If you are suffering from weight gain, chances are you also have fatigue, gut dysfunction, maybe some bloating, and interrupted sleep. Did you know that the command center for your metabolic and immune system is located in the gut?
The microbiome is a collection of bacteria in our intestines that influences everything from metabolism and immunity, to mood and behavior. It’s responsible for synthesizing select vitamins and hormones, and performs a whole range of fundamental tasks – some have yet to be discovered. Simply put, weight loss begins here.
FUN FACTS ABOUT THE MICROBIOME
The statistics on gut bacteria are staggering. The average human carries about two pounds of gut bacteria or microbiome around at all times. We each have nearly 100 times more bacteria than cells in our bodies, with over 10,000 different species. We have more bacteria DNA than we have human DNA. Essentially, we are more bacteria than we are human; we’re all walking petri dishes.
HOW TO NOURISH YOUR MICROBIOME TO SUPERCHARGE WEIGHT LOSS
Your microbiome loves to eat, and thrives on a diet rich in prebiotics. Prebiotics are a special type of soluble fiber utilized as fuel by your beneficial bacteria in your microbiome. However, not every fiber is a prebiotic.
Only 5% of people in the US meet the recommended daily target of 25 grams for women and 38 grams for men. That amounts to a population-wide deficiency — what nutritionists call the “fiber gap".
If it's not shocking enough, the main source of fiber for most Americans is bread.
THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SOLUBLE FIBER AND INSOLUBLE FIBER
There are two categories of dietary fiber: soluble fiber which is fermented by gut bacteria, and insoluble fiber which is unable to be fermented. Most prebiotics are types of soluble fiber which humans can’t digest, but rather are fermented by the gut bacteria. Within the gut, prebiotics stimulate the growth of good gut bacteria, and improve overall gut health.
So where are these prebiotics found?
They’re prevalent in roots like yacon root and maca, fruits like apples, bananas, baobab, and cacao, and other potent botanicals including barley grass, flaxseeds, and spirulina!
HOW TO MAKE SURE YOU GET ENOUGH HEALTHY FIBER
All things considered, we’re definitely big fans of drinking our breakfasts as meal replacement smoothies. If we were to attempt to eat all of the ingredients we put in our smoothies in their raw, whole form, it would require consuming a massive bowl of fibrous solids. And do you know why you get so tired after a big meal? It’s because your body uses up to 30% of your energy daily just to digest your food!
Blending is a form of pre-digestion; it helps break down hard-to-digest plant cell walls which are prominent in these botanical blends. Having potent superfoods in smoothie form allows the beneficial chemicals to penetrate your cells by investing less energy and effort, and allows you to recuperate with 16 times more energy.
