Why Drink A Strong Immune Health Smoothie this Winter?

Our smoothie supports your gut and immune system in more than one way.

First, it utilizes the incredible nutrients of grapefruits. Grapefruits, which are delicious winter fruits, are high in vitamin C and fiber. Vitamin C is associated with strong immune function, and fiber supports gut health.

What’s more, our smoothie includes both ginger and turmeric. These amazing ingredients contain potent antioxidant and anti-inflammation compounds. How do anti-inflammatory nutrients help? They reduce inflammation. Inflammation directly affects the immune system by changing the course of hormones and impacting the immune response (1).

But, the stars of our smoothie are the ingredients that specifically encourage healthy gut bacteria, strong gut tissues and barriers, healthy hormone function, and more. Here’s how they help.

How A Strong Gut Supports Immune Health

One system in your body is responsible for the health of all other systems. Sure, all systems are important. However, it’s this one system that nourishes the whole body, and impacts it through immune hormones and signals. It’s the digestive system.

Unfortunately, it’s estimated that 60-70 million Americans suffer from chronic digestive issues each year (2). Some are severe. Some are more minor. All impede everyday life to some extent and affect every other system in the body. In fact, unhealthy compositions of gut bacteria have a direct impact on the immune system and the modulation of immune responses (3).

It’s for this reason that Dr. Colbert has created an amazing system to help you care for your digestive health: Dr. Colbert’s Healthy Gut Zone System. This complete kit includes the best probiotics available, a two-fiber supplement powder for complete digestive health, and Dr. Colbert’s Gut Zone book.

With the Healthy Gut Zone System, you’ll learn how digestive health affects your entire body and what you can do to keep yours in top-notch shape!

5 Strategies for a Healthy Gut and Strong Immune Health 

1. Take Care of Your Healthy Bacteria

How can you take care of your healthy bacteria? Start with a great probiotic.

Within Dr. Colbert’s Healthy Gut Zone System, you’ll receive Divine Health® Biotics. Divine Health Biotics is a probiotic supplement that contains live, viable probiotic bacteria in pill form. It is specifically beneficial to modern-day humans since we have many food-supply, environmental, and chemical compounds that harm our digestive tracts and bacteria.

Both anecdotal reports and studies show that probiotics help acute digestion symptoms. They can also produce beneficial effects on the bacteria in the gut (4). What’s more, they can affect other health issues within the body as they improve digestion comfort, nutrient absorption and microbiota (5).

In addition, Dr. Colbert’s Gut Zone Book emphasizes healthy foods you can consume to fortify your digestive tract’s healthy bacteria. These include Divine Health® Fermented Greens Supremefood, plain yogurt, kimchi, sauerkraut, kefir, kombucha, tempeh, and more.

Don’t leave your healthy bacteria to fend for themselves. Fortify them with probiotics each day.

2. Fortify with Fiber

Next, you can fortify your digestive tract with fiber. Dr. Colbert’s Keto Zone^® Fiber Zone is included in the Healthy Gut Zone System.

Dr. Colbert’s Keto Zone^® Fiber Zone is a delicious fiber powder specially formulated using 2 of the most powerful, important fibers available.

First, it contains psyllium husk. Psyllium husk is made of both soluble (70%) and insoluble fibers (30%).  This means twice the benefits. It acts as a prebiotic, feeding and fortifying healthy gut bacteria. Its insoluble fiber passes through the digestive tract, providing bulk and softness to stools. This encourages digestive health, reduced inflammation, and a healthy gut-brain connection (6).

Next, Fiber Zone contains inulin. Inulin is a prebiotic fiber. Like psyllium, it feeds the healthy bacteria and cells in our digestive tracts, making them stronger and healthier (7).

Together, these fibers work to reduce hunger cravings, support healthy digestion, encourage optimal weight, support bone health and optimize the gut-brain connection (8).

In addition, following Dr. Colbert’s Gut Zone Book, eat healthy high fiber and prebiotic foods. These include berries, artichokes, asparagus, broccoli, greens, onions, garlic, leaks, cacao, flaxseeds, hemp heart seeds, nuts, and more.

3. Nourish Your Gut Barriers with Collagen

Collagen is another great food for your digestive health!

