Did you know that 80% of our immune system resides in our intestines? This is key to understanding how to keep the sniffling, sneezing, and achy muscles at bay. Unfortunately modern eating habits, long term stress, and prolific antibiotic use deplete the internal flora that compromises our immune system.
Antibiotics are probably one of the biggest culprits in creating a playground for harmful critters. Not only do they kill both good and bad bacteria, they deplete the body of B vitamins. If one’s diet is composed of foods such as fast food, alcohol, meat and potatoes, and sugar, it’s difficult for the body to repopulate the healthy bacteria. To top it off, most people’s lives are stressed, further depleting our B vitamin reserves. Without the immune system’s top players, our bodies are susceptible to a myriad of illnesses. Beneficial bacteria create lactic acid that balances the pH in our intestines, creating an environment in which parasites and unfriendly organisms can’t survive.
Inherently, cultures have known that in order to maintain their immunity they need to constantly feed their internal flora, and have done so with foods such as yogurt, kefir, saurkraut, buttermilk, and other fermented foods. While these foods still comprise a portion of our diets, their role as an immune booster no longer serves. They are pasteurized and/or filled with sugar and additives that counteract the presence of naturally occurring good bacteria. Therefore, in order to properly replenish our internal flora, we recommend taking a probiotic supplement. Choose a brand that has a multitude of strains such as lactobacillus acidophilus, lactobacillus plantarum, bifidobacteria bifidum, lactobacilus bulgaricus, lactobacillus salivarious, and lactobacillus sporogenes. The right combination has the ability to bring about both immediate and long lasting results.
In addition to controlling unfavorable bacteria in the intestines and helping white blood cells fight disease, a good source of probiotics will provide nutrients for building blood, protecting intestinal mucosa, and manufacturing B vitamins. Therefore, probiotics help prevent and treat many health issues, including:
- digestion
- diarrhea and constipation
- bowel movements
- yeast infections such as Candidiasis albicans
- urinary tract infections
- irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
- eczema
- the severity of colds and flu
- antibiotics overuse
Virtually every chronic illness we know of today has shown significant relatedness to simple nutrient deficiency and lack of internal flora. Without friendly bacteria we are defenseless warriors running around on the battlefield. Keep your immune system functioning optimally and talk to me about starting a probiotic regimen today.
