Palm Beach Health Center

Are you looking for a gut check? Nutrition counseling in West Palm Beach can help ensure you’re eating the right food and taking the appropriate supplements to support your gastrointestinal system. Keep reading for everything you need to know about your gut health.

The Importance of a Healthy Gut

Many people might not know this, but a large portion of your immune system is in your gut. Anything we consume or people we encounter can expose us to bacteria and other viruses, so it’s crucial to make sure our immune system stays intact. Not having enough probiotics as well as having excess harmful bacteria in your gut will make it unhealthy. When your gut is unhealthy, it causes damage to the digestive tract lining, which burdens and overstimulates the immune system in our gut. As a result, this can weaken your immune system and leave you susceptible to certain autoimmune conditions, such as rheumatoid arthritis or fibromyalgia.

What Makes Good Probiotics?

We recommend taking probiotics to improve your gut health. It works by eliminating bacterial overgrowth in your body. But beware – there are good and bad probiotics out there. Here is what you should look for in a good probiotic.

Colony-Forming Unit (CFU)

CFU is basically the number of organisms in a serving. Most probiotic supplements can have between 1 to 10 billion CFU per dose, and others can have 50 billion or more. Dr. Symons generally recommends anywhere from 80 to 100 billion organisms per serving for the best results.

Variety of Bacteria Strains

Good probiotics have upwards of 30 different strains of bacteria. Your gastrointestinal tract has many kinds of organisms, including bacteria, that can influence your health. The more good types of bacteria you have in your gut, the healthier it’ll be.

Creates a Majority of Serotonin Levels

When you think of serotonin, you may assume it’s all formed in the brain. The truth is that a majority of serotonin is produced in the gut! A good probiotic is supposed to create about 80% to 90% of your serotonin levels. When you lack probiotics or have an overgrowth of harmful bacteria in your digestive tract, your serotonin levels significantly reduce and can cause depression, anxiety, or other mental health issues.

Do You Need Nutrition Counseling in West Palm Beach?

Dr. Symons of Palm Beach Health Center proudly offers nutrition counseling in the West Palm Beach areas for those suffering from an unhealthy gut. If you’re interested in learning more about taking probiotics and improving your gut health, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us!