How Probiotics Can Benefit Your Health
Research has shown that our gut microbes play a significant role in regulating our health, mental health, and weight.
And additional research has suggested a way we might mend this imbalance: by eating fermented foods full of probiotics
Studies have found natural probiotics can help alleviate IBS and IBD symptoms, anxiety symptoms, reduces risk of eczema in infants, and may help reduce seasonal allergy symptoms.
Another major benefit of probiotics is that they may help regulate weight. A study published in the British Journal of Nutrition found that overweight women who were put on a calorie-restricted diet and given a probiotic supplement for 12 weeks showed significantly higher weight loss than those given a placebo.
A possible mechanism, described by a summary in the journal Gut, is that probiotic foods help rebalance your gut bugs by creating an environment where the good guys can regain strength. The A-lister usually mentioned is yogurt, but the probiotic foods we’re about to discuss go way beyond breakfast.
Are There Any Risks Related To Probiotics
Probiotics are generally considered safe. However, there are some risks linked to the supplements. These risks are increased if you have a medical condition that weakens your immune system, have recently had surgery or have other serious medical conditions.
Unlikely, but possible, risks can include:
- Developing an infection.
- Developing a resistance to antibiotics.
- Developing harmful byproducts from the probiotic supplement.
Avoid Sugar And Processed Foods To Control Growth Of Candida
One of the ways how to heal gut flora is to avoid sugar since yeast tends to feed on them. Yeast thrives on sugar, so reducing your sugar intake will directly reduce your risk of a yeast infection. Without cutting back on sugar, yeast can take over and cause some health problems.
Although, while you are reducing your intake of sugar, you should also not consume too many artificial sweeteners. Artificial sweeteners are popular replacements for sugar. However, there have been studies shown that artificial sweeteners can harm your gut microbiota.
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How To Ensure Probiotic Strength
To avoid the problem of probiotic label fudging, make sure the brand you select is reputable. You get what you pay for. A good quality SBO probiotic is not cheap. Hint: if a probiotic brand needs refrigeration, skip it. Soil based probiotics are hardy and do not need refrigeration to maintain potency.
After all, youre going to all this trouble and inconvenience to rebalance your gut via GAPS, AIP or the Specific Carb diet. Why cut corners with the probiotic and threaten the success of the process? Be sure to enlist the aggressive support of soil based organisms. This way, you can be sure that your fermented foods have the best chance possible to heal your gut.
Soil Based Probiotics Needed To Resolve Autoimmunity
So whats missing from fermented foods that a person on a gut healing diet really needs? According to Natasha Campbell-McBride MD, author of Gut and Psychology Syndrome and creator of the GAPS Diet, soil based probiotics, and in particular, the strain Bacillus subtilis are a very important piece of the gut healing puzzle.
Bacillus subtilis is a soil based organism discovered by German microbiologists during WWII. It was used to protect troops from dysentary and typhoid. Since that time, B. subtilis has been studied in depth all over Europe and Asia. Important subspecies to B. subtilis have been identified including:
- Bacillus licheniformis
- Bacillus marcerans
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How Belly Balance Helps To Restore And Protect Childrens Gut Flora
Belly Balance, one of the fabulous products formulated just for children by BIORAY Kids, is a probiotic lysate, as well as toxin remover. It gives kids bodies what they need to thrive despite the toxins theyre exposed to.
Belly Balance features a powerful combination of probiotic strains, which bolster the immune system, promote micro flora balance within the intestines, aid digestion, assist in removal of bad bugs, relieve constipation, and alleviate food allergies. The hardy probiotic strains are formulated to bypass the acidic conditions of the stomach so that they are able to move through the digestive tract.
In addition to probiotics, Belly Balance also includes BIORAYs signature NDF formula , made up of micronized chlorella, which sticks to heavy metals, chemicals, and pesticides to carry them safely out of the body.
Because BIORAY knows its important to easily get these important nutrients into childrens bodies, their supplements are specially formulated with kids in mind: the liquid formula is super simple to squirt in a little juice or water, plus each kids formula has a unique, kid-friendly flavor, like berry , vanilla, citrus, and peach.
My kids enjoy the flavor of Belly Balance, and Ive found it so convenient to give it to them along with their other BIORAY supplements.
BIORAY Kids formulas are also:
What Is Gut Flora
You have a world of microorganisms living in your digestive system. This collection of microorganisms is your gut flora, also known as the gut microbiotaa complex ecosystem that consists of approximately 300 to 500 bacterial species. Thats nearly 10 times the number of cells in the human body.
Our knowledge of the interaction between gut health and overall health is still in its early stages. We do know that colonies of beneficial bacteria help you digest and absorb your food, fight off germs that make you sick and even make a large portion of your serotonin, which helps keep your moods level.
Science is continuing to discover ways that gut bacteria are directly linked to your health. We know that its normal to have balanced populations of beneficial gut bacteria and bad bacteria, and a healthy gut is able to keep the bad guys in check. But researchers are just now beginning to understand what happens when other factorslike antibiotics, diet and stresstilt the scales in the wrong direction.
