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If you've been around the health and wellness scene for any amount of time, chances are you're very familiar with probiotics. But what are prebiotics?
What are prebiotics for? And what are the best probiotics to choose? Why are they important for our health? In this video we're going to be answering all of this and more, coming right up!
Hi, I'm Steph, Wellness Consultant at The Healthy Place, Wisconsin's number one vitamin and nutrition store, where we're passionate about helping people learn, grow and create their best life possible. If you're new here, consider subscribing!
Okay, so first of all, when talking about prebiotics, its helpful to start at gut health. By definition, our gastrointestinal system or GI Systems, also known as our digestive system, includes our esophagus, stomach and intestines. Now sometimes the food we eat doesn't move smoothly through the digestion process, as I'm sure you've experience from time to time. The worst is when it happens with our favorite foods.
But of course, what happens in our GI system also effects our immune system and its ability to fight off illnesses. To help the digestive process and keep our immune system helaty, we need a good balance of bacteria in our GI system.
So, let's get on with the topic at hand: What are prebiotics for?
After all, they're not bacteria. Prebiotics work hand in hand with probiotics to encourage the growth of good bacteria in the gut. They do this by serving as the fuel or food for the good bacteria and probiotics. That's right, the good bacteria feed on prebiotics.
Pregiotics are a type of fiber your body can't digest, but it's perfect for the bacteria in your gut. So why are prebiotics important? Because that fuel helps the good bacteria multiply, which helps ensure the bacterial balance of a healthy gut. Here's a simple way of looking at this: probiotics = good bacteria. Prebiotics = the food for good bacteria.
Now, in a moment, I'll give some suggestions for the best prebiotic supplements, but let's remember that a healthy and balanced diet is the best way to receive the nutrients your body needs to function properly. That's why our answer to "What are the best prebiotics?" is going to be food, first and foremost.
Prebiotics can be found in a variety of foods with specific dietary fibers: garlic, onions, leeks, leafy greens, asparagus, bananas, and legumes such as beans, chickpeas or lentils. These are all wonderful sources of prebiotics. Please note: all prebiotics are fiber, but not all fiber is prebiotic, so choose your fibers wisely if you want to include your gut health.
Now, for one reason or another, many of us find that our diets are lacking the necessary requirements for prebiotics and probiotics to maintain optimal health. In this case, supplements are a great way to get the levels that we need to maintain or improve our gut health.
So what are prebiotic supplements? Our favorite prebiotic supplements that we like to use and recommend at The Healthy Place are HCP Formulas Abzorb Vitmain & Nutrient Optimizer and Country Life Gut Connection. These prebiotic supplements support a healthy GI pH and microflora balance, optimize nutrient absorption and help reduce gut discomfort. So if you're struggling with bloating or bowel issues, you may want to give one of these a try.
You can visit the links in the show notes to learn more about these prebiotic supplements, and discover which one is right for you. We have a LiveChat feature on our website where you can connect to a trained Wellness Consultant who can help answer any questions you may have.
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