GUT BACTERIA AND HEALTH
IS THERE A RELATIONSHIP?
Last month’s issue of The Journal of Gastroenterology & Hepatology published a study called, “Effects of Multispecies Probiotics on Irritable Bowel Syndrome: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial.” Patients with IBS were divided into two groups. One group got a Multi-Species Probiotic (more on this momentarily) and the other group got a placebo. Neither the doctor giving the pill, nor the patient taking the pill knew who was getting what (that’s what makes it “double blinded”). Improvement was determined both by symptom survey (subjective findings) as well as microanalyses of a stool sample (objective findings). The results were rather amazing.
After only four weeks, the patients were analyzed. Nearly 70% of the experimental group (the group given the Multi-Species Probiotics) got better as far as the amount of pain they reported, gas, bloating, stool frequency, and stool consistency. The authors concluded that, “Multispecies probiotics are effective in IBS patients and induce the alterations in the composition of intestinal microbiota.” The thing you need to take away from this study is that the probiotics given were not simply a single-strain product such as Acidophilus, or a double-strain product such as Acidophlus with Bifidus or Lactobacillus. The Probiotic used —- like the product we use here in the office, is a “Multi-Strain Probiotic”. We use an HSO PRODUCT that contains approximately 20 of the most common bacteria found in organic soil. Here’s the thing though. These results could have been 100% or nearly so by adding a few simple steps to their “Probiotic Protocol”. This protocol will help most people with any Autoimmune or Inflammatory Disease.
- DO NOT TAKE ANTIBIOTICS UNLESS YOU ARE DYING: What do you think causes the imbalance of good bacteria to bad bacteria in the Gut (DYSBIOSIS) in the first place? That’s right, ANTIBIOTICS. Antibiotics are a DOUBLE-EDGED SWORD that I would contend are doing every bit as much harm as they are doing good (probably more). When doctors prescribe Antibiotics for things like COUGHS & CONGESTION, COLDS, FLU, UPPER-RESPIRATORY INFECTIONS, SINUS INFECTIONS, EAR INFECTIONS, etc, etc, etc, they are not only practicing decades behind the current peer-reviewed scientific literature, they are not even following their own profession’s stated (written) Standards of Care. If you are worried about a sick child, please read THIS short paperback.
- CONTROL BLOOD SUGAR: Although Antibiotics are the cause of Dysbiosis, SUGAR is what feeds it. In fact if you Google things like “Sugar Feeds Infection“, “Sugar Feeds Dysbiosis“, or even “SUGAR FEEDS CANCER“, you’ll get a jillion hits. Just remember that UNCONTROLLED BLOOD SUGAR is the crumbling foundation of nearly all disease processes.
- GET GLUTEN OUT OF YOUR LIFE: The relationship between GLUTEN and IBS is nearly ubiquitous, as is the relationship between Gluten and LEAKY GUT SYNDROME. HERE is the best way to go Gluten Free. I recommend eating a PALEO DIET to both control Blood Sugar and get Gluten out of your life.
- LOSE THE EXCESS WEIGHT: The cool thing is that if you follow these bullet points above, 95% of you (even those of you with ENDOCRINE ISSUES) are going to LOSE WEIGHT. This is important because OBESITY itself is considered an INFLAMMATORY DISEASE that is heavily associated with Dysbiosis (HERE).
