Everybody carries about 4 to 5 lbs. of bacteria, which are mainly found in the gut. Some bacteria are more desirable than others and can contribute to optimal health by synthesizing some nutrients, stimulating your immune system to protect you and preventing bad bacteria from infecting you. If you have a bad gut flora, some nutrients and foods can help you re-balance your gut flora to eliminate most of the undesired bacteria. This process can take time, but it can help you improve your digestive and overall health.
Avoid Starches
To eliminate undesired bacteria, it is important to eat the right nutrients but you also need to avoid nutrients that can feed and promote the growth and development of these unfriendly bacteria. Starch is one of the nutrients you should target in your diet to improve your gut flora, according to Elaine Gottschall, biochemist and author of "Breaking The Vicious Cycle." Stay away from all grains, legumes and starchy vegetables. Avoid breads, pasta, rice, potatoes, pizza dough, bagels, quinoa, baked goods, beans and lentils.
Avoid Sugars
Most sugars, just like starches, also can feed the bad and harmful bacteria living in your digestive tract. Cut sugar completely out of your diet to re-balance your gut flora. Avoid all forms of sugars and read food labels to ensure that your foods do not contain any sugar at all. Tomato sauces, yogurts and many processed sauces, foods and beverages contain added sugar. Choose plain and sugar-free versions of these foods to avoid feeding your undesired gut bacteria. Gottschall allows the use of small amounts of honey on the Specific Carbohydrate Diet because its sugar has a molecular structure that makes it easy for your body to absorb before it feeds the bad bacteria in your gut. Small amounts of sugar from fresh fruits can be eaten with moderation as long as you have normal bowel movements.
Probiotics
Probiotics are an essential component in your diet to increase the amount of good bacteria and decrease the amount of bad bacteria in your gut. Probiotics can be found in supplements, but fermented foods are the best and cheapest options. You can ferment dairy, vegetables and other foods yourself at home for very little money. Homemade fermented foods contain a good variety of strains of gut-friendly bacteria in very high amounts. Experiment with homemade yogurt fermented for 24 hours, raw sauerkraut, kefir, kombucha, fermented pickles, homemade coconut yogurt and kimchi. Introduce them slowly into your diet and work your way up as tolerated.
Nonstarchy Vegetables, Protein and Fats
Nourishing your healthy bacteria and your intestines can help you keep your intestines and gut flora healthy. To promote a healthy gut, Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride, author of "Gut and Psychology Syndrome" recommends that the core of your diet should be based on nonstarchy vegetables, such as carrots, cauliflower and broccoli, animal protein from eggs, meat, poultry, fish and seafood, as well as plenty of fats from coconut oil, avocado, butter, ghee or lard.
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