Probiotics

Probiotics- What are they and why should I take them?

What are Probiotics?
Probiotics are the “friendly” bacteria found in the small and large intestine that work together to create a healthy digestive system.

What causes the imbalance of bacteria in your stomach?
When the ratio of “friendly” bacteria and “bad” bacteria tip in favor of the bad guys, this is called intestinal dysbiosis.

The following symptoms may develop:

  • Frequent bowel movements
  • Chronic diarrhorea
  • Intestinal Gas
  • Bloating after meals
  • Negative reactions to sugars
  • Fatigue

 

Imbalance of the microflora of the intestines may also contribute to:

  • IBS
  • Wheat and dairy sensitivities
  • Candida overgrowth
  • Leaky gut syndrome
  • Bladder infections and cystitis
  • Autoimmune issues such as allergies; eczema and psoriasis, Crohn’s Disease, ulcerative colitis, and IBD; and ankylosing spondylitis
  • Mental and emotional imbalances including anxiety, depression, foggy thinking, and autism
  • Antibiotics, which kills the good bacteria along with the bad.  If the good bacteria are not sufficiently repopulated, this can lead to a long-term increase in the amount of harmful intestinal bacteria.

 

It’s important to note that the imbalances of intestinal bacteria can also be caused by or affected by:

  • Ageing
  • Infection or illness
  • Lifestyle
  • Diet
  • Stress
  • Digestive issues
  • Travelling

 

Benefits of Probiotics
Improve intestinal health, so you experience improved digestion, absorption and microflora balance. Probiotics also regulate the immune system, helping improve immune and autoimmune conditions.

 

Sources of Probiotics

  • Yoghurt
  • Sauerkraut (fermented cabbage)
  • Kimchi (fermented korean vegetables)
  • Miso (traditional Japanese seasoning)
  • Kombucha (fermented Chinese drink)
  • Beet kvass (fermented drink made from beets and sauerkraut)

 

Probiotics

Probiotics help maintain or improve a healthy gut

 

The best type of Probiotics
Dr. Nigel Plummer and his team have isolated more than 300 strains of beneficial bacteria over the last 15 years, but only 4 strains have withstood the test of both clinical efficacy and double blind controlled studies:

  • Lactobacillus acidophilus – strain 1 and 2
  • Bifidobacterium bifidum
  • Bifidobacterium animalis

 

The lactobacillus bacteria are more specific to upper intestinal issues, and the bifidobacteria are more specific to lower intestinal issues.  Thus, taking both strains treats the whole GI tract.

 

These strains were selected due to their benefits:

  1. Resistance to stomach acid
  2. Resistance to bile acids
  3. Ability to colonize the intestinal tract by attaching to epithelial cells

 

How to take Probiotics
Always take Probiotics with food, never on an empty stomach. The ph of an empty stomach will kill the probiotic bacteria. The presence of food creates the correct ph levels for the probiotics to survive intact as they pass into the small intestine.
When taking with antibiotics, separate the doses.

 

Correct Doseage of Probiotics
According to Dr. Plummer, there is no danger of overdosing on probiotics. The maintenance dosage is 2-10 billion bacteria per day. 25 billion per day is the minimum therapeutic dosage, for issues such as antibiotic usage and allergies.
100 billion per day is the high-range dosage for issues such as long-term antibiotic usage or for those with chronic intestinal issues.

 

How to take Probiotics to prevent the negative side-effects of Antibiotics
For short-term antibiotic usage, Dr. Plummer suggests you start taking the probiotics at the same time as the antibiotics (spaced at different intervals throughout the day).  He suggests a level of 25 billion bacteria per day for 30 days following a course of antibiotics.

You can buy our own Probiotics here. Give them a try for 30 days- you won’t look back!