What is a Probiotic?

Learn about Probiotics and how they can help you. 

It is also a great time to give them a try. 
Probiotics are 20% off through August! 

What is a probiotic? 

It is a live microorganism; a beneficial bacteria. We need bacteria to break things down, ferment our food. Think of worms and compost, they help break things down and without them, the soil isn’t healthy. This breakdown process is how we get the micronutrients out of the food we eat. Good micronutrient health means you have strong health. 

Commonly people think of yogurt as an excellent food source and ‘good enough’ as a supplement for these bacteria. But, you would need to eat at least 4 cups of yogurt to gain the benefit of billions of good bugs! 

If you are looking to supplement with food, sauerkraut, at least one tablespoon per day can be even more beneficial. Scientists are trying to capture how many probiotics you find in sauerkraut, and they can’t nail the variety and huge varying quantities. You can go all-out in your kitchen and learn how to ferment your veggies, kombucha, guacamole, salsa and so much more. The tools are there for those that want to grow their own probiotics in their food. By fermenting vegetables, you get a variety of bacteria which is most beneficial, without the quantities of dairy which can dampen or hinder your digestion. But here’s another dilemma, how many people are going to consume sauerkraut, and every day for that matter? Not many. 

So, that is where Metagenics UltraFlora Spectrum supplement comes in extremely valuable. This is something people can be consistent with, and when supporting the immune system, digestive system, and mood, repetition and consistency is the key to improved health. 

How can they help? 

They support digestion by being the microorganisms that help break down our food. We need our food in tiny sized particles to get all the vitamins and nutrients out of it. Without nutrients such as a B vitamin, you aren’t going to absorb your food. You are going to become deficient in many aspect of nutrition which can lead to disease. The studies are getting more in-depth each year about the specific benefits of each type of bacteria. There is a bug for the nose, sinuses and lungs. There is a bug for the small intestine. There is a bug for the vaginal wall. Even a bug for the pancreas. They are studying more each day on how each probiotic affects each area of our body.

They have found that our original gut health is most likely linked to the vaginal bacterial health of our mother as we passed through the birth canal. This bacterium in a mother that passes over the mouth of the infant in the birth process sets them up for their own digestive support as well as a link to their mood. They have now found a link between our digestive microbial health and how we think and feel! So this is where you will be thinking of those C-section babies you know and remembering how much support they may need from the get-go because they have missed a great probiotic opportunity. But the neat thing about balance in life is that even C-section babies have another chance to regain gut support because breastfeeding has been known to transfer probiotics to the baby too. So here you could support the Mom’s digestive, immune and mood health with probiotics, and the baby would get it too.

My favorite use of probiotics is to support the immune system. Our gut is our first link to our immune system. The lymphatic system and immune response originates in the gut. I think the biggest concern we should have at this point in healthcare is the overuse of antibiotics with chronic infections and treatment of resistant bacteria. Do you know what I am seeing: infants at the age of 6 months old who have had at least 4-6 courses of antibiotics for ear infections. Infection clears up after 10 days, then a week later the ear pain is back again, so back on the antibiotics. Do you think the antibiotic is really working? Or is there something else wrong? And now, the child has had their entire good army of probiotics cleaned out of their system.

The studies are finding that one round of antibiotic use will take your gut 6 months to repair the healthy bacterial balance. An antibiotic wipes everything out. So that means you need to be taking a probiotic for 6 months to regain what you had before. And YES, PLEASE take a probiotic during the same course of treatment with an antibiotic! The trick is to not take them at the same time, take them in between doses. I promise it will not be a waste of your money and effort to try and keep your strong army of probiotics present during your course of treatment!

And think even bigger than that…constant exposure…what do you eat at each meal? A big juicy chicken breast or steak? Guess what, most meat is laced with antibiotics! Why? Because too many animals are kept in small areas, disease spreads so the farmers have to keep ahead of illnesses…think of our schools and all those germs that get passed around. Imagine the next legislative idea: mass antibiotics for our school children so parents don’t miss work?!?! So even if you’ve never or not recently taken an antibiotic for illness reasons, you may be getting a daily dose of antibiotics through what you eat. How about that??? Your good army of bacteria could be getting wiped out on a daily basis from a food-bourne antibiotic. The solution? Check your labels and get anti-biotic and growth hormone free meats, dairy and fats, at least.

The second most common cause of bad bacterial health is chronic stress. Stress affects most everything, but this is also a major cause of probiotic weakness through an inflammatory process. But that could be a much longer discussion for later. In this case, we all need more good bacteria. We can’t get enough good bacteria. We all need good digestive, immune, and mood support through probiotics.

