How to protect your intestinal microbiota?

The intestinal microbiota, also known as gut flora, plays an essential role in digestion, metabolism, and the immune system . It is primarily located in the small intestine and colon and is considered an integral organ of the human body.

To stay healthy, it is therefore essential to take care of and preserve the balance of your intestinal microbiota.

What is the intestinal microbiota?

A microbiota refers to all the microorganisms (bacteria, viruses, parasites, fungi, etc.) that live in a well-defined environment, such as our own. The most studied is the intestinal microbiota.

The intestinal microbiota (or intestinal flora) includes all the microorganisms that live in our gastrointestinal system.

 

What is the role of the intestinal microbiota?

The gut microbiota is a key player in health and plays an important role in ensuring the proper functioning of the body. It helps ferment fiber, synthesize vitamins, and transport nutrients into the bloodstream.

The gut microbiota develops from birth through contact with substances foreign to the body. During growth, the immune system learns to tolerate foods, identify harmless germs, and fight off germs that can cause disease. Thus, an environment of diverse microorganisms is formed in the intestines, in which they will work collaboratively with each other and with the body.

Concretely, the "good" bacteria fight the "bad" bacteria by their position as a protective "barrier" throughout the digestive tract, their superiority in number, the mobilization of nutrient sources and the production of bactericidal substances, which promotes good health of the microbiota and good digestion.

Once the intestinal flora is perfectly formed and has found its balance, its structure remains stable.

What are the different factors that disrupt the intestinal microbiota?

It can happen that the balance of microorganisms present within the intestinal microbiota is disrupted, due to certain factors of daily life such as an unsuitable diet, taking antibiotics or even a period of stress.

This is called intestinal dysbiosis, which refers to an imbalance in the intestinal flora. This can result in a decrease in the number of good bacteria or, conversely, an increase in bad bacteria.

• A diet low in fiber and rich in ultra-processed foods can harm the richness, diversity and balance of bacteria in the intestinal flora.
• Antibiotic treatments prescribed to treat infections are designed to destroy the microbes responsible for the disease, but also the "good" bacteria in the intestinal microbiota. This can disrupt the microbiota before rebuilding itself several weeks after the end of treatment. However, prolonged or repeated antibiotic use can, in some individuals, significantly disrupt the intestinal flora.
• Finally, stress can cause functional disorders of the intestine, and imbalances in the intestinal microbiota can make us more vulnerable to stress.

How to protect your intestinal microbiota?

To overcome these inconveniences and effectively protect your intestinal microbiota, there are a few health habits you should adopt on a daily basis:

Consume foods rich in fiber regularly

Dietary fiber, a source of prebiotics, plays an essential role in maintaining the balance of the intestinal microbiota. It acts like a sponge within the intestine. By absorbing water, fiber increases stool volume and regulates intestinal function.

In addition, fibers favorably nourish bacteria and thus allow them to secrete SCFAs (short-chain fatty acids). These (including butyrate) are essential in the prevention of intestinal dysbiosis, mucosal inflammation, hyperpermeability and immune imbalances.

The foods richest in fiber are certain vegetables (artichokes, asparagus and leeks), bananas, barley, rye, chicory root and flax and chia seeds.

Take a probiotic cure

Probiotics are live microorganisms that have a beneficial effect on the intestinal flora and the immune system. Their role is to favorably modulate the composition and strengthen the barrier effect of the intestinal flora. They thus provide bacteria that are beneficial for health and promote digestion .

Foods rich in it include yogurts, fermented milks and unpasteurized fermented cheeses.

They are also available in the form of dietary supplements. Certain strains of probiotics have a beneficial effect on the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome.

Limit foods high in sugar

A diet high in sugar is very bad for your health; it can have harmful consequences on the balance of the intestinal macrobiota and promote bacteria that have a pro-inflammatory action.

Sugar increases active fermentation populations, particularly fungi. It can promote the proliferation of harmful intestinal flora and reduce the population of good intestinal bacteria.

It is therefore necessary to limit the consumption of ultra-processed products and prepared meals which very often contain a large quantity of sugar.

Take some delicious saffron relaxation gummies

Safran Délicure gummies, formulated with the patented Safr'Inside™ extract , exert a beneficial action on the intestinal microbiota by helping to restore a microbial balance conducive to overall well-being. In addition to its recognized effects on stress and mood, Safr'Inside™ promotes the restoration of a healthy intestinal flora and stimulates the growth of beneficial bacteria, notably Akkermansia, thanks to its prebiotic effect. This modulation of the microbiota helps strengthen the gut-brain axis, thus improving the body's resistance to stress and supporting better regulation of emotions. Safran Délicure gummies thus offer a natural and holistic approach to act simultaneously on emotional balance and digestive health .

Better resist and combat stress

Stress, especially when chronic, can become an enemy of health and disrupt the balance of the intestinal microbiota. It promotes inflammation in the intestines, as well as the growth and virulence of pathogenic bacteria.

To effectively combat the effects of stress, many anti-stress activities (such as yoga, meditation or breathing) and phytotherapy (alternative medicine from plants) have proven to be very effective.

Délicure offers vegan, natural, and 100% Made in France anti-stress gummies to combat stress. Their formula is composed of a patented saffron extract and vitamin B6.

Simply chew two gummies during a stressful situation to promote relaxation and protect the nervous system.

CBD is a molecule that also appears to be ideal for helping with stress management. Délicure offers a wide range of organic CBD oils as well as sugar-free CBD candies .

Délicure dietary supplements do not cause any side effects or addiction, and are not dangerous to health. To ensure their effectiveness, they must be consumed as part of a balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle.