Courtesy image
By LAURA LEONARD
Doctor of Chiropractic
Los Alamos
We’ve all heard of probiotics; the good bacteria, like lactobacillus that live in our gut. We get probiotics by taking supplements or by eating yogurt containing live bacteria.
Probiotics are often recommended after a course of antibiotics because they are known to disrupt the bacterial balance in our gut.
Prebiotics are the foods that feed the good bacteria residing in our gut.
Why are the good bacteria and the food that feeds them so important to our health? For obvious reasons, if the good guys get out of balance then the bad guys take over. A healthy gut balance or microbiome is an important part of our mental and immune health.
The good bacteria in our gut make roughly 95 percent of the neurotransmitter serotonin in our body and an imbalanced gut can lead to depression as well as a multitude of other issues.
In addition, 70 percent of our immune system is in the gut. Good bacteria are located on the outside lining of the intestines and our immune cells are located on the inside. When the gut is balanced, the immune system is not triggered. If it is out of balance the immune system reacts. Autoimmune diseases and allergies result from overactive immunity and can be triggered or made worse by a gut microbiome imbalance.
So how can you improve your microbiome? There has been much debate about whether taking probiotics or live good bacteria is useful. Probiotics degrade if they sit on the shelf and I think getting them in yogurt or kefir is better. Prebiotics are food for the good bacteria and should be included in the diet as well as taken in supplement form. I personally take a supplement formula that includes both, drink kefir, eat organic Greek yogurt and include prebiotic rich foods in my diet.
If you are struggling with immune health issues and are interested in what your microbiome looks like, there are several companies who offer lab tests and supplement recommendations based on your results. One of these is local and I have several patients who have had good success with this approach.
About Dr. Laura Leonard:
Dr. Leonard’s practice focuses on posture and performance using a combination of soft tissue release, adjustments and exercise recommendations. She also coaches patients on nutrition, selfcare and body awareness so they can manage themselves between visits. Los Alamos Chiropractic Center is in the Mary Deal Building on Trinity Drive.
