Probiotics for Health

Probiotics for a Healthy Gut

What exactly are Probiotics and how do they work? Probiotics are live microorganisms (bacteria) that are intended to have health benefits when ingested or applied to the body. Many people may think that bacteria and other microorganisms are ‘harmful germs’, however, many are actually helpful to our health and wellbeing. Naturally, some of our bacteria assist in the digestion of food, while others may destroy disease in cells, or produce vitamins. Therefore, we have “good bacteria” and ‘bad bacteria”. The growing scientific evidence leads us to know that we can treat and even prevent some illnesses with foods and supplements containing certain kinds of live bacteria. Many of the microorganisms in probiotic products are the same as or similar to the microorganisms that naturally live in our bodies. Probiotics contain a variety of microorganisms. The most common ones are bacteria that belong to groups called Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium.

The Microbiome

The community of microorganisms that lives on us and in us is called the “microbiome, Each person has their own unique microbiome which houses about 100 trillion bacteria that outnumber our human cells by a factor of around 10 to 1. When a baby is born in a natural birthing process, the baby swallows fluids, breaths in, and is also touched by the mother to pass along these important microorganisms via the microbiome. This is why it is important in a Cesarian Section birth that the doctor assists the baby in this sharing of the microbiome from the mother. ”The Human Microbiome Project, supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) from 2007 to 2016, played a key role in this research by mapping the normal bacteria that live in and on the healthy human body.”
With this understanding of a normal microbiome as the base, many worldwide researchers and the NIH are continuing the exploration of the links between the microbiome and disease, as well as developing new therapeutic approaches designed to modify the microbiome to treat illness and disease and also in supporting health.

According to the NIH, “The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) is among the many agencies funding research on the microbiome. Researchers supported by NCCIH are studying the interactions between components of food and microorganisms in the digestive tract. The focus is on the ways in which diet-microbiome interactions may lead to the production of substances with beneficial health effects.” Some of their studies include

Probiotics may help to reduce postmenopausal bone loss
Engineering probiotics to synthesize natural substances for microbiome-brain research
Probiotics may relieve chronic pelvic pain
The effects of a specific Bifidobacterium strain on changes in short-chain fatty acid production in the gut that may play a role in antibiotic-associated diarrhea.
Probiotics also influence our immune response in a positive way.

Probiotics aids digestion for gut health

What are some ways to keep our digestive tracts maintaining healthy functioning? Checking in with your professional Colon Hydrotherapist a couple of times a year for a cleanse is one way to assist in the prevention of digestive issues, as well as an MD who also has in-depth knowledge or also a degree in nutrition. (Most MD”s do not have this education.)

Reading the Labels

Some probiotic products have been reported to contain microorganisms other than those listed on the label. In some instances, these contaminants may pose serious health risks creating infection. Some probiotics products may also have extra additives.
In the United States, most probiotics are sold as dietary supplements that are not held responsible to undergo the testing and approval process that drugs do. Manufacturers alone are responsible for making sure they’re safe before they’re marketed and that any claims made on the label are true.

Your Colon Hydrotherapist can assist you in the selection of the right probiotic for you. As always, advise your primary care provider of what you’re doing.
Contact Christa Wagner at Returning Balance Therapies for questions in regards to probiotics and if they may be a good choice for your health regime. Also, check out Colon Intelligence and Your Brain to discover just how intelligent your colon really is!

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