In recent times, we have heard loads about gut health and how important it is in the overall maintenance of health. As Hippocrates once said, “all disease begins in the gut.” Now, thousands of years later, it seems that science has caught up.
Your gastrointestinal tract is essential in digesting and absorbing nutrients; in maintaining a healthy immune system, as 70-80% of your immune cells are in your gut; and in the regulation of hormones. Many diseases have been attributed to poor intestinal health, therefore it is crucial to ensure your gut is in optimum condition.
Eating a diet that is high in fibre, both soluble and insoluble, is crucial in maintaining a healthy gut. Fibre decreases bowel transit time, removing toxic waste quickly and efficiently, it aids in the elimination of cholesterol and decreases the chance of it recycling back through the liver. It enables beneficial bacteria to feed, encouraging the growth of good bacteria, which is shown to reduce gastrointestinal issues such as bloating, flatulence, pain and discomfort. Reducing inflammation in the gut is important as it can cause damage to the intestinal lining, contributing to intestinal hyper-permeability.
Incorporating plenty of foods that are high in resistance starch such as legumes, beans, cooked and cooled rice and potatoes, oats, green bananas, and lentils is important in the production of short chain fatty acids, which provides fuel for and encourages the growth of beneficial bacteria.
A healthy gut should have minimal negative symptoms such as bloating, flatulence, nausea, pain, cramping, diarrhoea and constipation. There should be a higher proportion of beneficial bacteria, prebiotic rich fibres, short chain fatty acids and it should be free from an overgrowth of yeasts and other harmful bacteria, leaving you feeling more energetic and lighter.
Activated charcoal is an effective binder that helps to attach to the surface of toxins, effectively dragging them from the body. It is beneficial in the treatment of gastrointestinal disturbances such as irritable bowel syndrome, and its accompanying symptoms of abdominal pain and bloating, flatulence and fluctuating bowel movements. It is also helpful in reducing flatulence, bloating and abdominal cramping after consuming a carbohydrate loaded meal.
Wonder Foods Activated Charcoal contains activated charcoal and the herbs:
- Peppermint: has powerful anti-spasmodic and carminative actions, which help to reduce any pain and discomfort associated with irritable bowel syndrome
- Papaya: contains a broad range of phytochemicals including papain which is very beneficial in digestion
- Ginger: has a wide range of actions such as spasmolytic, carminative and anti-inflammatory actions, providing a range of positive health benefits for the gastrointestinal tract
Wonder Foods Partially Hydrolysed Guar Gum is a water-soluble polysaccharide found in the seeds of the guar plant; its main component is galactomannan. It has been shown to increase levels of Bifidobacterium and Lactobacilli species (beneficial bacteria), increase levels of short chain fatty acids and significantly decrease the symptoms of irritable bowel such as bloating and gas.
Look at increasing the health of your gut, as science has now proven, a bountiful microbiome packed with pre-and probiotics has shown to improve your health in so many ways.
References available upon request
