“Intestinal environment” that controls whole body health and beauty

In recent years, the term “intestinal activity” has become more common in the media and magazines. The intestines are not just organs for digesting and absorbing food. The intestines are the largest immune organ, containing approximately 70% of the human immune cells, and the intestines also produce much of the serotonin, known as the ``happiness hormone.’’ It plays an extremely important role that is directly connected to our physical and mental health, so much so that it is called the “second brain.”

When the intestinal environment deteriorates and bad bacteria become dominant, it not only causes stomach upsets such as constipation and diarrhea, but also has various negative effects on the whole body, such as rough skin, worsening of allergic symptoms, chronic fatigue, and even depressed mood and disturbances in the autonomic nervous system. ``Intestinal activity’’, which adjusts the intestinal environment, has now become an essential health habit as a foundation for creating beautiful skin, diet, and building a body that is resistant to disease.

Start today! 3 steps for effective intestinal activity

Intestinal activity is not a temporary thing, but it is important to make it a daily habit. Here are some basic steps to help you get started.

1. Direct intake of probiotics (good bacteria) First of all, actively consume foods that contain good bacteria (such as lactic acid bacteria and bifidobacteria) that have good functions in the intestines. Typical examples are fermented foods such as yogurt, natto, kimchi, miso, and pickled rice bran. Eating small amounts of a variety of fermented foods every day increases the diversity of bacteria in your intestines, creating a stronger gut flora.

2. Give prebiotics (“food” for good bacteria) In order to increase the number of good bacteria in the intestines and establish them, they need nutrients that serve as their “food.” These are “water-soluble dietary fiber” and “oligosaccharides.”

• Water-soluble dietary fiber: Contains a lot of seaweed (wakame, mekabu), mushrooms, barley, oats, burdock, etc.
• Oligosaccharides: Contained in onions, bananas, soybeans, honey, etc. By consciously incorporating these into your meals, you can activate the good bacteria in your intestines.

3. Move your intestines through hydration and moderate exercise In addition to diet, lifestyle habits also have a major impact on intestinal function. When you wake up in the morning, drink a glass of room-temperature water to wake up your resting stomach and intestines. In addition, moderate exercise that involves twisting the abdominal area, such as walking or yoga, physically encourages peristaltic movement of the intestines and supports smooth defecation. Avoiding stress is also an important point to improve intestinal function through the autonomic nervous system.