Welcome to the Wellness Zone. 

This month we are going to start looking at our digestive system and I thought we would start by looking at the gut flora!

Did you know that you have over 400 species of good bacteria inside your digestive system and they weigh up to 3kg? In fact, you have more bacteria living inside you than you have cells in your entire body! 

There are approximately 100 trillion bacteria in your digestive system,

the vast majority of which live in your bowel.  The balance of all these bacteria is essential for your health and wellbeing. Your digestive system is in constant contact with the outside environment through the food that you eat.  In your lifetime, you will eat approximately 22 tonnes of food.  This food and the fluids you consume could be carrying potential pathogens that could make you sick.  Good bacteria can protect you from getting sick from these potential pathogens. Probiotics are "good bacteria" that help keep your digestive system in good condition. 

Digestive problems are often a sign that the bacteria in your digestive system are out of balance, and since your digestive system is the centre of health, it is extremely important that you keep it healthy!

Good bacteria aid in:

• Breaking down food and producing nutrients.
• Absorption of nutrients.
• Maintaining the motility of the digestive tract, ensuring good bowel motions.
• Inhibiting the growth of bad bacteria
• Maintaining a healthy immune system. If you are pregnant and you, your partner or someone in your immediate family has eczema or allergies, then your baby may also be at risk of developing eczema.

Fortunately, there is something you can do to reduce this risk.  Research has shown that taking specific types of probiotics during pregnancy and breastfeeding decreases the risk of your baby developing eczema!  If your child already has eczema or allergies, giving certain probiotics may alleviate their allergic symptoms. As you can see, maintaining good bowel flora is an important key in maintaining health and wellbeing.  Good bowel flora can be achieved by taking probiotics.  However, not all probiotics are the same and it is important to use the right probiotic for you.  Check with your pharmacist or naturopath if you are unsure or give me a call!

Yours in Wellness Simone Please visit Simone’s website for more information: