Beta Glucan Benefits: Nature's Powerful Immune Booster

Beta Glucan Benefits: Nature's Powerful Immune Booster

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Have you heard of Beta-Glucan? Despite its many health advantages and benefits, many still are unfamiliar with this powerhouse. Beta-Glucan is a polysaccharide found naturally in many foods, such as mushrooms, oats, and barley, and evidence shows that it provides a powerful boost for the immune system, as well as a number of other health benefits.

What is BETA-GLUCAN?

Beta-Glucan is purported to benefit the following conditions:

  • Ulcerative colitis
  • Rheumatoid arthritis
  • Fibromyalgia
  • Chronic fatigue syndrome
  • Allergies
  • Asthma
  • Diabetes
  • Crohn’s disease

Beta-Glucan helps strengthen the immune system, and is used by naturopaths and integrative physicians to ward off colds, flu, and even as a preventative measure against cancer. The full effects of Beta-Glucans are still being studied, but research shows these promising potential immune health benefits:

  • Immune response support – Preliminary research shows that Beta-Glucan promotes immunity, and helps fend off viruses, infections, colds, and flu. Beta-Glucan may also keep the immune system in check, and keep it from becoming overactive as well.
  • Cholesterol – Oat Beta-Glucan may significantly decrease total and LDL (bad) cholesterol, lowering your risk for heart disease.
  • Diabetes – It may help manage diabetes, and prevent diabetes related complications by regulating blood sugar levels, keeping blood pressure in healthy range, and lowering cholesterol.
  • Weight balance – Consuming Beta-Glucan increases feelings of fullness, and helps you eat less. About 4 to 6 grams are needed to feel these effects: that’s about one cup of cooked oats. For some added inspiration, try out this amazing and easy overnight oats recipe.

Ways to Take Beta Glucan

Beta Glucan can be taken in multiple ways so that you can start experiencing the benefits. You can simply add beta glucan into your diet by eating the following foods:

  • Oats
  • Barley
  • Wheat
  • Rye Sorghum grains
  • Seaweed
  • Algae
  • Brewer’s & baker’s yeast
  • Reishi, shiitake and maitake mushrooms

While you can easily add all of these foods into your diet, another simple way to get beta glucan into your diet is through a supplement that you can take daily.

BENEFITS OF PREBIOTICS

Everyone knows the power of a good probiotic, but did you know you need prebiotics as well? Prebiotics are a type of non-digestible dietary fiber which pass through the upper part of the digestive tract and remain undigested, as the body cannot completely break them down. Once they reach the large intestine (the colon), they ferment and promote the growth of healthy microflora.

Prebiotics, combined with probiotics, are a powerful way to heal and promote healthy digestive tract function, so everyone can benefit by consuming both regularly. Beta-Glucan is designed to support and strengthen the intestinal lining, and when taken in conjunction with Integrity, is amazing for healing digestive disorders and digestive tract distress.

Here are some of the amazing benefits of taking prebiotics regularly:

  • Lower inflammation and autoimmune reactions
  • Higher immune function
  • Reduced stress response
  • Improved gut health
  • Better digestion
  • Reduce risk of obesity and weight gain
  • Improved hormonal balance
  • Healthier cholesterol levels

When it comes to giving the immune system a natural boost, by maximizing its response to disease and infections, Beta-Glucan is a powerful way to support your body. Beta-Glucan derived prebiotics are also key to healing the intestinal lining, and getting your digestion in tip top shape. In addition to eating probiotic rich foods like sauerkraut and kimchi, taking a good Beta-Glucan supplement can help rebalance and repopulate the microflora in the gut, and help heal and soothe the gut lining, increasing your overall health, energy, and radiance!

Written by Carolyn De Lorenzo

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