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How Best To Get Soil Based Probiotics Into Your Diet
A therapeutic strength probiotic is the best way to get soil based probiotics like B. subtilis into your diet. Drinking water from wells and streams works too. Eating unwashed plant matter that is freshly picked is also helpful. These are the traditional ways humans got beneficial exposure to SBOs. Unfortunately, it is no longer practical in our polluted world. In most locations, for example, whole house water filtration is a necessity.
High quality brands of probiotics Ive personally vetted which all contain B. subtilis and/or other strains of SBOs include :
I personally use Bio-Kult and Prescript Assist and rotate their use to widen exposure to a variety of SBO strains. Our family takes a probiotic containing soil based organisms even though we are fortunate to enjoy good digestive health.
This includes all three kids who have never been on even one round of antibiotics.
Why is that?
It is really hard to get regular exposure to SBOs in our polluted world in a fashion similar to what traditional cultures enjoyed in their pristine, natural environments!
What to do?
Tips To Boost Your Gut Microbiome
Your gut microbiome is a vast community of trillions of bacteria and fungi that inhabit every nook and cranny of your gastrointestinal tract, and have a major influence on your metabolism, body weight, propensity to illness, immune system, appetite and mood. These microbes mostly live in your lower intestine and outnumber all the other cells in your body put together.
Conceptually, we should view these microbes as a newly discovered organ, weighing slightly more than our brains and nearly as vital. There are some organs we can live without, including our spleen, gall bladder, tonsils and appendix, but we wouldnt survive long without our gut microbes. Intriguingly, no two microbiomes are the same we are all unique. And more than ever, were finding out just how important these microbes are.
Read more about the microbiome:
According to research, the richer and more diverse the community of gut microbes are, the lower your risk of disease and allergies. This has been shown in animal tests and also in human studies comparing the microbes of people with and without particular diseases. Examples from recent work at Kings College London include studies of diabetes, obesity, allergy and inflammatory diseases like colitis and arthritis.
Meanwhile, there is mounting evidence that babies born via caesarean section miss out on some of the microbes they would obtain through a vaginal birth, which may make them more vulnerable to allergies and asthma.
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Can Probiotics Make It Safely To Your Intestines
One of the best ways to improve your digestion and general health is to take some good quality probiotics. But how can you be sure that those little pills you take, each containing billions of good bacteria, actually make it through to your intestines? After all, they have to get through the acidic environment in your stomach first, right?
Luckily, theres no reason to be concerned. Probiotic bacteria, whether in a commercial form or in probiotic yogurt, are perfectly capable of making it all the way through your digestive system. The evidence shows that oral probiotics can colonize your intestines and even pass all the way through your digestive system without any problem at all.
Three Advantages Of Getting Your Probiotics Through Supplements
1. Supplements allow you to be more targeted
Acquiring probiotics through supplements has its distinct advantages. For one thing, supplements allow you to have more control over the specific bacterial strains you ingestwhich can be important for addressing a particular health issue. For example, research suggests that DDS®-1, a strain of lactobacillus acidophilus, is helpful for relieving symptoms of lactose intolerance, whereas the strain lactobacillus rhamnosus GG is helpful for addressing symptoms of antibiotic-associated diarrhea.1214
2. Supplements can provide more probiotic diversity
In addition to issue-specific bacterial strains, supplements also give you the opportunity to select a multi-strain blend for microbial diversity, versus a food product like yogurt which may only contain one or two strains.
3. Many probiotic supplements are both allergen-free and sweetener-free
Also, many probiotic supplements are free of common allergens so they can fit into anyones diet, as opposed to the many soy and dairy-based probiotic-rich foods. And lastly, probiotic supplements can help you avoid added sugar and sweeteners that are often found in probiotic foods such as yogurt, kefir, and kombucha. This is important, given that sugar can disrupt the balance of your bodys beneficial bacteria.15
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Soft And Aged Cheeses
Many cheeses are created by fermentation, but not all fermented cheeses contain probiotics. Aged, soft cheesessuch as cheddar, mozzarella, gruyere, gouda, parmesan, and swissare typically the only type which will maintain the beneficial bacteria. And another thing: these will have to be made from raw, unpasteurized milk. These cheeses start with adding a lactic acid bacterial culture to milk, which will form lactic acid and cause the milk to form curds and whey. The longer the cheese ages, the more beneficial bacteria for your belly.
How Do We Get Good Bacteria By Focusing On The Inside First
I need to inform you about the majority of doctors specifically, gastroenterologists. They simply arent trained in gut intelligence as an ecosystem. Bummer! Their training is usually along the lines of how to define gut intelligence in regard to the boundary that holds together the massive gut lining. But that doesnt do a whole lot!
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Probiotics Are Your Guts Best Friend
Probiotics are chock-full of live bacteria that will help ensure your gut is populated by mostly the good types of microbes. You can get a good probiotic supplement at your local health food store, however, make sure you ask your doctor what strains of cultures are best for you, as each persons microbiome is different. There are many probiotic products out there that claim to have live cultures but do not, so it is important to do your research beforehand. For example, Align is a great brand of probiotic for people who suffer from IBS.
