We all know the importance of gut health to avoid cramping and discomfort

We all know the importance of gut health to avoid cramping and discomfort. But did you know that most of your immune system is facing inwards around your gut? This makes sense when we consider that “clean” food and modern food safety measures are very recent. Don’t get me wrong, I am glad not to get food poising every year, I’m just saying that we need to eat some bacteria, preferably “good” ones.

Antibiotics, stress and poor diet can all lead to a gut microbe imbalance that doesn’t favour you, the host.

Sometimes this imbalance can cause the immune system to overreact to substances that are not otherwise harmful. This overreaction is an allergy.

Sometimes the gut microbes can suppress the immune system and allow disease to develop.

Effective probiotic products provide a range of probiotic microbes that “negotiate” an arrangement with the immune system. This can lead to reduced over and under reacting to allergens and disease.

The inclusion of high-quality plant fibre in the diet generally favours “good” microbes. Vegetables, fruit and nuts are excellent sources of this.

So, if we wish to have high health, lower allergies and good immune systems, include high-quality plant fibre, fermented foods and probiotics in the diet. It won’t necessarily stop you from catching a disease but it will help you onto the quickest road to recovery.