A well-kept digestive system is essential to living a comfortable and healthy lifestyle, as digestion plays a vital role in our everyday lives. From eliminating waste in the gut and absorbing wholesome nutrients, a strong digestive system can lead to positive changes in your overall wellness.
However, research shows that 40% of Americans live with some type of digestive problem that impacts their ability to go about their day without an uncomfortable disruption, like bloating, constipation, or other strained bowel symptoms.
Thankfully, probiotics can assist. Having a better understanding of the role probiotics play in regulating the digestive system can be a simple fix to some of these common bowel problems. Let’s take a closer look at the importance of probiotics for digestion.
Are Probiotics Good for Digestion?
Probiotics are made of good bacteria; they’re beneficial for the body because they balance out the bad bacteria that exist within the gut. Probiotics encourage the elimination of the extra bad bacteria that might be the cause of things like unsatisfying sleep, sour mood, and even poor digestion.
But how exactly do probiotics help with digestion? Probiotics don’t break down or digest food the same way enzymes do; digestive enzymes break down the foods we eat into smaller particles, making it easier to absorb the nutrients. Probiotics create that strong environment for proper nutrient absorption, ultimately aiding the digestion process.
Probiotics have also been known to lower pH levels in the colon, according to Healthline. This can make it easier for stool to pass through the colon, making for more pleasant and comfortable digestion.
Similarly, probiotics have a reputation for treating diarrhea. Taking a probiotic supplement can help mitigate instances of infectious diarrhea, diarrheal disease, and antibiotics-associated diarrhea, all conditions that can be sure signs of an unbalanced gut microbiome.
Probiotics and Digestion: The Science
Maintaining a healthy digestive tract goes beyond the desire to have comfortable bowel movements. Good bacteria that populate the digestive tract help to maintain the overall gut environment, providing a general boost to your holistic health. But one of the benefits of taking probiotics to improve digestion is that good bacteria can stick to the walls of the digestive tract, providing a protective barrier that prevents onset of intestinal inflammation.
Researchers at the Digestive Health Research Center of the University of Virginia Health System found that probiotics can stimulate innate immune functions within the digestive tract, working hard as first responders to reduce cases of intestinal inflammation. The researchers stated that probiotics may be a consideration for slowing the progression of intestinal disorders that lead to poor digestion, such as inflammatory bowel diseases like Crohn’s.
Other Ways to Aid Healthy Digestion
Taking a probiotic supplement may be one of the easiest ways to prioritize your gut health and digestive behaviors. However, there are other simple changes you can make in your lifestyle that can lead to improved digestion. Here are some examples to consider:
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Follow a whole food diet. A diet that’s high in refined carbs, saturated fat, and food additives can cause a slew of digestive disorders, gut inflammation, weight gain, and other issues that can make it difficult to thrive and feel your best.
Removing processed foods from your diet is a strong first step, and migrating to wholesome, healthy eating habits is next. Following a diet that’s low in additives and high in nutritional content and fiber, such as fruits, vegetables, lean meats, whole grains, nuts, and seeds, can make a big difference in your digestive patterns.
- Drink plenty of water. Did you know that dehydration can lead to constipation? The fluids you consume have a big impact on your digestive system. Increasing your water intake and staying away from fluids that contain too much caffeine or carbohydrates can be a simple fix.
- Exercise on a regular basis. While dedicating time to exercise is great for general physical and mental wellness, it can have a direct impact on digestive health as well. Moderate exercise increases blood flow to the muscles all over the body, and this includes the digestive tract, which can ultimately make it easier for foods to move along during the digestive process.
- Prioritize relaxation and good sleep habits. Too much stress and not enough sleep aren’t good for any part of the body, the digestive system included. Long-term stress and sleep deprivation can both have a negative impact on digestion and lead to gastrointestinal conditions like diarrhea, constipation, IBS, and ulcers. Always set aside time for relaxation and create a sleep routine to promote better rest.
- Incorporate probiotic foods into your diet, too. A whole food diet can lead to better digestion, but adding probiotic foods in can make a bigger difference. Foods like yogurt, kefir, and sauerkraut are rich in beneficial bacteria, and when added to your diet, may be a useful tool for better digestion. Good probiotics for digestion exist in both food and supplement forms.
Take Nella for a Spin
Are you looking for the best probiotics for digestion? Nella supports a healthy gut microbiome, creating the ideal environment to perform optimal digestion.
Made with our patented next-generation Lactobacillus probiotic strains sourced from the guts of the healthiest people, Nella is a revolutionary daily probiotic that can transform your sleep patterns, energy levels, and overall digestion. Subscribe to Nella today to take control of your digestive tract and improve your own overall health and wellness.