Since I have been trying to restore my gut health, this week’s tips are all about probiotics and prebiotics.   Please note my disclaimer though for I am not a doctor.  Also, if you have anything to add on this area, please feel free to comment and add information.

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Disclaimer: This blog is a personal blog and used as a way of sharing and connecting with other readers. The posts, articles, and stories shared on the site are meant as a source of encouragement. In this challenging world of food allergies, I have found reaching out to other parents and people in my shoes to be extremely resourceful and inspiring. Therefore, I want to give back and do the same. The information on my blog is not intended as medical advice so as always, please consult with your doctor.

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The more and more I research and ask people about food allergies and health in general, the more and more I continue to hear about the benefits of adding probiotics to our diets. Whether you have food allergies or not, there is a lot of information out there stating the importance of having a healthy gut. I know that I need to continue to find ways to restore healthy bacteria in my own. Even though I have no food allergies, I do have some sensitivities to certain foods like yogurt and regular cow’s milk.

To add, one of the common theories of how to outgrow and/or prevent food allergies is to restore one’s gut by increasing the healthy bacteria in it.   To do this, we add allergen-free probiotics twice a day to my son’s sippy cups.  In addition, I have started to take a probiotic too and added some probiotic foods into my daily diet.

Since our goal is to strength our immune systems and improve our overall digestion, we are always looking for “gut-friendly” foods to help add good bacteria into our systems.

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The Basics

What are probiotics? Probiotics are “good” bacteria that control the growth of unhealthy bacteria in order to keep your digestive system strong.

What are prebiotics? Prebiotics are food for probitoics.  They cannot be digested by the human body; however, benefit it immensely.

Probiotics and prebiotics work together to help build and maintain a healthy digestive system and immune system.

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PROBIOTIC FOODS

1. Kefir
2. Kombucha
3. Miso
4. Sauerkraut
5. Yogurt
6. Tempeh
7. Sour Pickles
8. Kimchi
9. Sourdough bread
10. Soft cheeses like Gouda
11. Fermented meat, fish, and eggs
12. Cultured condiments
13. Pickled fruits and vegetables

PREBIOTIC FOODS

“Although all prebiotics are fiber, not all fiber is prebiotic.”

– Cited from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3705355/

Vegetables such as:

1. Raw Jerusalem artichokes
2. Raw chicory
3. Raw garlic
4. Raw or cooked onion
5. Raw leek
6. Raw dandelion greens
7. Asparagus
8. Beetroot
9. Fennel bulb
10. Peas (green and snow)
11. Sweetcorn
12. Cabbage
13. Brussels sprouts
14. Cauliflower
15. Collard greens
16. Kale
17. Radish
18. Rutabaga

Grains such as:

1. Rye bread & crackers
2. Barley
3. Pasta
4. Gnocchi
5. Wheat bread and bran
6. Oats
7. Couscous

Fruits include:

1. Pomegranate
2. Watermelon
3. Apples
4. Bananas
5. Nectarines
6. White Peaches

Legumes include:

1. Chickpeas
2. Lentils
3. Soybeans
4. Beans

Nuts include:

1. Cashews
2. Pistachio
   

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Helpful Probiotic Sources:

http://dailyburn.com/life/health/foods-with-probiotics/

http://www.webmd.com/digestive-disorders/probiotics-15/slideshow-probiotics

http://www.drperlmutter.com/eat/brain-maker-foods/

http://www.webmd.com/vitamins-and-supplements/nutrition-vitamins-11/probiotics

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Helpful Prebiotic Sources:

http://www.med.monash.edu.au/cecs/gastro/prebiotic/faq/

http://www.drperlmutter.com/eat/brain-maker-foods/

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3705355/

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Working to restore and maintain our gut health, we smile on with a little extra good bacteria today and every day for now on…