Holiday Treats and Your Gut

The holiday season can oftentimes turn into a dessert buffet. It’s a season filled with parties, gatherings and then more parties. And without proper digestive support, it’s a season that can wreak havoc on our digestion.

While our taste buds celebrate the season of cookies, fudge, and pie, our gut microbiome has a different opinion. Our gut microbiome is composed of over 1,000 species of the tens of trillions of small organisms (bacteria and other microscopic living things). These handy helpers play an important role in digestion, nutrient absorption, and overall health.

The truth is too much junk food devastate our gut microbes which can leave you feeling sluggish and a little ill. So, what can we do to keep these precious microbes healthy this holiday season? Here are a few tips for you!

• Practice moderation: By all means, enjoy some of your favorite holiday dishes and desserts but be sure to keep moderation in mind.
• Eat fermented foods: Add some kefir, yogurt or raw sauerkraut to your diet. Many fermented foods contain healthy bacteria and they can help reduce harmful bacteria in the gut.
• Eat foods rich in prebiotics: Load up on foods rich in prebiotics, the fiber that helps in the growth of healthy bacteria. Examples of foods that contain prebiotics include bananas, oats, and apples.
• Take probiotic supplements: Supplements such as Spectrabiotic^® contain different live bacteria that can help restore your gut to a healthy state. Probiotic supplements do this by reseeding your gut with healthy microbes.

Enjoy the holiday season and all that brings while keeping your gut microbiome healthy!