Good Health Starts in Your Gut

Hippocrates knew some 2500 years ago that illness – and health – starts in the gut. It has taken us a while to relearn that lesson! From the time we first saw bacteria under a microscope, humans have set about to wipe them off the planet. That turned out to be impossible, but also ignorant. It turns out, we need our own good bacteria to protect us against the bad microbes that literally surround us. This article will show you how to get a healthy gut, and as a consequence, a healthy life. It all starts with taking good care of your gut microbes.

What are prebiotics?

Prebiotics, which include fiber, polyphenols, and resistant starch, are food for probiotics – the good bacteria in your gut. If you think of your gut microbes as an internal garden, then prebiotics are the fertilizer.

Most of what we eat gets broken down by acids and enzymes in our stomach and intestines. But prebiotics are complex sugars that resist digestion and make it intact to the large intestine, where most of your gut microbes live. Your gut microbes just love these prebiotics, and they convert them into something called short-chain fatty acids. These are the preferred energy source for the cells lining your gut. So, in this way, prebiotics keep your gut lining in top shape. That’s important because the gut lining is only one cell thick and shockingly vulnerable to bad bacteria and their toxins.

It turns out that the good bacteria are the first line of defense against bad bacteria. They can jump into action before your immune system is even aware of intruders. If you are lucky enough to have a healthy set of microbes, they will crowd out, starve, and kill the bad bacteria.

We have lost our way

For the last 50 years or so, manufacturers have been taking the prebiotic fiber out of our food. That’s how you get white bread, airy cakes, Oreos, and all of the wonders of modern cuisine. It’s delicious, decadent, and deadly. We need at least 30-50 grams of fiber a day, and we typically get far less. Without it, our microbes starve and some researchers believe many species are becoming extinct.

Our home-grown microbes are suffering, leading to a phenomenon known as leaky gut. When that happens, bacteria can get into your bloodstream. No matter how beneficial they may be in your gut, bacteria in your blood is bad news. Your heart obligingly pumps them to every organ in your body. Your immune system goes after them but creates a lot of collateral damage along the way. If the infection continues, you can succumb to all sorts of inflammatory diseases including obesity, diabetes, heart disease, Parkinson’s, arthritis, Alzheimer’s, cancer, depression, and anxiety.

Amazingly, considering that we’re talking about the most intractable diseases known to man, these can all be improved or even cured by getting back some of the fiber in our diets. But it can be hard to get enough fiber with a normal American diet. So if you aren’t getting 11 cups of broccoli a day, you might want to consider a prebiotic supplement.

Polyphenols are a type of prebiotic typically derived from plant greens or fruit, like green tea or berries. Polyphenols also have antioxidant properties that sweep up dangerous oxygen radicals that damage cells. Prebiotic fiber, on the other hand, is often found in roots like chicory or Jerusalem artichoke. Resistant starch is another kind of prebiotic fiber found in raw veggies like corn or potatoes. Note that all of these prebiotics are derived from vegetables. There are no prebiotics in meat.

What to do

• The foods that make your gut microbes happy are vegetables, but not all of them. For instance, cooked potatoes and white rice are full of easily digested starches that are completely digested in the small intestines and never make it to your microbes. That doesn’t make them bad foods, but they are not prebiotic. Surprisingly, cooling some of these starchy foods can increase levels of resistant starch which is prebiotic. So cold potato salad is better for your gut microbes than a hot potato.
• You can also boost beneficial bacteria by eating fermented foods like yogurt or sauerkraut. Although the bacteria in these foods are unlikely to colonize your gut, they can have a terrific beneficial effect as they pass through.
• Intriguingly, exercise is also good for your gut microbes. In addition, muscle is a repository of amino acids that can be tapped when you get sick or need an extra boost. Exercise helps you to sleep better, and that also keeps your microbes happy.

What to avoid

• Quit smoking, which damages the microbes in both your mouth and your gut. Also try to moderate your alcohol intake. Plenty of studies show that drinking can be good for you, but they are typically paid for by the alcohol industry. Alcohol tends to exacerbate a leaky gut, so go easy.
• Eat lots of veggies. A Mediterranean diet is considered ideal because it is rich in a variety of veggies. Variety is key, because a diverse set of microbes is healthier than just a handful of species.
• To lower inflammation, try to get omega-3 fats in your diet. The best source for vegans is found in certain algae-based supplements (here is one of LGP’s current favorites). We tend to get far too much omega-6 and trans-fats in our diet from most vegetable oils, so try to stick to monounsaturated oils like olive oil.

What is the Clarity Prebiotic Blend?

Scanderson Labs has formulated a product called Clarity Prebiotic Blend that contains a large variety of polyphenols and fiber. That variety is designed to feed a diverse group of beneficial bacteria. As mentioned, the greater the diversity of your gut microbes, the healthier it is. It is much harder for bad bacteria to take over when you have a robust and well-diversified gut ecology.

By keeping your gut in peak condition, you can minimize systemic inflammation, the root of most disease and the cause of much depression and anxiety. Although there can be good reasons for people to be unhappy, a bad gut is the one that is easiest to fix. A leaky gut doesn’t always feel bad, but it can send messages to your brain that affect your cognition, mood and focus. A healthy gut, on the other hand, keeps your mind in an optimal state to make you more alert and mellow. The microbes that can improve your mood are called psychobiotics.

Because Clarity Prebiotic Blend is all-natural and vegan, it is safe for everyone. However, if you are in the middle of a gut flare-up, you should start slowly. That’s because even the best bacteria in your gut are not welcome outside the gut, and if your gut is leaky, you should go slow. A lot of people aren’t used to fiber and they may also want to start slowly, with a half serving to start. But as your microbes get used to a better environment, they will start to heal your gut and quickly improve your health.

Order Clarity Prebiotic Blend on Amazon

For more information on how to optimize your gut and brain health, visit the Scanderson Labs website. For the fascinating story of the gut-brain axis and psychobiotics, check out The Psychobiotic Revolution, from National Geographic.