Probiotics - A Better Option For Maintaining Health

Prevention is better that cure. We've all heard that old chestnut, but it seems in today's quick-fix world, many people place their health in the hands of others after they become ill. Busy lives and tight schedules have forced many to disregard responsibility for their own health. When they become ill or run down, a trip to the medicine cabinet for a pill or potion to sooth the symptoms is the option that is increasingly becoming the norm.

The pharmaceutical industry markets 'magic bullets' to solve the problem. Watch just an hour of TV to discover the many ads for what are really synthetic concoctions that mask or alleviate the symptoms of dozens of complaints.

These drugs rarely rectify the problem completely. In the case of 'heart burn' one can consume huge amounts of 'antacids' and never be free of that burning pain. A skeptic might deduce that if one were really cured, then the medication would no longer be required! God forbid!

On the other hand, Probiotics have grown in popularity by both alternative and conventional health practitioners. The positive studies grow monthly for the health benefits of keeping our intestinal bacteria balanced. Probiotics (the opposite of antibiotics) replace and rebalance the good bacteria in our bodies. This in turn, helps to strengthen our immune system to ward off disease and to maintain our health by producing enzymes that help absorb nutrients from the food we eat.

Our bodies are made up of millions of cells and billions of bacteria. Get the bacteria out of balance and everything goes to pot! Between 70% and 90% of the immune system is produced in the stomach. This vital intestinal flora can be killed off by:
o antibiotics
o preservatives
o fertilizer and pesticide residue on foods
o food additives
o synthetic vitamins
o chlorine (as in tap water)
o stress
o carbonated drinks
o steroidal and hormonal drugs

In a study conducted by the Institute of Sport in Canberra, Australia and published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, researchers gave 20 elite long distance runners either a placebo or a Probiotic bacterium lactobacillus fermentum for a period of 2 months.

During the trial the athletes had to record the symptoms of winter illnesses which included coughs and runny noses. The placebo group experienced 72 days of symptoms of sickness, while the Probiotic group recorded only 30 days.

Blood tests taken on both groups showed that the Probiotic group had twice the levels of an immune chemical known as interferon gamma than the placebo athletes.

In another study, this time at the Helsinki University Hospital in Finland, researchers gave pregnant women Probiotics in an effort to improve the immune systems of their newborns. The researchers wrote "Our results support the idea that Probiotics and prebiotic may enhance immune maturation and protect infants against respiratory pathogens"

The women were treated with a mix of 4 Probiotic bacteria for the last 4 weeks of their pregnancy. The newborns were treated with the same mixture plus a prebiotic for the first months of their life. A prebiotic fosters a healthy environment for the Probiotic, this is known as 'symbiotic treatment' The mothers filled out questionnaires at regular intervals and the babies were examined at 3 and 6 months and then at age 2 years. It was found that 28% of the placebo group had been prescribed antibiotic, while only 23% of the probiotic group had. Respiratory infections per child in the probiotic group were 3.7, but in the placebo group the number was 4.2.

There is a lot of confusion in the market place regarding the abundance or 'count' of bacteria in various probiotic products. Many companies claim their product has 'billions' more bacteria than their competitors. These claims are blatant sales hype. Bacteria live and work in colonies, if the companies claiming superior products, shake the colonies apart to improve the 'count' they render the probiotic useless as the bacteria must be able to multiple in colonies and produce all the sub-strains necessary to maintain a healthy intestinal flora.The reproduction ability of the bacteria in the gut is the single most important factor in a probiotic product.

Warning signs of a bacterial imbalance include:
o allergies and food sensitivities
o difficulty losing weight, sugar/carbohydrate craving
o frequent fatigue, poor concentration
o faulty digestion, acid reflux and other gut disorders
o chronic yeast infections
o bad breath, gum disease and dental problems
o painful joints inflammation, stiffness
o acne, eczema and foot fungus
o constipation or diarrhoea

The presence of active bacteria in the gut aid digestion by helping to break down foods. To attain health benefits attributed to Probiotics, live active bacteria need to be consumed regularly. It is believed the life span in the human body of these cells is 3 to 10 days. Only the active forms have the ability to tolerate the acidity of the stomach and the alkalinity of the intestine to produce health benefits.

You may want to seriously consider the inclusion of a Proboitic into your daily routine to maintain and improve your immune system and therefore your overall health.

After 30 years in the 'beauty' industry, Karen Armitage was astounded to find that the cosmetic companies she had trusted included toxic ingredients in the products they produced and marketed. You will never believe a skin care promotion again once you have read her reports at http://www.nochemicalcosmetics.com

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