WHAT DO WE MEAN BY DIGESTIVE HEALTH? Having good digestive health basically means that food is being properly broken down and absorbed. Malaysia has been reporting an alarming increase of health complications stemming from poor eating habits such as binge eating, consuming oily and fatty foods, eating late at night which has become a great cause for concern that can contribute to poor digestive health.
Do you know that there are 100 trillion microorganisms that live in your intestines?
By microorganisms, we mean in simple terms bacteria….. A balance ratio of bacteria present in the GI tract plays a crucial role in digestive health. When there is an imbalance of beneficial bacteria and bad bacteria in our digestive tract, this affects the health of the digestive tract. It is important to ensure a balance ratio of 85% of good bacteria to 15% of bad bacteria in your stomach and keep the imbalance of microflora at bay!
An unhealthy digestive tract due to an imbalance of microflora (bacteria) in the gastrointestinal tract (GI Tract) or digestive tract leads to a host of problems. These include gastrointestinal issues such as diarrhea, constipation, bloating, flatulence, IBS (irritable bowel syndrome which has all the symptoms mentioned earlier. If unhealthy, our digestive system functions similarly to being caught in traffic. Meaning stuck!
Boosting the numbers of “good” bacteria in our bodies with probiotics or healthy bacteria is the way to go to ensure a smooth journey ahead!
Good bacteria, the digestive tract for a smoother flow as it protects the gut. Nowadays, the most widely used and accepted definition of probiotics is defined as “live microorganisms which, when consumed in adequate amount, confer a health benefit to the host” that proposed by a joint FAO/WHO panel.
How do we ensure or how do we choose products with live probiotics?
3 main criteria for choosing the right probiotics.
- Live microbes with correct storage method
- Adequate amount with correct CFU
- Health benefits which are clinically proven and strain specific
What is CFU? Probiotics are measured in colony forming units (CFU).
Different probiotics have been shown to be effective at different levels. The dose needed for probiotics varies greatly depending on the strain and product. Hence, CFU is not equal to the product efficacy.
Many probiotic bacteria are naturally sensitive to heat and moisture. Heat can kill organisms and moisture can activate them within pills, only to die due to lack of nutrients and a proper environment. Hence, storage temperature has substantial impact on maintaining viability of probiotic bacteria. By keeping probiotic in the refrigerator could help to slow down its maturation and prolong its viability. Through maintaining the storage temperature at below 3–4°C could increase the probiotic survival especially L. acidophilus and bifidobacterial.
In summary, to maintain good digestive health, drink plenty on water, have a healthy diet, eats lots of fibre rich food, exercise and last but not least top up with good bacteria
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