Hi guys, Kris from Custom Fitness here, your personal trainer in Amarillo. Talking to you today about building a stronger digestive system while supporting your immune system. You may not know this, but 70% of your immune system is located in your digestive tract. That leaves you vulnerable to a lot of ailments if you aren’t going out of your way to support that immune system. Today I have some tips for you to keep you away from the Kleenexes this season. If you have questions about today’s blog or would like further information about how you can do good by your digestive and immune systems, give us a call: 806-322-3188.
This time of year a lot of people are getting sick. Seems like the past 2 weeks a little bit of everything has been going around: the cold, flu, stomach bugs, etc. and it’s taking people out with a vengeance. Working in cubicles, offices, or schools, you are breathing in the same air as a sick colleague. If you don’t have a strong digestive tract, you could be susceptible to whatever ailment they have.
Did you know that not all the food you eat is absorbed by your system? Everyone’s digestive tract is unique. As is what nutrients are absorbed when foods/drinks are consumed. You want to build up your digestion by eliminating foods that the body does not process well (i.e. allergies or sensitivity) and increase the amount of foods that it can process and absorb.
How do can you increase your absorption of minerals and vitamins while enhancing your immune system? If you’re going through the effort and expensive of eating healthy foods, you want to make sure your body is getting the most out of it.
Take probiotics daily. That may sound like a sales pitch, but honestly I don’t care where you buy them as long as they are high quality. Custom Fitness does offer some supplements, but I encourage you to do your own research on anything you want to take. Make sure that the company is reputable. Look at the quality of ingredients they are packing into the capsules. Most importantly look to see if they have tested the products in the lab and in the field.
Cheap(er) probiotics are lower quality because they are overloaded with fillers and sugars. The higher the price tag, often, the higher the quality of the probiotic. In this case, you get what you pay for. This time of year, I recommend about 50 billion microorganisms per serving which you can easily take in one capsule.
Switch the brand of probiotics you are using every 3 months. Each company has its own patented strain combination. To get the most variety of healthy bacteria into your system, you need to brand hop every quarter. This will help strengthen your digestion and expand your immune system. You are sending probiotics in to clean out your gut of the toxins and allowing the body to support itself.
If supplements aren’t your thing, you can eat fermented vegetables or plant based sources of probiotics. That includes things like sauerkraut. There is a brand called Bubby’s that sells pickles, pickle relish, and sauerkraut that is fermented so you can get your probiotics in that way.
You can get probiotics from yogurt, but don’t let Jamie Lynn Curtis fool you. To get a full day supply of probiotics for your entire body (not only your digestive tract) you would need to eat a gallon of yogurt a day. I don’t know about you, but that’s too much yogurt for me. I used to eat a lot yogurt before I was diagnosed with my dairy allergy and it was great, but I never got close to a gallon – even as a personal trainer in Amarillo! Remember, no matter what you are using to get your probiotics in, you want to mix and match your sources to be exposed to various strains of the healthy bacteria. The more sources or brands, the better off you will be.
You can also get probiotics from drinks. There is a drink called Kevita that is equally tasty and beneficial. The fermentation process brings about a natural carbonation, so it is a little bubbly. That tends to satisfy a lot of my client’s needs for a fizzy soda. Probiotic water can also add a kick to your water drinking habit. If you just want to drink plain old water, I have no complaints about that – as you know, I love it when clients are hydrated. Kombucha tea, you don’t need a whole bottle everyday. Instead, pour half of it into a glass along with some other probiotic sources to amplify the effect and minimize the excess calories.
Probiotics are going to play a huge role in training the body to absorb more nutrients from vegetables, proteins, and healthy fats. It is also going to boost your immune system to keep you happy and healthy this season.
If you have questions about how you can better implement those strategies, or you’re ready to take charge of your life with healthier choices, my team and I are ready to get to work. We often work with clients on tailoring exercise, nutrition, and lifestyle modification to meet their needs and we’re ready to help you as well. It is still Bring a Friend Week. If you don’t know anyone who works out with us (yet), you can be my friend. You can come and try out any of our group, semi-training, or private training sessions – it’s your choice. We are also offering a unique trial session to 10 people who have never been to Custom Fitness before. We’d like to bring you in for two sessions and a free consultation. If that sounds interesting to you, maybe you’ve wanted to try us out, but were a little nervous, this is a great chance to see what we are all about. Talk with our office and mention that Kris sent you. We will get you scheduled for the consultation where you and I can sit down to talk about the options. You can reach us at 806-322-3188 or e-mail us at info@customfitness.biz. At Custom Fitness, we are YOUR personal trainers in Amarillo, Texas.