It took me a while to realize just how important gut health is to each individual’s overall well being. The condition of one’s gut can lead to things like heightened eczema and low immunity levels which can cause your body to be unable to fight off certain diseases.

Did you know that the majority of your immune system is located in your intestinal track? That means there is definitely a whole lot of bacteria present. Note that there is “good” bacteria as well as “bad” bacteria. So, the question then becomes how do we differentiate between the two? Well, good bacteria can come in the form of maintaining a diet rich in raw and fermented foods. Yogurt, kefir, fermented fish = good. Starchy, processed foods and sugars = not so good.

One thing I am guilty of as a mom is covering Peyton with antibacterial soap and washing her hands every 5 minutes even though some research has shown that playing in the dirt and letting your kids get a little dirty actually can help to develop their digestive systems. Baby steps, y’all, I still have my travel antibacterial soap, baby wipes, and Lysol in tow.

Knowing that,it is important that I supplement my OCD tendencies and germaphobe personality with ensuring that my household is equipped with the tools needed to build up “good” bacteria in our digestive systems because my sick days are looking pretty low these days.

Here are my top 3 ways to fight off bad bacteria and protect your gut!

Stock Up On Fermented Foods and Drinks: This is my number one because this gives me an excuse to drink all of the kombucha! Anyone who has been rocking with FitXBrit for awhile knows how I feel about my booch. I am learning to open up and try different brands but my go-to is Health-Ade.Cultured drinks are jam packed with probiotics which is always a good thing. You can also try foods like kimchi, natural yogurts, and fermented veggies as well.

Try A Probiotic Supplement: If you may be at a place where you feel like you have done so much damage that even your dietary changes may need a boost, you may need to invest in a supplement. I was presented with the opportunity to try out hyperbiotics, which is already the 31 selling supplement on amazon and I can definitely see why. Since we know that our human cells are pretty much outnumbered by the number of bacteria living in our bodies a probiotic supplement definitely allows you to be proactive in the matter.

Use Natural Soap and WARM Water vs Antibacterial Soaps: Research is showing that when overused antibacterial soaps cause us to get rid of the “good” bacteria that we need and may be increasing certain resistant strains of bacteria.

Your energy levels, your weight, your digestive system, your mood and even things like hair and skin health can be traced to gut health. Brain function, teeth, joints and heart health can all be enhanced by making simple decisions to take care of our gut.