How to Increase Resistance Against Disease
Foods that contain live bacteria beneficial to our intestines are called "probiotic foods." The main ones are fermented yogurts and ferments containing various probiotic bacteria.
In recent years, numerous medical studies have been conducted emphasizing the importance of probiotics in protecting human health and fighting disease. It has also been found that probiotics provide benefits in diseases that arise as a result of a disrupted response to inflammatory stimuli in the intestines.
Studies have shown that antibiotics used to treat infection, ulcers, and gastritis caused by the "Helicobacter pylori" bacteria — considered important in stomach and digestive system diseases — produce more effective results when combined with prebiotics and probiotics. It has also been reported that prebiotic and probiotic combinations strengthen the defensive properties of the digestive system's lining (mucosa).
RESISTANCE INCREASES
Undigested carbohydrates that regulate the number and movement of large-intestine bacteria (microorganisms) and increase the effectiveness of probiotics are called "prebiotics." These are, in a sense, fiber, and are soluble in water. One of their important properties is that they reach the large intestine without being absorbed during digestion. Because they have a positive effect on digestion, the immune system is strengthened and resistance against disease increases.
Digestive system flora is affected by stress, climate, emotional changes, various antibiotics, and dietary variability. Prebiotics also play a role here, binding to intestinal receptors and ensuring that harmful microorganisms are excreted with the stool without getting a chance to take hold.
Our daily fiber requirement is 25-30 grams. For this, vegetables, fruit, whole-grain products, and dried legumes should be eaten. The fibers naturally found in these foods provide a prebiotic effect similar to the beneficial bacteria in the intestine.
The beneficial bacteria in yogurt made with probiotic culture and in special dairy beverages reach the intestine alive and attach to the intestinal wall, preventing harmful bacteria from taking hold. In this way, foods containing probiotics and prebiotics ease digestion and strengthen the immune system. Consuming natural milk and dairy products (especially homemade yogurt), or benefiting from foods containing probiotics and prebiotics, strengthens the immune system.
Gut flora is a community of microorganisms living on the mucosa of the digestive system, which has important functions related to various functions of the host organism, primarily digestion. Unfortunately, the place and importance of the intestines and gut flora in bodily health are still neglected today.
The intestines have a surface area of 400-600 m². There are 500 known species of bacteria in gut flora. These number between 1-10 quadrillion, and the majority are found in the large intestine. Bacteria make up most of the flora in the large intestine, as well as 60% of feces. In a healthy person, 98% of the bacteria in gut flora are beneficial, and they play a role in converting the proteins in the food we eat into amino acids, carbohydrates into monosaccharides, and fats into fatty acids.
The relationship between gut flora and humans is a symbiotic and mutualistic relationship, meaning it benefits both sides. Although humans could survive without gut flora, gut flora has beneficial functions such as converting unused substances into usable forms through fermentation, strengthening the immune system, and preventing the growth of harmful organisms. However, some intestinal microorganisms can also cause disease.
Most bacteria are found in the large intestine, and this bacterial activity makes the large intestine the most metabolically active organ in the body.
TYPES OF MICROORGANISMS FOUND IN THE INTESTINES
Not all bacterial species in the intestines have been identified, because some cannot be cultured. Although the number of bacterial species varies greatly from person to person, this numerical ratio is constant for most people. Most bacteria belong to the genera Bacteroides, Clostridium, Fusobacterium, Eubacterium, Ruminococcus, Peptococcus, Peptostreptococcus, and Bifidobacterium. Aerobes such as Escherichia and Lactobacillus are found in smaller amounts. Species belonging to the genus Bacteroides make up 30% of the bacteria in the intestines. Yeast genera found in gut flora include Candida and Saccharomyces.
In my next article, I will address the topic of "The Functions of Gut Flora."
For more information on this and related topics, you may benefit from my books "Beautiful, Happy, and Healthy," "Why Are We Living Wrong," "Discover Life," and "The Emotional Brain-Gut Connection."