Did you know that your body is made up of almost as much bacteria as it is of normal skin cells? These bacteria are crucial to your overall health and wellbeing, and they exist everywhere from your skin to your mouth.
Tens of trillions of these microorganisms live in the gut, and they all play an important role in optimizing your gut function. In fact, this colony of live bacteria is so important that it has its own name - the gut microbiome. The bacteria that make up your gut microbiome can fall into one of two categories: friendly, good bacteria, or harmful, bad bacteria. In a healthy gut microbiome, the friendly bacteria outnumber the harmful ones. But what exactly do these friendly bacteria do for your gut? A lot actually.
For starters, good bacteria can help keep harmful bacteria at bay. These microorganisms compete for the same resources like space and food, so the more friendly bacteria that are present in your gut, the more likely it is that they will consume the resources before the bad bacteria can use them to multiply. In addition, it has been found that some good bacteria also release substances that are toxic to pathogenic bacteria.
The friendly bacteria that make up your gut microbiome play an important role in the digestion and absorption of nutrients. These microorganisms actually produce their own digestive products that help to break down complex carbohydrates, proteins, and even fats that make it into the large intestine. But their job doesn’t end there.
The good bacteria in your gut microbiome also help to improve both local and general immune health. How? About 70% of your immune system is actually located in your gut. This means that the composition of your gut microbiome directly impacts the function of your immune system. When your gut is in balance, it is able to properly support your immune system so it can function optimally.
Supporting Your Gut Microbiome
There’s no doubt that all these friendly bacteria are vital for a healthy gut, and since your gut has such a large impact on your overall health, it’s vital to support your gut microbiome. But how do you do that? While it is a common belief that probiotics are the answer, that’s only partially true. Gut health is really a three-pronged approach, and probiotics are just one piece of the puzzle.
1. Probiotics
Probiotics are compounds that directly benefit the gut ecosystem by adding to the colonies of bacteria that are already present. Basically, probiotics give your gut a helping hand by seeding it with friendly bacteria.
Probiotics can be found in a variety of foods like yogurt, kimchi, pickles, tempeh, and sauerkraut. Alternatively, adding a daily probiotic supplement to your routine is a convenient way to ensure you are seeding your gut with plenty of good bacteria.
2. Prebiotics
The bacteria in your gut microbiome get hungry too. When this happens, prebiotics are their favorite snack. Prebiotics are compounds in food that promote the growth of probiotic colonies as well as their function in the gut. In other words, prebiotics keep probiotics strong and healthy.
Much like probiotics, prebiotics can either be in the form of food or supplements. Some of the foods full of prebiotics include onions, garlic, bananas, soybeans, artichokes, kale, and spinach.
3. Digestive Enzymes
The role of digestive enzymes is in their name. They are enzymes that digest the food we eat, and they are naturally produced throughout the entire digestive tract from the mouth to the intestines.
However, the amounts of digestive enzymes we produce may not always be adequate for the job. For example, if your gut is out of balance or you eat a lot of food that is difficult to digest, your body may need some extra enzymes to offer a helping hand.
Thankfully, digestive enzymes can be found in a lot of common foods, including pineapples, papaya, mangoes, ginger, and kiwi. However, the best way to be sure your body is getting some extra enzymes when it really needs it is to take a digestive enzyme supplement.
Essentials: Your One-Stop Shop for Gut Support
There are a large variety of foods out there that can provide your body with the probiotics, prebiotics, and enzymes it needs, but if you aren’t already eating them regularly, it can be a daunting task to work them all into your diet. If that’s the case for you, a daily supplement is the way to go. Not only are supplements easier and more convenient, but they are also just as effective as food sources.
But researching and buying three different supplements to support your gut can be time-consuming, confusing and expensive. Not to mention that you then have to remember to take each supplement every day. So what do you do? You start with Essentials.
Essentials is the ultimate gut support package, combining the triple threat of probiotics, prebiotics, digestive enzymes, and organic Wild Microalgae™ all in one convenient daily pack. Here’s a better look at why Essentials is the ideal tool to help you support your gut microbiome.
A Variety of Probiotic Strains
Essentials contains two of the most powerful probiotic strains. The first is Lactobacillus Acidophilus DDS-1 which supports the upper gastrointestinal tract. The second strain is Bifidobacterium bifidum whose functions are more strongly felt in the lower intestines.
Food for the Friendly Bacteria
The best way to make sure the probiotics will do their job is to feed them. That’s why Essentials also includes organic Wild Microalgae paired with the prebiotic inulin, which is ideal for optimal nourishment of both strains of probiotics.
Enzymes to Boost Nutrient Absorption
Essentials uses a proprietary blend of 15 different natural, plant-based food enzymes. These enzymes are microblended with organic Wild Microalgae to supply the enzymes with specific vitamins, minerals, and other cofactors, that help the body break down and assimilate a complete range of nutrients from your food.
Nourishes with Superfoods
Speaking of organic Wild Microalgae, this superfood does more than just help the enzymes do their job. It also nourishes your body with its rich nutritional profile that includes essential fatty acids, phytonutrients, 13 different vitamins, and over 60 trace minerals that all nourish your gut as well as the rest of your body. In addition, this rare form of blue-green algae also contains antioxidants that will help keep all your cells clean and healthy as well as the mood-boosting compound PEA.
Support Your Gut With Essentials
With all of these gut-supporting ingredients included in one convenient pack, there is no doubt that Essentials is the ultimate gut support supplement to add to your daily routine.
And the best part? You can put it to the test risk-free with our 60-day money-back guarantee.