How do I know I have good probiotic supplements?

We have all learned to dislike the FDA. But I’m here to say there is an advantage to this story when they have been reviewing your products. You can now say with validity and truth that Metagenics brand probiotics have been reviewed and proven to have in it what the label says, and it is clean with no impurities. You are getting what you are paying for; 7 strains of bacteria at the count of 30 billion. I have patients bring in supplements from all sorts of companies touting that they have 35 strains of bacteria at a 100 billion count, and what a great price of $15’!!! You know what I tell them; impossible. Because we work with companies that are doing the studies and paying other companies to check their end product and providing you with a solid product and there is no way they can put all those bugs together harmoniously at that count and for that price. Just think, you have a 4 bedroom house and you try to fit 35 people in your house to live…someone is not going to survive! So in this case, you can say and even pull up the proof if you need to, but we have solid product professional grade probiotic supplements with Metagenics. 

Metagenics ImmuCore & UltraFlora Probiotics

Metagenics Probiotics are 20% off in August

How do I take them and how do I use them?

Keep them cool, probiotics are a LIVE bacteria. The fridge is best to keep the temp the same thru the seasons. You can take them in a capsule. You can open the capsule and put it into applesauce for your kids or those that can’t swallow the capsule. You can open them and add them to your smoothie. For a baby you can open ½ and wet your finger and dab some right onto their tongue. You can add them to anything that does not get warm; they die in heat!

One capsule of UltraFlora Spectrum per day provides 30 billion organisms. That would be considered a maintenance dose; for someone who is generally in good health. I would take this capsule right before bed so it has time to work all night. But even if you won’t remember then, I have lately found taking one upon waking with my first glass of water goes well too. It has even been cutting sugar cravings for the day!

If you are suffering from a cold, the flu, or stomach upset you can take three per day. To get the most effectiveness take in between meals away from food; 30 minutes before or 1 hour after food.

I’ve also had people return from foreign travel and get some serious stomach upset take a whole bottle over the course of a couple days and feel the support. I myself have taken a whole bottle in 2 days to support my immune system and rearrange how my guts are working.

You could take a whole bottle in one sitting and you still won’t die. Not even close. You can’t harm anyone with taking a probiotic. The worst case scenario is you could give a person diarrhea or cause constipation, and easily remedy the situation. There are no drug interactions with probiotics. One ‘side effect’ that can happen to a person in significant need of digestive support is they could experience more diarrhea as their gut bacteria balances out. This with time can remedy itself with possibly some small modifications in how they take it.

Where do Probiotics live in my body?

They live in your entire digestive tract. BUT, they key importance is they need a nice warm home to grow in. This is where the idea of PREBIOTICS comes in. Prebiotics are not alive, they are a plant fiber. They are the fertilizer or a nest for the probiotics to live in. The key is you need to consume Prebiotics on a daily basis; thru vegetables, skin of an apple, onions, garlic, bananas; artichokes, chicory root and beans are a few ideas. Strength in your prebiotic status has led to fewer issues with anxiety, depression, and stress. We need to aim for 25-35 grams of fiber per day to give our probiotics a good place to live. Best is to eat these foods, like the Dandy Blend tea, but you may also supplement if there is disease present and assistance is needed here. BUT, if adding in more fiber gives more gas pains, bloating and discomfort; that affirms there is bacterial disharmony. So, back down on the fiber or prebiotics, and take 2 UltraFlora Spectrum for about one month before you try and build up on the plant fibers again. The trick is to figure out what your body can handle as you make positive health changes. A lot of people may fall in this category and complain of stomach pains after starting prebiotics or probiotics. I just read this morning that only 50% of meals are cooked in the home, and of those meals, only 50% are actually home-made. Guts are toxic and imbalanced everywhere!

We, as a society, are living longer but we are living sicker. Chronic disease costs the world $47 trillion dollars in treatment and lost wages from work. Chronic disease causes 87% of all U.S. deaths where 16% are from smoking related deaths….think about where you are currently and where you want to go with your life. We have a huge opportunity in front of us with our resources, support and knowledge.

What are you willing to do to improve your health?

I know one aspect for sure, I will be taking a probiotic daily; whether it is in the form of a fermented food or tea, or a Metagenics brand probiotic supplement!

August Special: Probiotics are 20% off!

Stop in or give us a call at 320-983-2333 and we will help you with the probiotic that is right for you.

 


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