Tuesday, March 1, 2011

Gut Bacteria the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

Each of us have 50,000 miles of bacteria inside our bodies. It’s been estimated that if you lined these bacteria up, they would stretch twice around the equator.  Where does this bacteria live? Inside our gut.
Prescription drugs, dietary toxins, pollution and unhealthy eating habits “kill off” the GOOD bacteria your colon needs for healthy, trouble-free digestion.

Let me interject that today's post is not written by myself, but by one of the doctor's who send me a newsmax blast. I find the information very interesting, and it is timely in that a new Digestion Plus supplement was just released. I have friends suffering from GI tract issues - it is my hope they can be helped wtih this new product.
The BAD bacteria multiply like wildfire and your digestion slows to a crawl.
Undigested food just sits there and triggers constipation, gas, bloating, and other digestive problems. Yuck!
If you could look inside yourself, you’d see bacteria “buzzing” around on the walls of your intestine. It would be like viewing the stands of a World Series game where every seat was full.
Now you might believe that all “bacteria” are bad. After all, that’s why we have antibiotics, right? Well...not exactly. Yes, there are many dangerous, and even deadly types of bacteria. But there’s another kind of bacteria...the friendly kind.
If you don’t have enough “good” bacteria in your intestine, your food is devoured by “bad” gas-producing bacteria. These bad guys are notorious for giving off carbon dioxide, hydrogen, and the ever-so-smelly methane gas. When the gas gets trapped, you get that full, bloated feeling you wish would go away. Even worse, the gas can build up until you feel as if you’re being stabbed.
The good bacteria are classified as probiotic, which are absolutely essential for your health and survival. These remarkable probiotic, longevity boosters were first discovered in 1907 by a Russian scientist studying an isolated group of mountain peasants who regularly lived over a hundred years. Even more remarkable, these centenarians lived astoundingly active lives and were almost disease-free until the day they died. And it turned out that their daily diet was simply overflowing with these friendly bacteria.
Probiotics help digest the food you eat. They help break down dairy products for easier digestion. They help prevent constipation. They help fight viruses and keep you vibrantly healthy.
They help your body absorb more of the nutrients you eat. They may help you stay healthy—even if everyone around you is sick. Did you know that 70% of your immune system resides in your digestive system? It’s true. And now we know that those friendly bacteria or “good guys,” play an absolutely indispensable role in supporting your immune system. Research has shown that the bacteria lining your intestine actually help form a barrier that helps stop dangerous intruders from passing through the walls of your intestine and entering your body.
A wise doctor once said that “Great health begins in the colon,” and he sure was right...if you have enough of those “good guys!” Sounds simple enough, right?
Most people don’t have nearly enough of the good guys in your body. How did this happen? There are a dozen reasons, but here are the main culprits: Poor diet. Stress. Hidden toxins in your food and water. And especially the overuse of antibiotics which kill “friendly” bacteria, too.
All of these factors “kill off” your good guys by the billions and they absolutely must be replaced. Your body does not manufacture these friendly bacteria, they have to come from outside.  That is why millions of Americans take probiotics.

Did you learn anything new about bacteria in your gut from the above article? From another doctor's email this week I learned that in order for probiotics to do their work they need to get through the stomach acid first. Not just any strain can do this - it must be a robust strain of probiotic. Also, few probiotic supplements also include prebiotics. Why does this matter? It matters because prebiotics are non-digestible foods that make their way through our digestive system and help good bacteria grow and flourish. Prebiotics keep beneficial bacteria healthy. Without prebiotics the probiotics would not be able to do their job. Keep this in mind when choosing probiotic supplements for your nutrition program.

To your heatlh!
Rita S.

No comments:

Post a Comment