves the intestinal immunologic barrier. There are over 400 different types and strains of probiotic bacteria, which are available either over the counter as supplements or from food sources such as cheese, yogurt, soy products, and sauerkraut and kimchi.The regular use of probiotics can aid our immune systems as well as greatly alleviate the body's responses that cause inflammatory intestinal conditions. Probiotic intake protects against microorganisms that can cause disease, helps the digestion and absorption of food and nutrients, and has been shown to be an effective treatment for diarrhea, infant colic, IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome), respiratory tract infections in children, ulcerative colitis, and atopic dermatitis. As many people don’t get enough probiotics in their food sources, supplementing with probiotics can give the gift of health. Add probiotics to your diet and change your way of eating to strengthen your immune system today! We recommend Xymogen ProbioMax Daily DF, a four strain probiotic containing 30 billion CFU of bacteria. Contact info@wywnutrition.com to order.