In fact, collagen supports healthy digestion, joint health, vibrant skin, healthy weight, and more!

In particular, those who suffer from leaky gut syndrome can find relief by adding collagen to their diets. With this digestive issue, toxins, allergens and large particles are able to pass from your gut into your bloodstreams, causing negative reactions. Collagen can help fortify connective tissue in the protective lining of the digestive tract. It heals it and helps it seal out the offending particles. Further, it supports better digestive health in those who suffer from inflammatory digestive issues, acid reflux, and more (9).

Keto Zone^® Collagen Powder is a great source of collagen. It is enzymatically hydrolyzed, or predigested, for effortless digestion and full absorption into the body. It is derived from chicken and marine peptides, and contains Types I, II, and III collagen. This combination of collagen supports the formation of elastin in the body, which is critical in fighting against wrinkles and sagging skin.

4. Avoid Substances that Harm the Gut

Did you know some substances you consume actually harm digestive health? Some foods, drinks, and environmental contaminants harm or destroy digestive cells, healthy bacteria, and more. These include:

• Sugar: Sugar can harm the digestive tract in a few ways. First, it promotes the growth of harmful Candida albicans which can lead to leaky gut and other digestive issues (10). Next, high-sugar diets increase gut permeability, degrades healthy gut barriers, increases spleen weight, and increases inflammatory immune response in animal studies (11).
• Man-Made Artificial Sweeteners: Chemical artificial sweeteners have been widely used in “diet foods.” Unfortunately, they can have negative effects on gut bacteria.   Animal and human studies have shown that aspartame, saccharin, sucralose, and other artificial sweeteners can impair gut bacteria (12) allowing other microbes to take over (13). If you use sugar substitutes, make sure they are natural ones like sugar alcohols: xylitol is safe and does not seem to affect gut bacteria (13).
• Antibiotics: In recent years, there has been a push to drastically reduce the use of antibiotics in humans and animals. Most doctors have been urged to only prescribe antibiotics only when necessary, and with much less frequency than in previous decades. The overuse of antibiotics has been shown to 1) hurt the gut by wiping out healthy bacteria, and 2) lead to antibiotic-resistant bacteria. In fact, the World Health Organization is also working to reduce the antibiotics that humans consume. It is recommending that routine antibiotic use in animals is stopped and reserved only when the animal is sick (14).
• Alcohol: Unfortunately, alcohol, especially in large quantities, can negatively affect the bacteria colonies in the gut. In fact, many people who abuse alcohol have impaired nutrient absorption, poor digestion, and discomfort. When used in moderation, bacteria colonies can remain healthy. But, overuse of alcohol can destroy them (15).
• Nicotine: Nicotine is harmful to digestive health. It has been associated with excess reflux, peptic ulcers, and a decrease in colon strength. What’s more, smokers experience higher Helicobacter pylori infections (16).

While you use the tools in Dr. Colbert’s Healthy Gut Zone System, you will learn to also avoid these compounds that harm your digestive system.

5. BE ACTIVE, HYDRATE, AND REDUCE STRESS

Your lifestyle choices make a difference in the health of your digestive system.

First, exercise can improve digestion. Movement and gravity helps food naturally move through your intestines. On the other hand, a sedentary lifestyle actually harms the digestive system. When we sit all day, our digestive tract is kinked. This makes natural, healthy digestion more difficult. Make sure to get up frequently and include physical activity each day to support healthy digestion.

Next, healthy digestion depends on the presence of fluids. Water helps break down food, lubricates the digestive tract, reduces constipation, and keeps your cells healthy. Make sure to drink water throughout each day.

Lastly, chronic stress can have a negative effect on digestion. In fact, chronic stress can decrease the blood flow to the intestines, slow nutrient absorption, and even change how the bacteria in your gut function. One way to reduce stress? In addition to daily de-stress strategies, make sure you stay hydrated! Dehydration is linked to elevated cortisol levels.

BOTTOM LINE

Are you ready to fortify your gut and enjoy strong immune health? There’s no better time than now as we head into the winter seasons.  Try our delicious Strong Immune Health Winter Smoothie. Learn how to take care of your digestive system every day. Get what you need with Dr. Colbert’s Healthy Gut Zone System today!