Probiotics or the “healthy” bugs found in our stomachs are well known for being the main players in keeping our digestive and immune systems running strong. However, new research is showing that these little buggas are responsible for whole-body health including our ability to lose weight. They are even responsible for keeping the weight off of our mid-sections, which is one of the most dangerous places for holding excess weight.
All this from teeny tiny bugs?
How do they do it?
By keeping our hormones in check.
The hormones ghrelin and leptin send signals to our mind when we feel hungry and full. When these hormones are out of line, we tend to overeat leading to weight gain. When our gut has a healthy “microflora” or when the healthy bacteria are doing their job our hormones function properly. Unfortunately, many people do not have a healthy microflora due to eating processed foods, taking antibiotics, eating dairy and meat products raised on hormones and antibiotics, and drinking carbonated beverages. To sum it all up, the Standard American Diet is detrimental to our microflora!
The probiotics lactobacillus fermentum and lactobacillus amylovorus have been found to interfere with the absorption of calories meaning less calories are being stored as abdominal fat.
Hello bikini season, bring on the bugs!
Not only do probiotics boost our immunity, fuel our digestive health, aid in weight reglulation, they also give us energy! When we have a healthy microflora, our digestion is running at top speed leaving more energy for us to burn doing the things we love! Sounds to good to be true, right? It’s not! It’s a beautiful symbiotic system that was designed to keep us healthy, happy and radiantly energized!
Where do I find these healthy bugs?
You can build up a healthy microflora by taking a probiotic supplement or consuming fermented foods such as yogurt, kefir, tempeh, miso and kombucha.
~Add kefir to your morning smoothies, make overnight oats with yogurt, add tempeh to salads, enjoy a tall glass of kombucha or eat miso soup daily~
www.beginwithinnutrition.com