Feeding Your Flora with Prebiotics




Intestinal microflora are "good" bacteria that live in our large intestines.

They help produce nutrients that our bodies can use by breaking

down unabsorbed portions of food. Our gut has about 10 times more

bacterial cells than the total number of cells in our entire body.



 Very rarely do we ever think of our bodies as a kind of universe to other living organisms, yet we are host to about ten trillion microorganisms. Almost all of them never see the outside of our bodies. They live and die in their own world. When we die, their universe ends (crazy to contemplate, eh?).

Those microorganisms that contribute to our health are referred to as microflora. They are the "good" bacteria and should be nurtured so that they can promote good health. These bacteria "break down indigestible dietary substances, improve the digestion and absorption of essential nutrients, synthesize some vitamins, and metabolize harmful substances" (Nutrition Science and Applications, 93). A large population of "good" bacteria keep the bad ones at bay; they are the police force of our gastrointestinal tract. To put it simply, they do the body good. So, why not encourage our bacteria to make themselves at home? 

One way to do this is by consuming foods with probiotics naturally occuring in them; this is referred to as probiotic therapy. Probiotics are simply another way to say "good" bacteria. Products like yogurt naturally contain these bacteria, and probiotic supplements are capsules filled with colonies of these bacteria. When consumed, some of these organisms survive the long trip down to our large intestine. Those that do live temporarily in the colon before they are forced to exit the body (you can guess how). It is believed that probiotics may "relieve constipation, reduce allergy symptoms, modify the risk of colon cancer, and affect body weight" (Nutrition Science and Applications, 93). The downside? They don't stay in the body very long. Trying to constantly supply your body with new bacteria can get expensive as supplements tend to be pricey.

There is an alternative: promote the growth of healthy bacteria by giving them prebiotics. Prebiotics are indigestible carbohydrates that serve as food for the bacteria, which in turn stimulate the growth of these bacteria. Prebiotics are found naturally in leeks, bananas, asparagus, chicory, Jerusalem artichokes, garlic, artichokes,onions, wheat and oat, and soybeans, among others. If you have a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, you'll have a wide variety of indigestible carbohydrates. If that doesn't "float your boat," there are also supplements that contain prebiotics.

Though further research is still needed to understand the specific health benefits of these bacteria, in the meantime, be assured that these bacteria are helping you stay healthy and operating at your best.

Feel free to feed your flora.

Where's MY User's Guide?

I don't know about you, but I would sure like a "Life for Dummies" book. Too often I feel we are thrust out into the world and forced to "figure it out" on our own. Not to say that's necessarily a bad thing; some lessons have to be learned on our own. But a nudge in the right direction would be nice. And I guess that's what I want this blog to be: a nudge, a push even. But instead of a guidebook on life (for could you ever really explain everything about life in a single book?), I'd like this to be a guidebook for nutrition. I'm here to answer you basic every day questions about your body and your diet.

I believe that it is important to understand our bodies and how they function, and nutrition is part of that understanding. If we don't know that our stomach growling means we need food, then how can we ever hope to operate at our highest potential? Often we distance ourselves from our bodies, referring to it as something we need to fix or change. But we are our bodies. If our bodies aren't healthy, we can only be so successful. Sure, maybe being a weightlifter isn't your lifelong goal, but don't you think knowing how to take care of your body will help you towards whatever dreams you may have?

I'd like this blog to address a lot of the misconceptions about food and diets, and I want to do so in the most relatable way possible. Because, yes, we could all go to the library and do research and learn how to eat the "right" things and exercise the "right" way, but when it comes down to it, we have better things to do. It just so happens that informing others of nutrition and their health is my "better thing to do."

I encourage all who read this blog to ask me questions. I am not an expert (yet; I plan to become a Registered Dietician), but I do love this material and am willing to research the right information. Feel free to copy anything in my blog. Information, I believe, should be accessible to everyone. So, please, pass it on.

Body 101: What I Learned Today

Since I believe that understanding one's body (and

 its needs) is important to overall health and happiness, I wanted to share this with the people I care about. I read posts on Facebook about people trying to "get healthy," "lose weight," and "eat better" all the time. As my good friend Spock always says, we all want to "live long and prosper." So, I wanted to help those interested in doing so by providing information now and then. I'm not trying to preach or anything. I just really like learning about this stuff (I think I want to pursue this as a career) and it helps me to type it up and share it with others. Plus, as I said before, I feel this information is important and I would be upset with myself if I didn't share it with you. 

• There are 45 essential nutrients that must be provided in the diet because the body either cannot make them or cannot mke them in sufficient quantities to satisfy its needs.
• There are 6 classes of nutrients: carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, water, vitamins, and minerals.
• Diets high in saturated fats increase the risk of heart disease whereas those high in monosaturated and polyunsturated fats may reduce risks.
• Protein is needed for growth and maintenance of body structures and regulation of body processes.
• Malnutrition (which includes both undernutrition and overnutrition) can affect our health today and can impact our health 20, 30, or 40 years from now.
• Too little calcium in the teenage years causes no immediate symptoms but can cause bones to be weak and break too easily when people reach their fifties or sixties.
• Over 65% of the U.S. population is overweight.
• Your genetic makeup determines the impact a certain nutrient will have on you.
• A healthy diet is one that provides the right amount of energy to keep weight in the desirable range; the proper types and balance of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats; plenty of water; and sufficient but not excessive amounts of essential vitamins and minerals. A healthy diet is rich in nutrient-dense foods.
• Eating a variety of foods helps ensure an adequate nutrient intake. Variety means including grains, vegetables, fruits, dairy products, and meats in the diet.
• Any food can be part of a healthy diet as long as overall intake over the course of days, weeks, and months provides enouch of all of the nutrients needed without excess of any.
• There is no such thing as a good food or a bad food--only healthy diets and unhealthy diets.
• Moderation means everything is okay, as long as you don't overdo it.
• When judging nutrition claims, first consider whether the information makes sense and whether it comes from a reliable source, such as educational institutions and government and nonprofit organizations. Individual testimonies cannot be trusted because they have not been tested by experimentation.