How To Stay Healthy By Taking Care Of Your Intestinal Microflora
Did you know there is one and half kilos of bacteria in our intestines? Which is ten times more than the number of our body cells? Some even talk about the gut bacteria as a special organ because it is essentially important for our health, physical and also mental. According to the scientists there are direct links between immune system and the guts. The bacteria can fight diseases and produce hormones and enzymes important for our well-being. The more diverse the bacteria in our guts are the more healthy we stay. It is a symbioses between us and them and these good bacteria rely on us to be fed well. If not, they start dying, their community becomes poor and unable to support us.
What do the bacteria thrive on? They love fibre and fermented food. So make sure you have plenty of fruit and vegetables every day (preferably seasonal). Sourdough bread falls in the fermented food along with some cheeses, yogurt or buttermilk. Also wine or beer are fermented beverages and in little amount very beneficial. (Which is the good news!) Processed food is a killer but everything fresh and essential support the microflora in your guts.
Recently I read a few fascinating studies.
One of them was about Hadza people in Tanzania who are the last hunter-gatherers on the Earth. Hadza people eat only what they find and catch; roots, fruit, vegetables, wild honey, game. They live outdoor, having uninterrupted contact with earth and animals. Their microflora is much richer than of any other people and therefore they are free of the modern diseases like high pressure, diabetes or even cancer.
Another interesting study proved that people who like gardening have much better microflora than someone who lives in a city apartment. And that having pets also enriches guts bacteria.
When children are born, the very moment they come out, they collect their mother’s bacteria and this is very important for their future immunity. Nowadays, so many babies are born by a Cesarian section and for them the first immunity impact is lost.
All these facts are scientifically proven but there are mysteries that not even the researchers can explain. When a group of scientist researched bacteria that are produced in jars of pickles, they found out that jars made at home had much higher number of important bacteria than jars from a shop. Even if they were made exactly the same way. My theory is that love and care is what brings most benefits into all aspects of our lives. In this particular case it made the pickles produce better stuff. Which proves that homemade food will always be more special not only because it’s made with good ingredients but mostly because it’s made with love.
As says The Little Prince: “The most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or touched, they are felt with the heart.”
