When we last spoke the topic was about probiotics then life took a massive turn for me and I have been absent for a while.  During the next few posts I will let you in on my travels and events, that had first put me in a head spin, but now I have learned the lessons from the recent events and am once again back on track and ready to continue.  Through these recent events that have transpired  I have also learned that I need to do “this” for myself as well, because I do enjoy connecting with you all and letting you know a few tid bits that sometimes the doctors forget to remind us of with their crazy schedule.

Well looking back over my last post “Probiotics,” which came about when my vet gave my puppy probiotics when she was sick several times to help her heal, (later my puppy also had a diagnosis of diabetes, and later again she passed away, which I will blog about all the details of raising a puppy with diabetes in the near future)  but I found I must add on to the last probiotic post with this post about feeding your probiotics.  OHHH yes, you actually need to feed these little buggers to get the best out of them.  Its like having a mini monkey fish experiment in your belly, well your intestines to be exact.  In order to get them growing well and working efficiently you need to feed them PREBIOTICS.

Let’s review first and give the meaning of what each “biotic” is.  First probiotics are good live bacteria and yeasts our bodies can use to clean the digestive track for us helping our organs and body to cleanse itself.  Our bodies have and use both good and bad bacterias.  We want the good bacteria to outweigh the bad optimally so therefore we need to replenish probiotics on a daily basis.  In order to help the tiny bacterias to do the work we need them to do, we need to feed them.  So we use prebiotics which are foods that are high in fibre, soluble dietary fibre, giving us what is called inulin.  This inulin, is not absorbed by the stomach therefore it can reach the intestines and feed the probiotics.  With optimum performance from the team of prebiotics and probiotics we find we can have better energy,  our emotions are happier and we can eliminate toxins from our bodies reducing bloating, gas and waste that we don’t want laying around inside of us.  

Prebiotics and probiotics are becoming very essential to many people who suffer from many illnesses; IBS, Crohns & Colitis, Diverticulosis, Liver illnesses, stomach ailments, leaky gut, those with headaches and Migraines helping the body to clean out the liver and reduce toxins in the body, depression, anxiety, autism and soooooo much more.  Isn’t research and science amazing, look at what we have allll learned in less then a century.. makes me excited for what is to come.

The greatest thing about prebiotics and probiotics is you can get them from your foods, you don’t necessarily need to add another tablet.  I am a lover of natural remedies first, and the simplest way to get your PREbiotics is to eat a variety of some high fibre foods, garlic, onions, asparagus, artichoke, bananas,  dandelion greens, bran, apples, leeks, tomatoes, carrots, radishes, yams or prebiotic supplemental powders throughout the day which feeds your dairy,  yogurts, keifer and fermented probiotic foods.    

A more inclusive list of PREBIOTICS

onions…best raw if possible, try in salads or as a garnish (I can’t put my money where my mouth is on this one I’m not a lover of raw onions, thank goodness for options lol)

garlic..best raw once again, guacamole, humus salads pair with meats like a garnish or in pasta and lightly sautéed stir fries.  (I’m sure there are more ideas but that is what my brain gave us so far.)

Leeks and Asparagus…best if raw..can use cut up finely in salads, stir fries, soups, or roasted and also used in many side dishes.  I can vouch for asparagus since becoming an adult..40 lol.. I have found that I like asparagus.  I may like leeks but that is still unknown an might have to stay that way)

Green Bananas..best to get optimum prebiotic results if you can eat the banana while the peel is still green.  (not the peel itself..silly disclaimer ..just in case) When the peel is still green the banana is higher in starch which helps the bananas inulin to be intact better to get to the intestine.  Banana’s seem like an easy add to the daily diet.  It can be used in smoothies, breakfast dishes, oatmeals, as a snack alone, in desserts with any kind of yummy berry, go bananas trying to find ways to incorporate bananas, it even sounds fun!

Apples…apples have pectin fibre, again most of all the prebiotics are best in raw form.  I’m sure you can think of at least 5 ways to incorporate an apple in just 3 seconds of thinking.  Apples are a wonderful fruit, filled with many benefits and caulk full of fibre.  They are great for the gall bladder, liver, intestines and full digestive track.  NOT APPLE JUICE.  I always tell my daughter to eat your juice.  When she was little she found it funny but now its an eye roll usually.  So with all fruits and berries it is always best to eat the full fruit to reap the full benefits.  By the time the juice is packed in to the bottle and on the grocery store shelf the best of the fruit is gone and the sugar is what is left.  It is also cheaper to eat your juice because a bottle of juice is $4 and up you can get at least 12 apples or more for that.  (sorry went off on a tangent there… reeling it back in).

Berries and Mango..are an easy add to ones diet and can usually be paired right with the probiotic dairy item you could be enjoying.  Add flavour with berries and or mango to any breakfast lunch and supper.  Add them to your smoothies, yogurts, salads oatmeals, even to your glass of water or tea (then eat the berry or mango once the drink it gone, or cooled off if its tea).

Tomatoes..definitely an easy add to a sandwich and salads, pastas stir fries its limitless when adding to lunch and supper meals even just on the side as a garnish.

Dandelion Greens…can use in salads, sandwiches, paired with fish dishes, any choice of supper or rice dishes.  Dandelion greens have been a newer green to the markets where I live and aren’t always available but to those who are able to get fresh dandelion greens they would be a great way to help feed your probiotics.

Raw Chickory Root…this is another item that I know I would not be able to get easily or readily in our grocery stores but if it is available in your neck of the woods it is a great prebiotic.  It apparently has a light coffee flavour and many people even substitute steeped chicory root for their morning coffee.  It has no caffeine therefore cutting out the jitters and increasing daily supply of your prebiotic choice foods.

There are many others as well; carrots, radishes, beets, bell peppers, cabbage, sweet potato, coconut, quinoa, flax, chia, pumpkin and hemp seeds.  There are sooo many options to choose to make adding prebiotics to your diet an easy addition.

One thing to be aware of is you need to add pre and probiotics to your diet in small stages.  Too much can all at once can cause unwanted bathroom trips.  Try too add  a few berries or banana to your morning yogurt, a few greens to your sandwich or salad and maybe some onion and garlic to your supper meal.  If your body tolerates small amounts at a time then increase your intake until you get to the level of… comfortable… daily bowel movements.  It is all meant to make your life more enjoyable, unasked for bathroom visit is not enjoyable.  So take it a little at a time until you get the amount that is right for you.

HAPPY HEALING!!