First, a short introduction to the trillions of microscopic creatures that live in your gut. You can call them bacteria superheroes. These magical little critters can perform multiple tasks. They can break down and digest food, communicate with the immune system, and even keep inflammation at bay.
Prebiotics & Probiotics
There are two methods to maintain the balance among the nearly 1,000 different bacteria residing in your gut. You can support the existing microbes’ growth by providing them the foods they prefer (prebiotic). Or you can add living bacteria to the system (probiotic).
Probiotics
are live bacteria found in foods and supplements, such as yogurt with live cultures, fermented foods such as kimchi, sauerkraut, kefir, or kombucha tea.
Prebiotics
are the food source for the bacteria in the intestinal tract (mainly fiber). Various foods naturally contain prebiotics include oats, legumes, and different fruits and vegetables.
There are also many kinds of available probiotic and prebiotic supplements. If you consider taking a supplement or modifying your diet to include pre or probiotic foods, first discuss it with your healthcare team.
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