If you smoothed them out and rolled them down the sidewalk, your large and small intestines combined would reach to a length of almost 28 feet!

Whether you realize it or not, your body relies on your intestines for a wide variety of functions, from processing waste and absorbing nutrients to playing a role in your immunity and even brain health.

Here are 3 key points about your intestinal health that you want to know to help you in your quest for a healthier lifestyle.

1. A healthy intestines is more than fiber and water

If you want to go regularly, you know that you need to foster an environment in your intestines that promotes evacuation. The correct amount of fiber, both soluble and insoluble, as well as a sufficient amount of water in your diet, contribute to regularity.

If you take certain medicines, are under extreme stress, or have a chronic condition, even a healthy diet may make regularity a challenge. An imbalance of minerals like magnesium may contribute to constipation woes.  Discuss any constipation issues with your doctor to help you determine the exact cause and possible solutions.

However, a healthy intestinal environment is also influenced by how many probiotic colonies your intestines have. People who avoid toxins and antibiotic therapy and who eat a diet rich in fruits and vegetables, as well as fermented foods such as kimchi and miso which provide probiotics naturally, are likely to have healthy probiotic profiles.

For those who have chronic conditions, who have a history of antibiotic use or who have less than stellar diets, probiotic supplements may help to create a more healthy balance of good bacteria in the gut. If the good bacteria outweigh the bad bacteria, chances are the intestines will foster a healthy environment.

2. The intestines are always in starvation mode

Because there was a time when food was always scarce, we needed to absorb every bit of nutrition possible from the foods we ate. To help us with this goal, our intestines were designed to absorb every little bit of nutrition possible from anything that entered them.

Unfortunately, our biological basics have not evolved at the rate of our abundance. In these days when we get more food than we really need on a regular basis, our intestines still act like food is a scarce commodity.

This biological function means that whenever things like used cholesterol and hormone metabolites come into the intestines without attaching to fiber and being eliminated, then our hard working intestines re-absorb them instead!

3. Your intestines just may be making you sick, in body and mind

Whenever the intestines are not functioning at optimum capacity, you run the risk of infection from bad bacteria, yeast overgrowth, and decreased immune function.

An underperforming intestine also decreases the amount of nutrients in your body, either by not producing its share of some of our vitamins or through a decrease in absorption.

Did you know that your intestinal health may also have a direct connection to your mood? Recent studies are focusing on the mind-gut connection to determine just which factors of the intestines correspond to a healthier mood.

 

Taking steps to ensure your intestines are as healthy as they can be will contribute to your overall well-being in a number of crucial ways. Let the Betsy’s team answer your supplement questions concerning our digestive products, and check with your doctor for those concerns that may warrant medical attention.

Knowing the basics of good health is just another way we work to take your whole health to heart from the team who strives every day to be “always taking your health and your budget to heart.”®

In health,
Ramona

Betsy’s Note: This article is for educational purposes only.  It is not intended to diagnose, treat, prevent or cure any disease. Consult your healthcare provider before taking a supplement, especially if you have a medical condition or take medications.