Something we often don't realize is that our gut plays an important role in losing weight and maintaining it. This is because the composition of your gut bacteria largely determines how your body processes and stores food. Is your gut flora out of balance? Then you take in more calories than someone with healthy gut flora.
Lose weight? Why losing weight starts with healthy gut flora
Your intestines carry about 1.5 to 2 kilos of bacteria, and for a reason because they have a very important function. Among other things, they help with: the digestion of your food, production of certain vitamins and - very importantly - supporting the immune system. In fact, about 80 percent of all the cells of your immune system are located in the digestive tract.
In your intestinal wall, gut bacteria form a natural barrier against invaders. Good gut bacteria thus help your immune system better distinguish between pathogens and harmless antigens and respond appropriately to them. In your gut, in addition to "good" bacteria, "bad" bacteria also live. However, causes such as medication, toxins and too much sugar cause the good bacteria to become a minority, giving the bad bacteria, parasites and fungi more opportunity.
That the gut flora is therefore incredibly important should be obvious. The composition of the intestinal bacteria is slightly different for everyone. In most people in the Netherlands the intestinal flora is not in the best shape. Below you will find some tips to improve your intestinal flora. If you follow the NewFysic nutrition plan you will prevent many of the points below. If you suspect that your intestinal flora is out of balance, tell your coach!
1) Avoid large amounts of sugar
Lots of sugar and (processed) carbohydrates increase the number of fungi and certain "bad" bacteria that live off sugars. Too much sugar and refined products make our gut flora not very attractive to the good bacteria.
2) Vary in food products
A one-sided diet creates a one-sided gut flora and a low intake of substances that support gut health. The less variety, the less variety in bacterial strains. By eating a varied diet, you actually stimulate the good bacteria in your gut.
3) Eat fermented foods
Fermented foods are very important for getting the healthy lactic acid bacteria that make up a large part of healthy gut bacteria. Examples of fermented foods are sauerkraut, kefir, tempeh and kimchi.
4) Use a good probiotic
Probiotics are good bacteria that make the gut flora improve. By taking the synbiotic daily, you ensure that the gut flora improves and bad bacteria or fungi such as candida do not have a chance to get the upper hand.
5) Get enough dietary fiber
.Fiber is a food source for the good gut bacteria in the colon. Another important benefit of dietary fiber is that it reduces acidity in the intestines. This contributes to normal bacterial composition.
6) Reduce stress
Long-term stress undermines the proper functioning of your gut. This is because in a stressful situation, your body prioritizes enabling a flight or fight response and then puts other important processes in your body on hold, including your metabolism and nutrient absorption. Above all, try to avoid chronic stress as much as possible, or even better: accept stress situations and change your perception of stress. That way it will have much less impact on your health! Of course, this is always easier said than done. In any case, make sure that you build moments of conscious relaxation into your lifestyle in addition to all the exertion. Your NewFysic coach also has tips for this so consult her about it:-).
