In last week’s blog post, I spoke about the symptoms you may be experiencing that could be related to a compromised gut, as well as the foods to support it.

In order to heal, we have a series of steps to go through – remember, step 1 was to remove the offending foods and irritants and step 2 was to replace them with healing and nourishing foods.

In this post, I’m going to show you how to further repair your gut.

Many of us are lacking in healthy bacteria and enzymes in the gut which are crucial for proper digestion of food. Ideally, you get these probiotics and enzymes from the food you eat, but when healing the gut, it’s often helpful to give the digestive system a little boost.

Step 3 begins with supplementation to enhance the number and amount of good probiotics you’re getting in to your system. Fermented and cultured foods are a fantastic way to add good bacteria every day but sometimes we just need more!

After years of research and experimenting on myself, there is one brand I trust because of their integrity, longevity and peer-reviewed journals and clinical studies; that is the Shaklee Corporation. My recommendations below are based on proven results with my clients.

1. Probiotics

We need to continually replace the good bacteria we lose on a daily basis.  You need a high-quality probiotic with a high CFU (colony-forming units of live bacteria) count and a variety of strains. The Shaklee Optiflora DI fits the bill.

The Optiflora DI provides benefits via a proprietary formula with 10 billion CFUs of 4 bacterial strains, including Bifidobacterium lactis HN019™, proven in clinical studies to provide digestive and immune health support. It helps support intestinal flora balance/good bacteria, maintain regularity and reduce occasional gas, bloating, and constipation.

2. Digestive Enzymes

Many organs work together to make up your digestive system. These organs take the food and liquids you eat and break them down into simpler forms, such as proteins, carbs, fats and vitamins. The nutrients are then transported across the small intestine and into the bloodstream, where they provide energy for growth and repair.

Digestive enzymes are necessary for this process, as they break down molecules like fats, proteins and carbs into even smaller molecules that can be easily absorbed.

There are three main types of digestive enzymes:

  • Proteases: Break down protein into small peptides and amino acids
  • Lipases: Break down fat into three fatty acids plus a glycerol molecule
  • Amylases: Break down carbs like starch into simple sugars

Shaklee EZ Gest contains these digestive enzymes because some of us are lacking them and for many, we lose them as we age. EZ Gest relieves gas, bloating, and feelings of fullness and aids in the digestion of dairy, proteins, fats, and complex carbohydrates.

3.Super Greens

Adding in a daily green drink can do wonders for your health and support your gut health. These dark green ingredients are full of antioxidants to help fight free radical damage, protein to help repair any damage to your gut, and are alkalizing to reduce inflammation. My recommendation here is always use real, dark leafy greens such as kale, spinach, Swiss chard etc. but if you can’t get to the store often or your greens go bad before you use them up, give the Shaklee Organic Greens Booster a try. It provides one cup of raw, organic, nutrient-rich green vegetables in every scoop, making it easy to get the vegetables often missed in meals. Contains dehydrated kale, spinach and broccoli in their purest form with all the fiber intact. By adding on one green drink a day, you will immediately start to reap the gut health benefits.

4. B-Complex Vitamins

These vitamins help your body form red blood cells and absorb and use the nutrients and energy from the food that you eat. Without these helpful vitamins, we can’t properly use the food we consume. My recommendation is the Shaklee B Complex Vitamin.

5. Zinc

Many people with digestive issues (and in particular, fructose malabsorption) often experience inefficient zinc absorption. Consider taking a round of zinc supplementation to give your body a ‘top up’. Recommendation is the Shaklee Zinc Complex.

By adding in enhancements to your diet, you will super charge your gut-healing capabilities.  I can’t wait to hear what you’ve tried!

Stay tuned for more information on creating new gut-healthy habits in Part 4 of this gut health series.