4 Ways to Reduce Bad Bacteria in Your Gut

4 Ways to Reduce Bad Bacteria in Your Gut

Our bodies are amazing. How we maintain our bodies is amazing too. Through eating a variety of different foods, we support our structure, muscle, organs, tissues, cells and overall health. Our digestive system makes this happen, but some of the most important functions are actually controlled by trillions of organisms that do not share our DNA.Bacterial Health

Enter: Gut Bacteria.

Throughout our digestive tract we have trillions of bacteria with most being found in the large intestine. There are so many bacteria that they actually outnumber human cells by about 1.3 to 1. This means that a 150 lb man has 30 trillion human cells and 39 trillion bacterial cells. That ratio seems absurd, but a lot of human cells (especially muscle or fat cells) are many times larger than typical bacterial cells. This explains how 2 pounds of bacterial cells can outnumber 148 pounds of human cells. Along with amount, most people have over one thousand different kinds of bacteria, built up over time through diet, environment and lifestyle. Since there are so many bacteria, we can think of them as another organ. Both their numbers and location in the body means that they can influence our digestion, immune system, weight, cravings, mood and overall health.

You may be familiar with good bacteria and bad bacteria. By comparing the two types, it will help give context to the role of bacteria in our body and what we can do to be healthy.

Let’s start with ‘Bad Bacteria.’

Bad bacteria are already present in our bodies but can enter in through the diet or environment as well. Typically, bad bacteria cause problems when our good bacteria is compromised in some way and they seize the opportunity to cause some damage. This can happen when someone takes powerful antibiotics, which kill off good bacteria; or more gradually, if someone eats a diet that promotes the proliferation of bad bacteria.

When bad bacteria take over.

Infection and Disease: Bad bacteria can attack the lining of our digestive tract causing disease and illness like diarrhea and irritable bowel or worse.

Increased inflammation: Bad bacteria release toxins which contribute to systemic inflammation throughout our bodies. This inflammation also affects fat cells which leads to…

Here is where it gets diabolical…

Increased risk of obesity and diabetes: Inflamed fat cells, caused by toxin producing bacteria, are more prone to expand in size and divide into more fat cells. Along with inflammation, bad bacteria suppresses fat metabolism, increases fat storage and lowers insulin sensitivity. This further contributes to fat gain as well as harming the body’s metabolism leading towards diabetes.

Intense cravings and impaired cognitive function: Our gut has the enteric nervous system, also called the second brain which communicates and influences our brain and central nervous system. Bad bacteria can hijack this network and really make life difficult. Bad bacteria can increase cravings for junk food making it an unfair battle against our will power. They also can make us feel really bad if we don’t give in to the cravings. Along with feeling bad and having intense cravings, there’s evidence that bad bacteria can impair our brain’s executive function as well. This means that our normal ability to set goals, remember things, exercise self control, follow through with plans, and function, is decreased!

The good news is that we can reverse these negatives and establish a healthy culture of good bacteria in our bodies. Good bacteria work to reverse all of the above and promote health in awesome ways. They prevent bad bacteria from taking over and neutralize toxins released by bad bacteria. They help maintain the integrity of our digestive system and promote healthy digestion. They promote healthy weight and reduce inflammation.

Here’s how to improve your bacterial health.

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  1. Eat vegetables with each meal (raw, locally grown if possible)
    Vegetables are the finest food for good bacteria. The fibrous part of plants pass through us undigested until it reaches the large intestine and is then fermented by the bacteria. When the bacteria is ‘eating’ the fiber, they produce short chain fatty acids which are involved in many of the healthy benefits listed above.
  2. Focus on fiber with each meal
    While the vegetable recommendation is more specific, focusing on fiber in general will ensure that good bacteria are getting plenty of food. But don’t do too much too soon. Focus on one meal at a time, gradually increasing fiber over time. This could mean switching to whole grains at breakfast or including more veggies with lunch.
  3. Eat a wide variety of fibrous foods
    The amount of fiber you get is important, but so is the source. By having a variety of foods, you can help support a diverse bacterial ecosystem which means better health and digestion.
  4. Limit sugary and fatty foods and resist the cravings
    Easier said than done, but the more you resist cravings, the easier it becomes. There will always be a peak with cravings that can feel unbearable, but it will subside with time. It’s okay and important to enjoy delicious treats from time to time, but if it feels like you can’t go on with having something sweet, you may need to tone down your intake and practice denying yourself. Again, it’ll get easier, and you’ll be able to thwart and diminish bad bacteria’s ability to mess you up!

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