What Are Probiotics?
Probiotics are bacteria that line your digestive tract and support your body’s ability to absorb nutrients and fight infection.
Your good gut bacteria is also responsible for:
- Producing vitamin B-12, butyrate and vitamin K2.
- Aids absorption of B12, iron, magnesium, fatty acids and glucose.
- Crowding out bad bacteria, yeast and fungi.
- Creating enzymes that destroy harmful bacteria.
- Stimulating secretion of Immunoglobulin A (IgA) – an antibody that is important for immune function.
- Help support regulatory T Cells – these cells also support the immune system and especially help to prevent our bodies from creating auto immune diseases, that is a disease where the body attacks itself. Examples of this type of disease include: inflammatory bowel disease, multiple sclerosis, psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis, and systemic lupus erythematosus.
We produce good bacteria in our guts from the day that we are born, however our modern lifestyles make it difficult for these good bacteria to survive in correct proportion. The correct proportion of bacteria in the gut is 85 percent good bacteria and 15 percent bad bacteria. When the proportion of bad bacteria increase over 15 percent the gut flora is known to be in a state of dysbiosis and illness can occur including:
- Reduced immune system – which can in turn lead to almost any illness
- urinary tract infections
- Digestive problems including
- Inflammatory bowel conditions
- Eczema in children
What is it about our lifestyle that has changed?
What we eat
In years gone by we would have eaten fermented foods but in modern times we have abandoned these foods. These foods include:
- Sauerkraut – fermented cabbage
- Kefir – a combination of fermented milk and fermented kefir grains
- Kimchi – the Korean version of sauerkraut. It includes a wider range of vegetables than sauerkraut.
- Coconut kefir – a combination of fermented coconut water, from young coconuts and fermented kefir grains. A vegan version of traditional kefir.
- Organic Greek yoghurt made from sheep, goat or cows milk – preferably from raw milk.
- Miso – fermented soy beans. Best known for the Japanese style soup.
- Kombucha – fermented black tea
As well as not eating many of the above foods, many people also now eat a wide range of processed and GMO food and sugar, which feed the bad bacteria and hence further influence the imbalance of gut flora.
An over emphasis on grains in our diet can also lead to a reduction of good gut flora.
Other factors that lead to a decline in good gut flora
- Antibiotics – whilst antibiotics kill bad bacteria, they also kill the good bacteria and the bad bacteria in our intestines is usually much faster at repopulating than good bacteria.
- Other medications
- Emotional stress
- Drinking tap water
- Use of or exposure to chemicals in everyday life
How will I know that I need to supplement with probiotics?
- If you do not daily eat a variety of fermented food
- If you have a high carbohydrate diet
- If you drink chlorinated and fluoridated water
- If you eat non organic meat, poultry or dairy products or farmed fish – these animals will be routinely treated with antibiotics
- If you use any medications
- If you are stressed
- If you use chemicals
- If you have any autoimmune disease, compromised immune system, digestive problems, psoriasis, thyroid imbalances, joint pain are overweight.
Any of the above means that you would benefit from taking a probiotic supplement.
Our gut can also affect our brain
Modern medicine tends to treat us as isolated body parts. In fact our bodies are much more symbiotic than we ever imagined. Our digestive system is now recognised as the second largest part of our neurological system. It is called our enteric nervous system, or second brain and is located in our gut.
If you suffer from chronic fatigue, autism, or general brain fog – these illnesses may also originate in the gut.
There are many strains of probiotics. One that you are most likely to recognise is Lactobacillus acidophilus. This strain is particularly good for relieving gas and bloating. It can also improve lactose intolerance and help to lower cholesterol levels. This is also the strain that is responsible for the creation of vitamin K. A high quality probiotic will include several strains of probiotics. Here are a few more strains to look out for:
- Lactobacillus plantarum – particularly beneficial for anyone who has taken antibiotics as this strain can reduce gastrointestinal side effects associated with antibiotics. This strain also helps to reduce the risk of collectoral cancer.
- Lactobacillus casei – supports immunity, inhibits h. pylori and helps fight infections.
- Lactobacillus rhamnosus – supports bacterial balance and healthy skin. Helps fight urinary tract infections, respiratory infections, and reduce anxiety by reducing stress hormones.
- Bifidobacterium longum – reduces inflammation, helps the body detoxify heavy metals and supports liver function.
- Bifidobacterium lactis – improves immunity, decreases allergies, improves digestive conditions, helps improve cholesterol, helps increase blood glucose control, helps cancer tumours to commit suicide!, decreases the bacteria responsible for causing dental cavities.
Side effects
Side effects from taking probiotics are unlikely unless you suddenly start to consume a massive amount of the foods mentioned as being probiotic above or take more than the recommended amount of a supplement. In this case you may experience diarrhoea and should reduce the amount of food or supplements until the symptoms subside and then gradually increase again.
The only other side effect would be an improvement in your health on many levels and that is definitely a side effect that we would all be happy with.
To find out which supplements I use and recommend for optimal health please email me sandra@theessenceofhealth.co.uk You only have good health to gain.