Some Probiotics May Prevent Weight Gain
Losing weight is not the only way to fight obesity. Preventing unwanted weight gain in the first place may be even more valuable in avoiding obesity.
In one 4-week study, taking a probiotic formulation called VSL#3 reduced weight gain and fat gain in people following a diet that provided 1,000 extra calories than they needed per day .
Those in the probiotic group gained less fat, although they didnt experience any significant changes in insulin sensitivity or metabolism.
This indicates that some probiotic strains might prevent weight gain in the context of a high calorie diet. However, this needs to be studied further.
Summary
Certain probiotic strains may be able to reduce weight gain in people following a high calorie diet.
Not all studies have found that probiotics aid weight loss.
Some studies have found that certain probiotic strains might lead to weight gain not weight loss.
One recent review found that probiotics effects on body weight depend on which species and strains are used. For instance, while one strain of Lactobacillus gasseri reduced weight gain compared with a control, another strain promoted weight gain .
Summary
Not all probiotics aid weight loss, and some may even cause weight gain. The effects depend on the probiotic strain and may vary by individual.
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Stock Up On Dietary Sources Of Prebiotics
Prebiotics are food for your microbiome! Its important to feed these little guys to give them the energy they need to complete their very important task of managing your enteric nervous system. Here is a list of dietary prebiotics that should be staples in your home kitchen:
- Whole Grains
- Green Tea Extracts
No Dodgy Kebabs On The Microbiome Diet Menu
Greasy, processed food goes hand-in-hand with a boozy night out. Put them together and you have a recipe for digestive mayhem.
Weve all been there and eaten something which just didnt agree with our gut. Bacteria is a common cause of food poisoning with symptoms like vomiting, diarrhoea, and incapacitating stomach cramps. In severe cases, it can be deadly. Thats why proper food handling and hygiene in restaurants is critical.
So its worth considering the possibility that your dodgy Saturday night takeaway may be a culprit in temporary digestive discomfort. When pathogens invade, they rapidly multiply and produce toxins. In turn, the gut lining reacts with inflammation. So if you are heading out to paint the town red, line your stomach before you go out and dont eat that dodgy takeaway.
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Dysbiosis And Human Diseases
The intestinal microbiome plays an important role in the function and integrity of the gastrointestinal tract, maintenance of immune homeostasis and host energy metabolism . Perturbations in the composition of microbial communities, also known as dysbiosis, may result in disrupted interactions between microbes and its host. These changes in microbiome composition and function may contribute to disease susceptibility . Several studies have demonstrated associations between intestinal dysbiosis and chronic low-grade inflammation and metabolic disorders , ultimately resulting in metabolic syndrome, obesity and diabetes . Alterations in the composition of the intestinal microbiome have been associated with infections in the gastrointestinal tract, inflammatory bowel disease and irritable bowel syndrome . Treatment modalities to manipulate and restore the balance in the richness and diversity of intestinal microbiome are being explored . Probiotics may introduce beneficial functions into the gastrointestinal tract or enhance the functionality of existing microbial communities. Probiotics may also affect the composition and function of microbial communities by competition for nutrients, production of growth substrates or inhibitors and modulation of intestinal immunity . This concept is supported by results from randomized controlled clinical trials showing the benefits of probiotics during the treatment of gastrointestinal diseases .
How To Improve The Gut Microbiome With Sleep
Your gut and brain use nerves and chemicals to communicate with each other, and their discussions can influence your sleep patterns and mood.
A lack of sleep often partners well with a poor diet, increased alcohol consumption, and weight gain. Research has shown that individuals who get a good forty winks have a more diverse microbiome. It also shows that sleep deprivation is bad for your brain. And when your brain isnt happy, your whole body can feel it.
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Sbos More Powerful Than Lactic Acid Probiotics
These soil based probiotics are not endemic to humans. As such, they are resistant to stomach acid, most antibiotics, temperature changes and other degrading factors that can affect lactic acid based organisms. Soil based microbes are used in the waste management industry because they have an incredible ability to break down putrefying matter and suppress pathogenic microbes. Use of soil based probiotics have been found to be particularly effective for those suffering from allergies and other autoimmune diseases.
In short, use of soil based organisms is very important for clearing out the debris in the gut to prepare the way and lay the proper groundwork for the beneficial lactic acid based bacteria found in fermented foods and a normal human gut to thrive once again.
Does this mean fermented foods are not as important as soil based probiotics?
Absolutely not!
Fermented foods contain the type of probiotics that naturally thrive in a healthy human gut. They are a key part of the puzzle both in healing the gut and maintaining its health long term.
However, if your gut is currently imbalanced and/or you are suffering from autoimmune disease or gastrointestinal disorders, you really need the help of soil based probiotics to help resolve the situation. The lactic acid based probiotics in fermented foods need a cleaning crew consisting of powerful SBOs to come through and clean up the mess before they can effectively take over dominance once again.
