Most of your efforts to exercise will be useless if you are not paying attention to your diet. As they say, ‘You are what you eat,’ which simply translates that you need to eat good food to stay healthy. Consuming foods that are rich in prebiotics or taking probiotic supplements every day is a must if you want to stick to a healthier diet. The benefits of taking prebiotics provide sustenance for the good bacteria in your body, allowing them to thrive. This, in turn, provides several wellness benefits, including the following:
1. Prevention And Treatment Of Diarrhea
Aside from causing inconvenience, diarrhea can have a more serious effect on your overall health. If the diarrhea is caused by a bacterial or viral infection, you’ll likely experience chills, fever, and bloody stools. In worse cases, diarrhea can also cause dehydration, which can lead to severe complications such as swelling of the brain, seizures, and even death.
Taking antibiotics can cause an imbalance of good and bad bacteria in your stomach. The benefits of taking prebiotics regularly will help your body replenish the good bacteria. In fact, a study shows that taking prebiotics may reduce the risk of antibiotic-associated diarrhea. Moreover, prebiotics also helps with different types of diarrhea including, such as infectious diarrhea and travelers’ diarrhea.
2. A Balanced Digestive System
Your digestive system’s health is important because it affects your ability to store and distribute nutrients to your body. Poor digestive health might trigger several symptoms, namely bloating, indigestion, and severe abdominal pain.
To improve your digestive system, gradually incorporate prebiotics into your diet. Prebiotics contain good bacteria, which help restore the natural balance of bacteria in your gut. As a result, your digestive system will be able to work the way it should have and reduce your susceptibility to pain and discomfort caused by an unhealthy gut.
3. Improved Mental Health
To attain a healthy life, you should exert the same amount of time and effort in taking care of your mental health as you do with your physical health. Mental health is important because it affects how you cope with life and how you handle stress, make your choices, and relate to others.
One possible way to boost your mental health is by taking prebiotics. Studies suggest that the benefits of taking prebiotics may improve mental functions, especially for individuals with depression, anxiety, and autism spectrum diseases. This happens because your gut and brain are actually connected (a partnership called the gut-brain axis), which means that as your gut health improves, your mental health also improves. At the very least, it protects you from having to deal with problems associated with having an unhealthy digestive system.
4. A Healthier Heart
The heart is one of the most important organs in the body as it pumps blood and delivers nutrients to the cells. Your heart functions as the generator of your body—once it stops beating, your body starts dying.
There are many ways to take care of your heart, and taking prebiotics is one of those options. Prebiotics may help keep your heart healthy as you age because it has the ability to lower your body’s cholesterol levels If you have high cholesterol, fatty deposits start to develop in your blood vessels. These deposits will eventually grow, making it challenging for blood to flow through your arteries. These deposits can even break and cause clots that might causes a stroke.
Aside from this, the benefits of taking prebiotics may also lower blood pressure. High blood pressure is a common health problem that can silently damage your body for years before developing any symptoms. When left untreated, high blood pressure can cause disabilities and fatal heart attacks.
5. More Effective Immune System
Your immune system defends your body from bacteria, germs, and harmful substances present in the environment, which is why you should consistently take care of it. Having a weak immune system increases your susceptibility to infections and severe symptoms associated with it.
Taking prebiotics may also boost your immune system as it may help promote the production of natural antibodies in the body. Antibodies are proteins created by your immune system once it detects the presence of a foreign substance. Antibodies latch onto these substances to remove them from your body.
Prebiotics may also improve your immune system by boosting the effectiveness of immune cells, such as T lymphocytes and IgA-producing cells. These cells work by protecting other cells in your body from infection and neutralizing bacterial toxins.
6. Weight Loss Aide
Being overweight or obese can significantly affect your quality of your life. For one, having excess weight may increase your risk of developing anxiety and depression over your lifetime. Obesity may also trigger several health problems, namely type 2 diabetes, gallbladder disease, stroke, high blood pressure, and osteoarthritis.
Aside from sticking to a healthier diet and a more active lifestyle, taking prebiotics may also aid in your weight loss journey. Some prebiotics are known to absorb dietary fats present in your intestines. The fat collected is then excreted along with feces instead of being stored in your body.
Other types of prebiotics may also help you feel fuller for longer periods, causing you to eat less during meals. Prebiotics may also encourage your body to burn more calories, which can lead to faster, healthier weight loss.
7. Better Vaginal Health
If you are a woman, you should also prioritize taking care of your vaginal health. Vaginal problems can adversely affect your fertility, ability to reach orgasms, and libido. Having vaginal health problems can also cause chronic stress and even put a strain on your relationship.
Because the vagina also contains good and bad bacteria, taking prebiotics may also help improve your vaginal health. Prebiotics may restore the balance of the bacteria in the vagina, making it difficult for harmful microorganisms to thrive and cause diseases. Prebiotics may also help prevent and treat some of the most common urogenital problems, such as urinary tract infections, yeast infections, and bacterial vaginosis.
Seek Medical Advice First
Before adding prebiotics to your diet, speak to a healthcare professional. Consuming large amounts of prebiotics may cause infection and other adverse effects, especially if you have a critical illness or if you have recently undergone major surgery since your immune system will be severely weakened while you’re recovering.
Make sure that you are taking prebiotics in the right amount and frequency by talking to your doctor. They have the experience to recommend the right food and supplements to ensure that your body enjoys the wellness benefits of prebiotics minus the side effects!
