Probiotics: Trust Your Gut
by Gregory Plotnikoff, MD
Beneficial or friendly gut bacteria are the new superstars of human health.
Many of our greatest health challenges—anxiety, depression, diabetes, obesity, heart attacks, auto-immune disease, cancer—are strongly linked to the 10 trillion bacteria which make up our inner ecosystem.
The bottom line: our gut bacteria care for us. If they are happy, we are happy. If we take care of them, they take care of us.
Any of the five forms of stress—environmental, physical, emotional/spiritual, pharmaceutical and dietary—can disrupt the harmony of our inner ecosystem. For example, just one week of amoxicillin can adversely affect the gut bacteria for a year.
To counterbalance ongoing stressors, more and more doctors are prescribing beneficial bacteria for their patients.
And a huge number of probiotic supplements are now promoted to the general public for supporting a healthy gut ecology. How do you decide what to take and how maximize their effectiveness ?
To get the most for your money (and your health), consider the following five guidelines:
5 Keys for Unleashing Your Inner Health Heroes
1. Strains
Choose products with multiple Lactobacilli and Bifidobacterial strains.
These will be listed on the label as a two word Latin description Lactobaciilus acidophilus or Lactobacillus rhamnosus or Bifidobacterium lactis.
Multiple strains exist and may be shortened to L. rhamnosus or B. lactis. Aim for at least 7 different strains. Saccharomyces boulardii is a beneficial yeast found in many products.
2. Dosing
Choose products with at least 20 billion CFUs (Colony Forming Units). Although this sounds like a large number, the actual gut bacteria numbers more than 10,000 billion. So 20 out of 10,000 is a mere drop in a bucket. Ensure that the amount is guaranteed for the shelf life of the product.
3. Take your probiotics with cool unchlorinated water
The chlorine in city tap water is there to get rid of bacteria. Use filtered water or bottled water.
4. Take at least 30 minutes away from warm food or drink
These bacteria are heat sensitive. Taking probiotics with a cup of hot tea or a bowl of soup makes for a very expensive meal. Refrigerate if needed. Some products require refrigeration, others do not.
5. Tend your inner garden
Our gut is not a gutter, it is more of a garden. Our challenge is to be good gardeners. Probiotics are like seeds. Prebiotics are like the Miracle Grow fertilizer for the seeds. Prebiotic foods include fermented foods like sauerkraut , kimchi or kefir; cultured foods like yogurts; a number of fruits and vegetables and all foods high in fiber.
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