Probiotics and Gut Health
Did you know that your gastrointestinal tract (gut) is home to more than 1,000 species of bacteria? In fact, there are so many microbes in your gut that together they can weigh over two pounds! (1) While it might seem scary to think of your body as a host to these microscopic critters, fear not! These little guys are earning their keep!
Did you know that your gastrointestinal tract (gut) is home to more than 1,000 species of bacteria? In fact, there are so many microbes in your gut that together they can weigh over two pounds! (1) While it might seem scary to think of your body as a host to these microscopic critters, fear not! These little guys are earning their keep! Your colony of gut flora is working hard all day playing a critical role in your health. Maintaining a healthy microbiome (aka gut bacteria) is critical for proper digestion, immune function, and new research suggests that these tiny bugs impact insulin resistance, inflammation, and even obesity. (2) While each of us has a slightly different family of microbes in our intestines, there are many common factors that can influence this delicate balance of bugs including diet, stress, medications, illness, and ingestion of other live microorganisms called probiotics.
Come learn about the tiny little friends in your gut, and how probiotics can play a big role in helping you achieve a healthy balance of gut microbes. Together we will look at the current research in the realm of probiotics to discover which microbes play an important role in preventing or improving certain health conditions. We will also take a look at a variety of products and foods that contain probiotics, and how you can make the best choices to support your tiny army of bugs for a better, healthier you!
Join Margaux Neveu, MS, RD, CSG, CSR, CDE a Registered Dietitian for a FREE Class all about Probiotics this Thursday (1/15) @ 6pm upstairs at Garnet.
1. Gut Microbiota Worldwatch. European Society of Neurogastroenterology and Motility. “Everything you always wanted to know about the Gut microbiota...”http://www.gutmicrobiotawatch.org/gut-microbiota-info/. Accessed 1/11/15.
2. P.J. Turnbaugh, R.E. Ley, M.A. Mahowald, V. Magrini, E.R. Mardis, J.I. Gordon. An obesity-associated gut microbiome with increased capacity for energy harvest. Nature, 444 (2006), pp. 1027–1031
