Remember when you were a kid and your mom just KNEW you had an upset tummy just by smelling your breath? You probably thought she was off her maternal rocker, but guess what – she wasn’t crazy at all!!!
We all know that bad breath can be caused by certain foods, alcohol, some medications, diseases, snoring, and poor oral hygiene. And, of course, most bad breath comes from the bacteria that accumulate on the tongue.
But did you know that the state of your digestive system also impacts your breath?
Digestive Health and Your Breath
Having a healthy digestive system is critical for your health. Beneficial bacteria, which influence your immune system, reside in the gut. Good bacteria should account for about 85% of total bacteria, and an imbalance in the good and bad bacteria can cause not only bad breath, but also body odor and other health problems.
It is very important, therefore, to maintain good gut health. The first step is to watch what you ingest! Here are just a few examples:
- Foods that contain too much sugar or that can be break down into sugar allow bad bacteria to flourish. This includes ANY food or drink that contains high amounts of sugar – watch out for those “health” drinks! Read labels!
- Take antibiotics only when you really need to – they can destroy good organisms while they kill off the bad bacteria and make you feel better!
- Using a good water filter can reduce your exposure to harmful chemicals in your water.
- While it is often viewed as just fashionable, there is a good reason to think about purchasing organic fruits and vegetables – the farmers use natural, non-chemical, methods to grow food.
- Try to keep healthy fats in your diet, such as coconut oil, raw nuts and seeds. Or how about trying to use avocado on your next sandwich on in your next salad instead of mayonnaise?
- Reduce the starches in your diet and eat raw vegetables in addition to cooking them. Many times the nutrients are cooked out of what we eat!
These are just a few ideas to keep your gut balanced – of course, if any of these ideas present a drastic change in the way you live, or if you have dietary needs that are not addressed, please consult your doctor! But most of these ideas are compatible with any lifestyle or health condition.
Of course, oral hygiene is critical to keep the bad bacteria in check in your mouth and, especially on your tongue, so don’t forget to brush and use your TUNG Brush and Gel daily while you work on balancing that gut health!
