Consuming fermentable fiber and maintaining a healthy bile flow can help take care of your intestinal health. What else should you know about this? In this article, we go into more detail.
The human body of an adult is made up of the same number of cells as bacteria that reside in their intestinal. More than 70% of them live in the colon, where they act as a veritable “organ” and perform functions vital to human health. Therefore, it is essential to take care of these bacteria and your intestinal health. Here is more in this article!
What Can You Do To Take Care Of Your Intestinal Health?
Fermentable Fibers
Most colon bacteria are anaerobic and participate in digestion through the fermentation process, mainly fermentable fibers:
- Pectins
- Mucilages
- Fructans
- Resistant starch
- Polyphenols
This type of fermentable fiber is found in fruits, green vegetables, and tubers. From these fibers, bacteria produce short-chain fatty acids (AGCC), in particular butyrate, propionate, and acetate. These components are essential for a large amount of functions such as:
- Maintenance of colon health: maintenance of acid pH, an energetic substrate for colonocytes, production of mucin and antimicrobial peptides, etc.
- Optimal functioning of the immune system: control of inflammation, production of lymphocytes, among others
Also, the fermentation process of fibers in the large intestine, in addition to providing AGCC, forms a certain amount of gas, mainly CO2, hydrogen, and methane. These constitute the majority of the gases expelled by a person daily.
Other gases, such as nitrogen, oxygen, or hydrogen sulfide, among others, complete the composition. Therefore, the fermentation processes in the colon are healthy and necessary for good intestinal health. However, they can sometimes have an unpleasant odor.
How does bile affect our Intestinal health?
Bile is a yellowish substance produced by the liver. It is stored in the gallbladder and released in the duodenum during digestion processes. Also, it performs various antimicrobial and digestive functions by emulsifying fats so that digestive enzymes digest them.
Most bile acids are reabsorbed at the end of the small intestine, although a small part is released into the colon. This can then accelerate intestinal transit, or even cause diarrhea in the event of poor absorption of bile acids.
On the other hand, people who suffer from irritable bowel syndrome with a predominance for constipation may experience a decrease in the flow of bile.
Tips for Taking Care of Intestinal Health
In addition to consuming fermentable fiber, found in fruits and vegetables, the following tips will help maintain healthy bile flow in people with constipation, gas, and organic pathology.
Having a sufficiently acidic pH in the stomach is essential. Indeed, we know that lower production of hydrochloric acid is associated with gallstones. For this reason, you can:
- Eat when you are hungry
- Drink freshly squeezed lemon juice before meals
- Take HCl supplements if necessary
Also, to lemon juice, you can add a few drops of a supplement of a standardized extract of bitter plants such as artichoke, thistle, milk thistle, gentian root, bitter chamomile, bitter orange. , etc.
These plants have a cholagogue effect (they facilitate the expulsion of bile) and can help in the case of dyspepsia (discomfort after eating). However, it is essential to consult the doctor before you start taking them.
On the other hand, fasting coffee, thanks to its stimulating effect on the gallbladder, can also help. However, it should not be abused because it can generate some dependence.
Eat healthy fats, as the fat in certain foods promotes contraction of the gallbladder and can help maintain proper bile flow. For example, if you have trouble bowel movement, you can take a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil on an empty stomach, then a glass of water with a few drops of lemon.
Conclusion
If you are one of those people who follow a diet affluent in fermentable fiber, you suffer from constipation with an unknown cause. You have odorless gas, and your doctor has ruled out an underlying organic pathology, these tips that you are helping to stimulate bile flow may be the solution to your problem.