The health world has been abuzz lately with a constant stream of research regarding probiotics lately. But what exactly are these things and why or for what should you take these?
Probiotics are a species of health-promoting bacteria. Yep, bacteria that rather than creating disease actually bring you closer to health. These bacteria are naturally found in your gut and help you digest food, support your immune system and even MAKE vitamins that the rest of your body can use. Much of the research surrounding probiotics is produced in terms of treating disease, going so far as to suggest feces transplants – where the feces of one person is transferred and ‘implanted’ into another person. This seems a little extreme to me, and I’m much more interested in in a person keeping their health, or reversing the train on the path to such poor health that one would require a fecal transplant.
We carry about 10 times more bacteria in and on our body than the number of cells that make up the human body. In fact, we carry about 2 pounds of bacteria in our intestines alone!!
Probiotics are ultimately about maintaining a healthful microbiome – which is all the bacteria that live in and on your body, both good and bad. More and more is being learned about the importance of the bugs we carry with us and akin to the Human Genome Project, there is a Human Microbiome Project where they are currently mapping the microbiome of the human body and how it correlates to health.
The primary way probiotics are beneficial to us is maintaining a healthy intestinal environment. Having adequate good bacteria help us keep pathogenic (harmful) bacteria in check and prevent disease. Not just infections, but allergic (eczema and allergies and asthma) and immune-inflammatory (Chron’s, ulcerative colitis, arthritis and diabetes!).
The most common way our microbiome is disturbed is through the consumption of processed foods (sugars, grains, alcohol, artificial sweeteners and preservatives) and through the lack of probiotic feeding fiber from fresh fruits and vegetables. Additionally, stress, illness and prescription and non-prescription drugs alter our microbiome.
Probiotics help us better digest and absorb our food and even make essential nutrients like antioxidants, vitamin K and B vitamins. The provide an important front line of defense to our immune system and even help our body detoxify cancer causing enzyme, hormones and drugs!
Marketing has at least introduced people to the idea of consuming bacteria to promote health, largely thanks to Activa yogurt. However, our normal healthy flora was determined thousands of years before we had access to dairy and grains. Therefore, it’s not possible to get sufficient probiotic from the consumption of dairy products.
I choose Innate Choice Probiotics because they are the only probiotic formulated with the species found most commonly among healthy populations and based on the healthy diets of our ancestors and today’s indigenous populations who suffer from considerably less chronic disease than today’s ‘modern’ people. It is also formulate free of dairy, soy, goat and grain products and contains over 30 billion microorganisms, making it one of the most potent probiotics available on the market.
How do you know if you need a probiotic?
Unless you were born via vaginal birth, were breast-fed 18-24 months, have never taken a single antibiotic or ingested alcohol, consume large amounts of fresh fruits and vegetables and almost no grains or sugars and have a source of probiotic in your diet from properly prepared fermented foods, you are almost certainly deficient in probiotic. Common signs of deficiency include gas, bloating and indigestion, bad breath and body odour and impaired immunity indicated by frequent or prolonged cases of colds and flus. Fungal or yeast overgrowths such as Candida, vaginal yeast infections and Athlete’s foot are also signs of a deficiency in your “good bacteria”. Acne, eczema, dandruff, and overall ill-health are also associated with probiotic deficiency.
Do children need probiotics?
Yes! Before birth a baby’s gut is sterile and the immune system immature. The gut microflora of a baby begins to develop at birth and breast-feeding continues this development. If formula is being used (please take the time to investigate organic high-quality formula that does not contain unhealthy ingredients such as high-fructose corn syrup) Probiotic Sufficiency™ can be added to the formula. When solid foods are introduced you can begin to include probiotic supplementation after the meal. By the age of two or three most children have a fairly stable intestinal balance. As is the case for adults, any stressor such as antibiotics or illness can seriously alter this balance.
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