Top tips to shake up your gut health

Your gut microbiome is the epicentre for maintaining many different aspects of your health.

Of course, the most obvious is keeping you “regular” (goodbye to constipation and diarrhoea), but a happy, healthy and robust microbiome can also support mood regulation, better sleep and a strong immune system. It can even influence the likelihood of developing allergies, and their severity if you do! All of these things, along with the gut’s ability to help manage a healthy weight, make it abundantly clear that, for long-term health, we’ve got to start from the inside.

What is the microbiome? 

The microbiome consists of trillions of bacteria, viruses, fungi and other microbes that live mainly in your large intestine or colon – some good and some…not so good. Together these organisms weigh around 1-2kgs but, until relatively recently, they have been largely ignored.

A number of scientific studies have shown that having the right variety and proportion of “good” bacteria in your gut is vitally important for your long-term health. It’s a bit like rainforests being vital for the overall health of the planet.

As you get older, having lots of “good” bacteria living in your gut is increasingly important because they help you fight infection and prevent the onset of type 2 diabetes, as well as depression and common gut disorders like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

Your gut also produces substances which can help reduce anxiety and act as natural mood boosters: a happy bonus! 

However,  we know that it’s not always possible to get in the right amount of nutrients and gut-supporting foods everyday. Enter, our top tip for making sure you’re getting in gut-loving nutrients: The Fast 800 Shakes!

Why are The Fast 800 shakes so good for your gut?

The Fast 800 shakes were specifically designed to provide a quick and convenient way to get gut-loving nutrition when time or circumstances make it tricky to eat a meal. Made from natural ingredients, The Fast 800 shakes help you look after your gut health by providing a good source of prebiotics, probiotics and fibre.

Prebiotics

Prebiotics and probiotics work together to help maintain a healthy digestive system. Think of ‘pre’ as meaning before, so prebiotics are the first step in the chain, and ‘pro’ meaning after, as the next step in the chain.

Prebiotics are a type of plant fibre that your body can’t absorb, but when digested, encourage the growth of “good” bacteria in your gut. You’ve probably heard of probiotics, which are healthy micro-organisms that rely on prebiotics to survive and thrive. Prebiotics and probiotics work together to help maintain a healthy digestive system.

The Fast 800 shakes contain inulin, a prebiotic fibre found in many vegetables like asparagus, onion, garlic, chicory root and Jerusalem artichoke. Inulin helps keep you feeling fuller for longer and helps control blood sugar levels, all the while feeding the probiotics in your gut and encouraging them to grow.

Probiotics 

Probiotics are live micro-organisms found in bacteria, yeast or fungi, that help keep your digestive system healthy by controlling the growth of harmful bacteria. Probiotics promote a healthy balance of gut bacteria and have been linked to a wide range of health benefits, including improved digestive health, immune function and weight loss.

The Fast 800 shakes contain a probiotic blend (Bacillus Coagulans) which helps keep your gut feeling healthy!

Fibre 

Dietary fibre is important for digestive health and regular bowel movements. Fibre also helps you feel fuller for longer, can improve cholesterol and blood sugar levels and can assist in preventing some diseases such as diabetes, heart disease and bowel cancer.

The Fast 800 shakes are high in fibre, containing an average of 14 grams of fibre per 100 grams. The fibre in the Fast 800 shakes mainly comes from flaxseeds. In addition to being high in fibre, flaxseeds are also packed with nutrients, including anti-inflammatory omega-3 oils.

We now know how key a happy gut is for our overall health, so why not try The Fast 800 Shakes and see what they can do for your gut health? No guts, no glory as they say!