Do Probiotics Boost Your Immune Function?

Yes, they do.

But you have to get your gut flora into shape to reap the rewards. Your stomach health is the nucleus of your overall wellbeing—it’s where the action happens. 

The human gut needs nurturing. Your gut microbes will digest the food you eat so the nutrients can zoom around your system to promote your overall health. This includes supporting a healthy heart, brain, and immune system.

If you have an imbalance of unhealthy and healthy bacteria in the intestines, it can cause pesky issues like weight gain, high blood sugar, high cholesterol, and other health issues.

Your gut plays an essential role in supporting your immune health. So, looking after your stomach health will open you up to a treasure trove of body-boosting benefits.. 

And the good news is… probiotics can help.

What are probiotics?

Probiotics are live microorganisms that live in your digestive system and help to support your health. They’re often referred to as friendly bacteria, and they can be ingested from the food you eat or through supplementation. 

Probiotics can provide various health benefits, particularly for immune health. Consuming probiotics regularly will help you to improve your gut biome and tilt the balance of healthy bacteria in your favour.  

Probiotics help maintain a healthy balance of friendly bacteria and improve your gut flora, which is essential for proper digestion, nutrient absorption, and immunity.

How do probiotics help with immunity?

Around 70% of your immune system is located in your gut,  so keeping your gut in shape is essential to maintain a healthy gut.  

Studies show that probiotics help by fighting inflammation in the gut and stimulating protective responses. 

Here are other ways that probiotics can level up your immune system.

Strengthening the gut 

Including probiotics in your diet can help to maintain a healthy gut lining. This helps protect you against toxins and other harmful substances from entering your bloodstream.

Improving your immune response

By reducing inflammation, probiotics can help immune responses in your body. This means that when inflammation comes knocking, your immune system will be better equipped to fight against pathogens.

Stimulating antibodies

Probiotics can also enhance the production of immune cells, which fight infections and support overall health. Bonus.

Fighting against harmful bacteria

Friendly bacteria will compete with harmful bacteria for essential nutrients, and it’s essential that the ‘good guys’ win. Having a healthy amount of probiotics in your system means the odds are stacked in your favour.

What’s the best way to boost your immunity through probiotics?

Your gut plays an essential role in your health by helping control digestion, benefiting your immune system, and promoting many other aspects of health. The best way forward is to improve your gut flora naturally.

Your immune system is directly influenced by your diet and lifestyle. So adding some probiotic foods and a supplement to your diet will help support your health. 

Ditching bad lifestyle habits will help further. If you can give yourself some TLC in the shape of exercise, stress management, and quality sleep—you’ll be doing your gut flora  a huge favour.

The importance of gut health for immunity

Immunity starts in the gut as it’s your first defense against bacteria and viruses. Whether they get into your system will depend on the health of your human gut microbiota. 

There are many bacterial species present in your system and these gut microbes form a defense in the gut barrier to protect you against harmful pathogens.

A healthy gut will act as a gatekeeper to repel harmful bacteria, promote a strong immune system to fight against bad intestinal bacteria, preventing harmful pathogens from entering your system in the process.

Probiotics can help to support your gut and increase the amount of beneficial bacteria in your system.

What is gut microbiome?

The gut microbiome refers to the trillions of bacteria, fungi, and viruses that are living in your stomach. Why is it so important? 

If you haven’t thought too much about your gut bacteria, now is a great time to start. Building a healthy relationship with your gut will have a hugely positive effect on your overall health. 

Look after your gut, and it will look after you. If you provide it with the necessary nutrients to thrive,  your gut will do the rest. 

On the flipside, if you have a bad relationship with your gut—your health will suffer.

How do I support a healthy gut microbiome?

Your overall health requires some awareness of what you’re feeding your gut. If you eat poor-quality food with a lack of quality nutrients, you will upset your gut’s bacterial balance.

Love your gut, and you’ll reap great rewards. This will include protecting you against poor health and disease.

So, let’s look at what you can do to supercharge your gut flora to support your immunity.

Check what you’re feeding your gut

The first port of call should be your nutrition and what you’re actively consuming. You might think you have a reasonably healthy diet. But certain foods might be creeping in that can throw your gut bacteria into disarray. 

So, what should you be looking at?

Fiber-rich foods

If you want to hit the ground running, source as many fiber-rich foods as you can. Dietary fiber is the fuel source for the friendly gut bacteria in your system and regular consumption will supercharge your gut. Fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, and seeds are all high-quality fiber sources.

Probiotic foods

You’ve probably heard of probiotics before. They contain friendly live bacteria that help to support a healthy gut. The foods you should look out for include fermented foods such as yogurt, sauerkraut, kimchi, and miso. 

Prebiotic Foods

Prebiotics are dietary fibers that act as food for the bacteria in your gut. They are indigestible plant fibers that support the growth and activity of good bacteria in the gut. Complex carbohydrates such as onions, garlic, and bananas are great sources of prebiotics.

Stay hydrated

You must drink water regularly to help flush your system out and support your gut. Regular hydration will reduce issues such as constipation and promote a healthy bacterial flora.

Keep active

Staying active is an important part of promoting a healthy gut. Anything from brisk walking to high-intensity exercise will help to increase microbial diversity and level up your digestive system.

Manage stress

How many times have you had an upset stomach when you felt stressed? Chronic stress can negatively impact the gut biome. 

Practice stress management techniques like meditation, yoga, and deep breathing, and try to manage your time better so you’re not rushing around so much.

Get plenty of sleep

It’s important to get at least eight hours of quality sleep each night to promote gut benefits. 

Try to get into a regular pattern of sleep and avoid distractions before you go to bed to give yourself the best chance of a decent night’s sleep.

Avoid poor choices

Whether it’s a dietary or lifestyle choice, there are certain things that can lower your immunity. 

Fatty, sugary, and processed foods are poor dietary choices. Stick to whole foods, plenty of fiber, and food packed with probiotics.

Alcohol, tobacco, and smoke can also cause stomach upsets and harm your intestinal bacteria.    

Take a probiotic supplement

Your primary source of probiotics should be whole food sources, but you can add to this and increase your friendly gut bacteria through a quality probiotic supplement. 

It will give your digestive system an added boost and an increased boost of probiotics will help to give you an even better chance of improving your health.

Taking a probiotic supplement alongside these healthy lifestyle changes will enable your gut to work to its maximum potential and support and support your immune system.

YourBiology probiotics are designed to give your body an essential boost of quality, friendly gut bacteria to promote your overall health, including your immune system. Try it risk-free, today.

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