Our body gets the nutrients (vitamins, minerals), energy and water it needs to function from the outside world (in the form of food and drink). The digestive system includes the oral cavity, oesophagus, stomach and intestinal tract.
From the stomach, food is passed into the intestinal tract, where the nutrients of the digested food are excreted. Here the pH is more alkaline. Our gut is home to a lot of bacteria. The gut flora is the collection of 'micro-organisms' that live throughout the digestive system of our body.
The gut flora is made up of billions of tiny bacteria and its balance is very important, to support this we offer probiotic formulations containing these bacteria. Probiotics, help with proper digestion, support proper immune and brain function and protect against infections.
Gut bacteria perform many functions in our bodies, including fermenting indigestible fibre. Fermentation produces short-chain fatty acids that are used by the muscle, colon and liver. In this way the fibres stimulate the function of these cells. Furthermore, the intestinal flora breaks down bile acids and produces vitamins B and K.
In addition, there is a growing body of research that shows that the gut flora is linked to the immune system and the brain.
In autoimmune diseases, the body perceives its own cells as foreign and starts to damage them. The development of these diseases is linked to the condition of our gut, a fact that researchers have long suspected, but it is only now that technology has come to prove it. The effect of the microbiota is being demonstrated in a very interesting way: in animals that are reared without being exposed to any living organism at all. In experiments, they found that their immune systems did not function properly. Remember how our grandparents used to tell us to always eat a small amount of dirt? How right they were...
The digestive system is also linked to the nervous system, and to prove this, think how happy a meal can make us. Appetite and digestion are influenced by a number of hormones that also affect our brain.
In addition, the gut flora and specific links with the nervous system. Research has shown that the link goes both ways, the brain sends signals to the gut, but the gut can also send signals to the brain. Studies have shown that animals without gut flora had increased levels of cortisol (stress hormone), had learning difficulties and also had reduced muscle mass. They also had increased bowel movements and size.
Therefore, if we find that several days go by without defecation. Then it is worth drinking more water, eating more fibre and using probiotic preparations.
In addition, the bacteria in probiotics (such as lactobacilli and bifidobacteria) help to maintain the right pH in the vagina, urinary tract and bladder, making infections feel less "at home" and reducing the chance of infection. In addition, these bacteria stick to the bladder wall and take up space from infections.
