We wrote about sugar cravings here, and one of the leading ways to curb the craving is to restore your bodies gut health. Probiotics are one way that we encourage people to do this.
What are Probiotics?
Friendly bacteria (known as probiotics, “For Life”), such as lactobacillus, plantarum and bifidus, and beneficial yeast (saccharmoyces kefir and Torula kefir) are essential to a wide range of bodily functions. They help white blood cells fight disease, they control putrefactive bacteria in the intestines, they provide important nutrients for building the blood they assist with digestion, they protect the intestinal mucosa, they prevent diarrhea and constipation, and they contribute to bowel elimination. Donna Gates from Body Ecology also states that “They also manufacture important B vitamins and are the most abundant source of Vitamin B12.”
Practitioner level probiotics are used to treat a range of health ailments and are far more potent than the ranges available from health food stores. That’s not to say the ones in chemists and health food stores don’t work, they just have lower levels of the good bacteria and usually not a wide range of strains of bacteria required by the body.
How do Probiotics work?
Probiotics play a major role in maintaining the homeostasis of the gut flora through adhering to and colonising the intestinal mucosa on which they compete with pathogenic bacteria. Certain species, particularly members of the lactobacillus genus, also enhance and protect barrier function of the intestinal wall lining, protecting the body from unwanted pathogens.
Why take Probiotics?
Our lives are full of opportunities for dis-ease to occur, unfortunately that is just a reality of modern life. From the air we breath, to the water we drink, the foods and associated pesticides, preservatives, additives and chemical residues, our bodies are bombarded with elements that may cause health concerns.
There are a number of physiological elements, both structural and physiological that make up a healthy functioning gastrointestinal system. An issue with the gastrointestinal – immune system balance as well as issues with organs such as the liver will result in compromised nutrient absorption, cellular detoxification and immune dysregulation. The effects of this are spread far and wide systemically within the body.
Taking care of your gut health goes a long way to taking care of your WHOLE health.
If you think that you could benefit from improved gut health, why not make an appointment with our staff today. Simple lifestyle changes, dietary changes, and supplementation can be all it requires to feeling well again, and if you require more intensive treatment with detoxification or other body systems are under (or over) functioning we specialise in gut and mood health and are here to help.
