Your gut is home to thousands of species of bacteria, but not all of them are friendly. Some forms of bacteria are beneficial and support your health, while others can cause illness.
If you want to keep your gut bacteria in balance, it’s important to make sure you increase good bacteria levels and reduce bad bacteria levels. Here are some ways you can naturally increase good bacteria in your gut.
1. Avoid antibiotics when possible.
Antibiotics are used to kill off harmful bacteria, but they also wipe out the beneficial kind as well. Unfortunately, antibiotics do not discriminate between good and bad bacteria and will kill them both off in large numbers. As a result, many people who take antibiotics end up with digestive issues like diarrhea.
2. Eat probiotic-rich foods or take a probiotic supplement.
Probiotics are live microorganisms found in fermented foods or supplements that are capable of providing health benefits when consumed regularly. They work by populating the gut with beneficial microbes that can help fight off disease-causing bacteria, boost immunity, and even reduce anxiety and depression levels. Taking a probiotic supplement can boost the number of beneficial microorganisms in your digestive tract. They can also help balance the friendly flora population after taking antibiotics.
3. Eat fermented foods
Fermented foods contain probiotics, which are live microorganisms that may help improve digestion and boost the immune system. They also have enzymes that help break down food into nutrients. Some fermented foods include sauerkraut, kefir, and yogurt. You can also make your own fermented foods at home with a starter culture.
4. Avoid eating sugars and refined carbs
Sugars and refined carbs feed bad bacteria in the gut and promote growth of yeast and fungus in the body. Eating too much sugar can lead to obesity and diabetes.
