We know that gut dysbiosis is in itself an imbalance of the digestive microflora and that this imbalance, for a variety of reasons, can affect the permeability of the intestinal wall, the degrading of foods which we eat and result in many different symptoms and illnesses.
One way that people can positively affect their symptoms is to control them by amending their dietary habits. An important factor here is to make sure you are starting off right: Cut out the processed and fast-foods and try and sustain a well-balanced diet. Your only additional expenditure here will be time. Then, to try and manage your own symptoms, you can embark on a diet which you find minimizes them. For many people this will actually be a case of trial and error but there are many suggested dietary regimes out there at the moment to give you some idea of where to start.
Readdressing the Balance
One other way you can approach the problem is simply to try and readdress the digestive balance – in short restore your good microflora. The more good microflora you have the more the pathogenic microflora will be overwhelmed. To say there is ‘strength in numbers’ really does apply in the case of digestion.
Although there is much said about food fermenting in the gut causing problems, don’t mistake this with ‘fermented foods’ causing problems. Fermented foods have been used for centuries not only as a method of preserving foods but also because their health benefits were well appreciated. Such products contain a high proportion of probiotics – the good guys of the mircroflora. Sauerkraut is packed full of such probiotics, as is yoghurt, propriatory probiotic drinks and other fermented products such as Kombucha and Kefir.
Kombucha is a fermented ‘tea’ product. But don’t let the word tea mislead you. It is actually derived from a type of fungus. The health benefits of Kombucha are widely attributed to the fermentation process it goes through in addition to the acidity of the liquid itself.
Kefir in particular is causing a stir. It seems that this fermented yoghurt drink can provide you with a proportion of good bacteria which far outweigh that of standard probiotics in both numbers and strains and, although well known in some regions of the world, it is relatively new to those of us in the West.
Other factors you can include in your diet are apple cider vinegar or a supplement such as betaine hydrochloride. These raise the pH of the stomach acid and help in the initial process of digesting food. For many, particularly in a time when high stomach acid appears to be causing so many problem, this may seem a strange thing to suggest – to increase the acidity of stomach acid. However back in the early 1900s and indeed well before that, a condition called achlorhydria or hypochlorhydria, was also known to exist. This condition, (for the terms themselves are simply a description of either no stomach acid or low stomach acid), was a recognized causation in many illnesses. In fact it was considered at the time to be a major cause of depression1. Today much confusion arises between low and high stomach acid and this is because the primary symptom of both is the same – indigestion.
The only problem with simply topping up stomach acid levels is that the actual physical release system in the body triggers a variety of other mechanisms. For example the enzyme pepsin is released when stomach acid is released and this particular enzyme is essential for helping to break down proteins. Simply increasing the stomach acid acidity may help to a great degree but it won’t trigger the other mechanisms which normally happen and although apple cider vinegar is highly unlikely to produce adverse effects, betaine hydrochloride is a strong supplement particularly if used in isolation. It is therefore advisable to purchase this product to seek out one which also contains other enzymes including pepsin.
Apple cider vinegar also helps to top up that stomach acid naturally and, if some of your problems are caused by low stomach acid pH is likely to ease digestive discomfort and assist in absorption. However it is always best to buy products which are natural and unrefined. Look for Apple Cider Vinegar with Mother to ensure you get a product which is as natural as possible and also, of course, one which does not contain any additives.
Freshly squeezed lemon juice added to a cup of water may also assist. The pH of lemon juice being around 2 which is higher than other fruit juices such as orange which are around 4 and contain more sugar.
Supplements for Dysbiosis
There is also now a broad range of supplements available to top up your probiotic levels. Some of these also include a prebiotic in the form of inulin. Prebiotics are compounds which don’t occur naturally inside the human body, they are fiber based and support the microflora residing in the digestive tract.
Perhaps the most effective way of helping your good microflora fight off the pathogenic kind, are probiotic supplements. Finding a good quality probiotic supplement can ensure that you top up a broad variety of beneficial strains of bacteria and fungi. This way the bad bacteria become overwhelmed and overgrowth is diminished. As a way of resolving the problem at source this is a very viable and convenient alternative.
Some supplements available today target broad range problems associated with bacterial overgrowth. For instance Canxida Restore contains not only probiotics including B. Bifidum but also a selection of enzymes which are part of the digestive community needed to degrade food. Even more interesting is that it also contains the probiotic L Acidophillus. This bacteria is thought to actually resist the effects of antibiotics – one of the major influencing factors in causing gut dysbiosis.
Other products target specific problems. For example Canxida Remove acts as an antifungal and antibacterial and contains only natural ingredients which are designed to eliminate candida overgrowth.
Foods to Eat
Many foods can be eaten by those with dysbiosis it is only certain ones which should be avoided.
However there are foods which can be seen to be beneficial.
Above I mentioned inulin which is a prebiotic. Other prebiotics are included in foods which you may now see under the headings of FOS (fructooligossacharides) and GOS (galactooligosaccharides). These aren’t actually foods which can be digested by your body but they can be used to ‘feed’ the microflora which are already there and assist them to function optimally. Bifidobacteria and lactobacilli, the two bacterial strains which are well known to assist digestion, are particularly fond of inulin, FOS and GOS and will thrive if you feed them. Similarly Canxida Restore, the product mentioned above, also works at optimum capacity when taken at the same time as foodstuffs containing prebiotics.
The main foods which provide us with prebiotics, are:
- Bananas
- Chicory
- Garlic
- Leeks
- Onions
- Milk
- Wheat
- Asparagus
- Artichokes
- Oats
So if you are taking a supplement such as Canxida Restore remember to take it with food such as banana or porridge to help maximize the benefits – if not for you, then for your microflora!
While you are experimenting with the suggestions above it has to be remembered that gut dysbiosis is not something which is reversed overnight. What you should expect to see is some level of improvement at least in digestive function and which will give you some indication you are on the right track.
Foods to Avoid
Some foods that are generally being accepted sensible to avoid if you are having digestive issues and particularly those which are fungal in nature, are:
- Refined products and primarily carbohydrates. Include in your list refined sugars, juices, white flour and white rice. Try and remember that although you may restrict them as individual foodstuffs they are contained in many products and it is wise to start reading ingredient lists.
- Any food which you know you are going to have a bad reaction to.
- Yeast products; which include things like Marmite and most stock cubes.
Remember to eat sensibly – don’t binge. Small amounts little and often give your gut a better chance to digest the food and are less likely to ferment it.
Choose the diet and supplement that your body (and mind) responds most positively to!
References
(1) http://www.gutpathogens.com/content/5/1/5