Stomach

Our bodies host plenty of guests in the form of beneficial, healthy bacteria that live inside our digestive track and stomach. At one time or another, most people have used antibiotics, reinforcements that Western doctors prescribe to help us fight off harmful infections. Unfortunately, these drugs also wipe out the helpful organisms that play an important role in our digestive process. When this happens, you want to replenish the intestinal flora with probiotics. There are several types and fortunately you can obtain most through natural foods!

What are probiotics??

According to the World Health Organization, probiotics are live micro-organisms which when administered in adequate amounts confer a health benefit on the host1 (2001 WHO/ FAO Report).

Probiotics help intestinal bacteria perform their tasks more efficiently. They take over when your intestinal bacteria have too much work or are weakened or even destroyed by antibiotics, stress, poor nutrition or any other factors.

Where can I get Probiotics from?

For a rich, readily available source of lactobacillus, eat yogurt, preferably goat yogurt, which is easier to digest than the kind made from cow’s milk. Additional sources include sauerkraut, miso, tempeh, and organic soybeans. Immediately after a course of antibiotics, you may wish to recharge your sytem with probiotics, which are found with refrigerated items in health food stores. Be sure they contain bifidobacteria, enterococci, and saccharomycese as well as lactobacillus. And always take them on an empty stomach!

Anytime my clients or friends have an upset stomach or just finish a round of antibiotics, I highly suggest Bio-K, which is available at Whole Foods and most health food stores. It’s an incredible probiotic resource, with over 50 million healthy bacteria contained in one small container! Gluten-free, free of pesticides and hormones. Click on this link to order straight from their website.

Can eating healthier change the possibility of developing diabetes? Obesity? Some scientists at Yale seem to think so.

Recently, NPR published a story about the bacteria in our bodies. It revealed that, although the genes our parents gave to us matter, they aren’t the only genes that effect our health.

University of Chicago immunologist Alexander Chervonsky, with collaborators from Yale University, recently reported that doses of the right stomach bacteria can stop the development of type 1 diabetes in lab mice. “By changing who is living in our guts, we can prevent type 1 diabetes,” he told The Wall Street Journal.

We already knew that probiotics (good bacteria/flora) are good for us. Why wouldn’t a good environment in your tummy breed healthy digestion and nutrient absorption? Makes sense, right? But did you know that there are about 500 different types of bacteria in our stomachs and another 500 in our mouths? Good and bad bacteria exist all around us and inside of us, and can seriously effect our health and well being.

Bottom line: the less bacteria in our intestines, the healthier we’ll be.

Biologist Jeffrey Gordon of Washington University in St. Louis became quite well known a few years ago for a group of very skinny mice in his lab. The mice were skinny because they had no bacteria in their intestines. Gordon had kept them completely bacteria-free. If a bacteria-free mouse eats, food passes right through the intestine, basically undigested. As soon as the “clean” mice (bacteria free) were exposed to “this big, bad, dirty world,” (as Gibson calls it) “the mice suddenly turned their food into more calories and gained weight. So bacteria matter. Apparently, they can digest food far more efficiently.”

My opinion? Take in as much healthy, friendly bacteria as possible (i.e. bio-K, probiotics) and see what works in YOUR body. Bacteria can either help us or hurt us. Make it work in your favor!

Large intestine

To get the whole story check it out here:

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=95900616