Digestive health has made the headlines on social media increasingly over the last few years, and if you're anything like me, you probably already own a high quality strain of probiotics in your fridge! Bravo if you do and if NOT then i highly recommend doing so. PROBIOTICS are KEY when it comes to maintaining a healthy digestive system and we all know disease starts in the gut - think healthy gut, healthy life! It really is that simple...
In fact there are 3 nutrients that support digestion and are key to keeping your gut in tip toe condition. We hear a lot about probiotics, however, it is Pre-biotics and Digestive Enzymes who are the unsung heroes.
"Digestion plays a huge role in maintaining good health and it requires a lot of energy"
Basically if your digestive system is out of balance, it's likely to affect your mood, sleep and skin. You may suffer from bloating, brain fog, feel sluggish etc, and this is all down to the digestive system working super hard to break down your last meal and maintain a state of homeostasis. Digestion plays a huge role in maintaining good health and it requires a lot of energy. We know it's main function is to break down food but it is also responsible for removing the the bad stuff as well as absorbing the good stuff (essential nutrients) as well as supporting the natural elimination process (taboo subject i know - but all good and well a fact of life). It is not just a one trick pony and it requires tremendous amounts of energy to do the job well.
So lets talk about Prebiotics for a moment. Prebiotics in the simplest terms are the fibre that probiotics feed off. They are used to stimulate growth of the healthy bacteria in the gut and support the colon function. They are usually found in an array of fruits and vegetables such as bananas, apples, garlic, onion, asparagus and flax seeds - these are just a few to mention.
Prebiotics have also been shown to improve metabolic rate and help prevent certain diseases.
Digestive Enzymes such as lypase, protease, amylase and lactase support the break down of fats, proteins and carbohydrates and occur naturally in the body's GI Tract. They are essential for breaking down food into digestible sized nutrients that our body can easily absorb. However, environmental pollution, food like substances and age can affect how much digestive enzymes our bodies can produce. Digestive enzymes are a powerful tool and some people may benefit from using a a supplement to beat the bloat, and prevent discomfort and indigestion.
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