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Maintaining a balanced
diet is key to a healthy gut.
Practising self-discipline
Dr Tee stresses that maintaining
a healthy gut is not difficult, as you
will just have to be disciplined in
maintaining a healthy eating
pattern.
Have a balanced diet that
includes a wide variety of foods
from each of the main food groups
and eat moderate amounts.
Limit the intake of foods high
in fats, oil, sugar and salt and
include more plant foods such as
legumes. This will help you obtain
enough dietary fibre, which is
important for good gut health,
says Dr Tee.
He also recommends consuming
food containing ingredients that
can promote good bacteria in the
gut such as fermented soy
products, cultured milk and drinks,
as well as yoghurt as they are a
good source of probiotics.
As stress can have a negative
effect on gut health, both Dr Tee
and Prof Lee advise people to
conduct regular exercise on top
of healthier dietary habits to
maintain a healthy gut.
Speaking on the myriad of diet
fads that are heavily promoted in
the market, both doctors say it is
difficult to ascertain if commercial
diets have any beneficial or
negative effects in the long run,
and more research has to be
carried out within this area.
However, Dr Tee stresses, You
have to remember that there is no
magic bullet or short cut to keeping
fit or maintaining a healthy body
weight.
It requires a long-term
programme of adopting a balanced
diet and physically active life.
While this may not sound exciting,
it is the only proven safe way to
maintain a healthy body weight.
Fibre-rich
food benefits
HEART health experts worldwide have
confirmed that the consumption of a
high-fibre diet is associated with lower
incidences of cardiovascular diseases while
a lack of fibre in our daily diet contributes
to various digestive problems such as
constipation and bowel irregularities
which, if left untreated for too long, may
lead to colon cancer.
According to the Malaysian Dietary
Guidelines, the recommended daily intake of
total fibre for Malaysians is from 20g to 30g
per day.
However, it is reported that more than
half of the Malaysian adult population
consume only about 13g to 15g of
dietary fibre per day, which indicates a
fibre-deficient diet among Malaysian adults.
Unfortunately, there is not much public
awareness on the importance of consuming
the right amount and type of dietary fibre
on a daily basis to help maintain optimal
digestive and heart health.
Dietary fibre content is usually listed on a
food product label as total fibre, which is a
combination of soluble and insoluble fibre.
Both types have distinctive health benefits
and it is important to select the right dietary
fibre to obtain the desired health benefits.
Products that consist of natural oat bran
such as oat bran powder and crispy oat
cereal consist of high amounts of a unique
soluble fibre known as oat beta-glucans.
The health benefits of having a daily
intake of 3g oat beta-glucan have been
extensively studied. It is well known for its
benefit of lowering blood cholesterol levels
for the maintenance of heart health.
Many health professionals promote its
inclusion in low glycaemic index (GI) diets
for individuals suffering from or who are at
risk of Type 2 diabetes.
Oat bran powder or crispy oat cereal are
naturally rich in both soluble and insoluble
fibres. The effect of digestive health,
according to the European Food Safety
Authority (EFSA), refers to the improvement
of bowel function through the ingestion of
insoluble fibre, which occurs with
increasing bulk in stool and bowel
regularity.
The Health Ministry states a food product
benefits gut health when it contains at least
How is Nutriforte
Lactoghurt beneficial?
No two probiotics formulas
produce the same results. The
benefits observed clinically among
probiotics vary according to the
manner in which those bacteria
are prepared and protected, and
according to the strains used.
Nutriforte Lactoghurt contains
FOS which provides synergy effect
to promote healthy gut. It uses a
Nutriforte Lactoghurt.
Power-packed
multi-enzymes
A COMPLETE and balanced
nutrition intake may maintain
healthy body functions but it is
also influenced by the whole
digestive process meaning
food ingestion and digestion as
well as nutrient absorption and
utilisation.
Even the most complete diet
will not benefit the body if not
properly broken down into
nutrients that are readily
absorbed and used.
Poorly digested food may
lead to occasional abdominal
discomfort, bloating and other
undesirable symptoms.
Enzymes are specifically
produced by the body to assist
in the breakdown of food and
unlocking of nutrients,
allowing them to be effectively
absorbed and used by the body.
However, ageing, unhealthy
lifestyles and poor eating habits
can interfere with the bodys
ability to produce adequate
supply of enzymes for the above
process.
In addition, certain cooking
methods and processing
technology can also destroy the
natural enzymes in raw foods.
For these reasons, obtaining
an alternative source of
enzymes supply is important
and required to maintain
optimum health.
Biogrow Mixed Berries with
Multi Enzymes contains a broad
Biogrow
Mixed
Berries
with Multi
Enzymes.
Most Malaysians are unaware of how their diet affects their health.
Do not hesitate to seek medical advice if you encounter signs of
digestive problems.
Importance of a
well-functioning gut
Our body is home to
approximately 100 trillion bacteria
more than 10 times the number
of cells we have in our entire body.
The ideal bacteria composition
in the gut is 85% good bacteria and
15% bad bacteria. Maintaining this
optimal ratio in your gut flora is
essential for good health.
The gut flora promotes normal
gastrointestinal function, provides
protection from infection, regulates
metabolism and comprises more
than 75% of our immune system.
The type and quantity of
microorganisms in your gut flora
can either prevent or encourage
the development of many diseases.
There are symptoms that
indicate poor gut health, including
heartburn, abdominal bloating,
wind, pain, diarrhoea, poor
nutrient absorption and a general
unwell feeling.
Other signs to look out for
include frequent colds, change in
appetite, worsening allergies and
food sensitivities.
n For more
information, visit
www.vitagen.
com.my.
Friendly bacteria
and the amazing gut
HOW much do you know about
your intestines? You will be
surprised to learn that, at any one
time, you have about one hundred
trillion bacteria inside your
digestive tract, particularly in your
intestines. These trillions of
bacteria are made up of about 500
different species, which began
settling into your body from the
very first day you were born.
About 85% of these bacteria
perform beneficial functions, such
as digesting food, protecting
against infection and influencing a
few physiological processes in the
body. The remainder of the
bacteria may either not provide
any benefits or could be potentially
harmful, which sometimes
referred to as bad bacteria.
At the same time, most of the
bodys immune system also lives in
your digestive tract, home to about
70-80% of immune cells. So any
changes that occur in the gut have
a strong impact, not only on your
digestive health, but also on your
overall health.
Biogrow Probiotics.