Why Probiotics?  (part 2 of 2)

 
In my last entry, we went into detail regarding the importance of maintaining a healthy gastrointestinal system.  I suggest reading the last 3 entries, “The Most Important Supplements”, “Why Fish Oil?”, and “Why Probiotics (part 1 of 2)” and then study this blog entry (I know, this is a lot of homework, but hopefully well worth the time).
 
Here are 3 excellent ways you can help improve the flora of your gut;
 
1) Eat less sugar – eating sugar actually nourishes the bad bacteria, yeast and fungi in your gut.
 
2) Eat fermented foods – such as lassi, tempeh, raw milk or yogurt (but NOT commercial versions, which typically do not have live cultures and are loaded with sugar).
 
3) Take a high quality probiotic supplement – and here is why….
 
You should first be asking yourself, what is a probiotic? – Probiotics are small natural organisms that help maintain balance of the organisms (microflora) in the intestines.
 
Caring for your probiotics; It is important that the microorganisms remain cold, and your refrigerator should do just fine.  It is important to recognize that the organisms will not be viable if they have been warmed at any point, including before you make your purchase.  I highly suggest regular intake to help build and maintain healthy gut flora.  If you are having an immune response to a virus (such as cold or flu signs), than take more probiotics (and eat less sugar).  This should help the normal immune response.
 
If you are pregnant, thinking about becoming pregnant, or have recently been pregnant and are nursing, you SHOULD be taking a probiotic!  For your babies health and yours!!

 
Here is a small sampling of conditions that can be helped with a probiotic;
-          Obesity
-          Diabetes
-          Depression
-          Heart Disease
-          IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome)
 
What are some signs your body might send to you, indicating that probiotics could help?  Gas, bloating, constipation, frequent nausea, headaches and sugar cravings to new a common few.
 
No one brand of probiotic is right for everyone, in fact, rotating between different brands often brings different strains into your system which can be beneficial.  I suggest first visiting your local holistic health care provider, or visiting a health food store to buy probiotics.  In my area I suggest Grande Foods, Lassens, or New Frontiers.  Taking a probiotic supplement is a simple way to help improve your health, and your health is SUPER IMPORTANT!! 
 
I gathered information from Green Med Info, Web MD, and Mercola for this blog entry.

Why Probiotics? (part 1 of 2)

 
In my last blog entry, I went into more detail regarding why it is important to take a fish oil supplement and how it works in your body.  The other supplement I have mentioned taking is a probiotic.  I would like to share with you what a probiotic does, and why it is important.  In this entry, I want to go into depth regarding your gut, so that you can fully understand the importance of a healthy gastrointestinal system, and therefore how a probiotic can be extremely helpful for maintaining optimal health.
 
This is a VERY BIG issue, so let me start by painting the BIG picture here.  Your Gut, Brain, and Primary Immune Defense are all connected.  A big shocker to most people, including physicians, is that 80% of your immune system is located in your gut.  Two common side effects to poor gut health are Depression and Lowered Immunity.  For your body to function at its optimal potential, your brain must receive the proper signals from your gut (i.e. your nervous system must be minimally stressed, one of the most common stressors on the nervous system is a subluxation in the spine).  The brain regulates appropriate gut activity.
 

Furthermore, your gut is quite literally your Second Brain!  It originates from the same type of tissue as your brain during fetal development.  Your brain and gut are connected not only through the peripheral nerves but also through a cranial nerve.  The Vagus Nerve, your tenth cranial nerve runs from your brain stem to your abdomen.  With this set-up, your gut and brain work in tandem, each influencing the other.  This is why your intestinal health can have a profound influence on your mental health.  This also helps explain the link between neurological disorders and gastrointestinal dysfunction.  For example, gluten intolerance is frequently a feature of autism (a neurologic disorder), and many autistic children improve when following a gluten free diet.
 
