Did you know you are just as much bacteria as you are human cells? Trillions of species of bacteria live either on us or in us. They are essential to life and we form a symbiotic relationship with them. They have so many functions that without them we simply would not survive. As we experience this current outbreak of coronavirus, our immune health becomes even more important and these bacteria play a key role here.
Diversity for immune health
Without healthy gut flora, our immune system is compromised. However, newer research suggests that it is rarely one specific microbe that causes symptoms or disease, rather it is the complex interplay between the host (i.e. you!) and your entire microbiome. What we are seeking to achieve is a diverse ecosystem where lots of strains peacefully coexist and work hard on our behalf.
Fermented foods
Including some fermented foods in our diet is a wonderful way to encourage diversity. Fermented foods are foods that have been through a process of lacto fermentation in which natural bacteria feed on the sugar and starch in the food creating lactic acid. This process preserves the food and creates beneficial enzymes, b-vitamins and of course probiotics. These probiotics introduce beneficial bacteria into your digestive system and improve health and immune function.
Make at home
Fermented foods are cheap and easy to prepare. In fact, nothing could be easier than this probiotic cream cheese recipe. Get the kids involved in this one while we are all confined to home. It definitely falls into the education bracket too! This is a savory recipe, but it can be made sweet if you swap the herbs for some local honey and sprinkle with pomegranate seeds for an extra polyphenol boost.
In clinic, we use the GI Ecologix test to check levels of bacteria and other health markers including candida, parasites, gut inflammation and gut immune defences. Contact us to find out more, by calling us on 01 4020777, emailing us or book online now.
