How to improve gut flora or how to strengthen immunity

Author: Mikhail Ziborov - author of the site makefitness.pro.
2021-06-07

Intestinal Microflora (Microbiome, Microbiota) – these are the bacteria, yeasts, viruses, and other microorganisms found in our gastrointestinal tract. It is the bacteria that are responsible for digesting and absorbing food (along with enzymes and other substances), as well as for immunity (80% of the immune system is located in the intestine).

Without beneficial bacteria, we would not survive: food would simply not be digested, vitamins would not be synthesized, and we would not be able to resist various diseases.

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The total volume of these bacteria inside us is estimated to be several kilograms (2-3 or more, depending on a person's height and weight). When the number of bad bacteria (pathogenic) or useless bacteria (which only consume without providing anything in return) starts to grow, we experience health problems (study).

This leads to dysbiosis or dysbacteriosis. That is why we must monitor the state of beneficial bacteria. Additionally, there are known facts where the composition of the microbiome changed, affecting human behavior: eating habits and even mood changed.

For instance, if you now enjoy eating a lot of sweets, while you didn't notice such behavior before, it is quite possible that it is due to bacteria that prefer sweets or fatty-sweet foods. Similarly, if you used to be a cheerful person but now often notice feelings of gloom, that's also likely the work of bacteria. A decrease in physical activity without apparent reasons (you're still young or just over 30) is also possibly due to bacteria.
These tiny creatures can influence our mood and well-being. You can learn more about all of this in Julia Enders' book "The Gut: The Inside Story of Our Body" or at least in this study.

Foods that Improve Gut Microflora

Foods for improving digestion and intestinal function:

- Kefir and yogurt (even better – probiotic yogurt);
- Sauerkraut;
- Cheese (cheddar, mozzarella, and gouda);
- Pickles and tomatoes (should not contain vinegar);
- Sourdough bread;
- Wine (natural, not powdered).

Exotic foods for better digestion:

- Tempeh;
- Natto;
- Miso;
- Kombucha;
- Kimchi;
- Tea fungus.

These products are rich in beneficial bacteria: lactobacillus, bifidobacteria, and others. By consuming them, you get a dose of these bacteria. To receive even a few billion bacteria, you need to drink at least 100 g of kefir.
Consider that as the bacteria pass through the gastrointestinal tract, many of them die when they reach their habitats—they perish in the battle against the bad bacteria. So, in fact, not many survive (for example, 1 billion is very few by bacterial standards). Moreover, not everyone likes kefir, cheeses, or sauerkraut.

Therefore, it is much easier and more reliable to take a single capsule of probiotics, where you can receive 10-20 billion bacteria right away (depending on the probiotic). It's convenient and more reliable.

In addition, you can eat certain foods that nourish our beneficial microorganisms. With a good diet, they will multiply more intensively. These foods include:

- Cabbage (white cabbage, red cabbage, etc.);
- Apples (contain pectin);
- Bananas;
- Cocoa;
- Oats;
- Asparagus (string beans);
- Onions and garlic.

This is a sort of prebiotic.

Medications to Improve Gut Microflora

There are several types of medications to improve the state of the intestinal microbiome, digestion, and, consequently, strengthen immunity:

- Probiotics;
- Prebiotics;
- Synbiotics (also referred to as symbiotics);
- Metabiotics.

Probiotics for Restoring Microflora. These are live bacteria that you simply add to your intestine. This category also includes multi-probiotics. It is claimed that these preparations contain exclusively live microorganisms (unlike simple probiotics). However, in my opinion, this is just a marketing ploy to make the product sell better. One of the top and powerful probiotics is: California Gold Nutrition, 30 billion bacteria.

Prebiotics for the Intestine. These are simply nutrients for good bacteria in your digestive tract (they eat and multiply faster, fighting off bad bacteria). Examples include inulin, pectin, and various oligosaccharides. One of the best prebiotics is: Jarrow Formulas, prebiotic powder, 180 g.

Synbiotics for the Intestine. This is a mixture of probiotics and prebiotics: both support for your microbiota (new bacteria) and nutrients (food for the existing ones). In my opinion, this is one of the best options for improving gut health: Zenwise Health, metabiotic with digestive enzymes, 180 capsules.

Metabiotics. These include useful substances left behind by beneficial bacteria and the bodies of the bacteria themselves (non-living). Metabiotics supposedly offer a range of beneficial effects for our body. This sounds a bit like marketing, as manufacturers need to release something new.

I believe it is better to nourish your microbiota even with the simplest prebiotics than to consume dead bacteria: Now Foods, organic inulin, 227 g.

By the way, antibiotics kill both bad and good bacteria. They are a weapon of mass destruction without a selective principle. After antibiotics, the microflora needs to be restored. Anyone who has taken antibiotics knows how bad you feel (due to low immunity). All the medications mentioned above are suitable for recovery.