Speaking of development, establishing normal gut flora within the first 20 days of life plays a crucial role in appropriate development of your baby’s immune system.  Babies who develop abnormal gut flora are left with compromised immune systems, which is a crucial factor when it comes to vaccine-induced neurologic damage.  Babies with normal healthy gut flora and hence a better functioning immune system tend to not need vaccines anyway, and have less risk of neurologic damage related to the heavy metals and preservatives used in vaccines.
 
Your body contains around 100 trillion bacteria!  So, why are we so scared of bacteria in our society?  The ideal ratio of “good” bacteria and “bad” bacteria in your gut is about 85% and 15% respectively.  Keeping this optimal ratio is essential for good health.  In my next entry I will go into more depth on some important ways to help keep your gut healthy (such as taking a high quality probiotic).  In the meantime check out the following websites; Green Med Info, and Mercola for quality information on important health topics.

Why Fish Oil?

 
In my last blog entry, I mentioned the importance of taking fish oil and probiotics.  The question in your mind might be; “why should I take fish oil”?  What I would like to do is share with you what fish oil does, and why it is important.
 
Fish oil is an omega-3 fat mixture which is comprised of a multitude of fatty acids. The two main fatty acids that exert benefits in the body are Eicosapentaenoic Acid (EPA) and Docosahexaenoic Acid (DHA).  These are called essential fatty acids.  The reason they are called essential fatty acids, is that our body does not produce these fatty acids on its own.  We must consume these fatty acids from our diet.  The best source of EPA and DHA is from fish.  Two other sources of EPA and DHA are microalgae and flax seed oil.
 
Which fish are best to get your fish oil from?  I mentioned before the importance of taking high quality fish oil.  Here is why; If possible, fish oil supplements from non-predatory and non-bottom feeding fish (such as sardines, herring, or mackeral) should be used, as mercury levels (used as a standard by which to assess 'contaminants' in general) typically are elevated in fish that consume other fish and build up stores of mercury and PCBs, and bottom-feeders that feed on carcasses of fish and accumulate toxins and minerals.  Depth of forage may also be correlated with mercury levels, making surface fish safer.  Basically, small fatty fish that don't eat other small fatty fish are your safest bets for consuming fish oils through foods.

Some of the benefits to taking a regular fish oil supplement;

• An anti-inflammatory
• An anxiolytic (basically, an anti-anxiety agent)
• A brain booster
• A heart health compound
• A liver health compound

These benefits are backed up with multiple double blind clinical trials.  You can see 249 referenced papers here; http://examine.com/supplements/Fish+Oil/#main_summary_full

The take home message is that fish oil is a well documented and very beneficial supplement to take.  My parting tip, keep your fish oil supplements fresh, if they smell fishy, they have been around too long or got too warm and have oxidized.  Throw them out and get a new bottle. 

Your health is extremely important, and taking fish oil regularly is a simple step to boost your body, mind and emotional well-being.

The Most Important Supplements

A huge segment of the health world includes supplements.  Which ones are important to take?  What brands are the best?  The most important thing to understand first, is that eating and drinking healthy should be our first priority.  Supplements should be thought of as just that, a supplement to a normal healthy diet.  Another important point, not everyone needs the same supplements; we are all individuals with similar but different needs.

When I am recommending supplements, the first I think of is fish oil.  The second supplement is a probiotic.  If we are taking good care of ourselves, and there are no other significant lifestyle factors, these are the two that seem sufficient in my opinion right now.

Here is the most important aspect when taking supplements; take high quality supplements!  Avoid the low end garbage sold almost everywhere!!  If you want a general rule to go by; you get what you pay for.  Spending the extra money for a higher quality supplement insures that you are putting quality product into your body.  We all want to have quality health, right?
 
Here is your action step, take all the low quality supplements filling up your cupboards and throw them away.  Go to your local holistic health care provider or health food store, and have them guide you towards the best quality supplements that are right for you.

The next blog entry will explain the WHY and the HOW; why I recommend these supplements and how they work.