Bacteria Are Your Friends

Well, some bacteria...

With all the buzz about antibiotics these days - and their ill effects, it is really important to mention probiotics. PROBIOTICS? These are the friendly bacteria that live in our gut that are absolutely critical to our health. (Lactobacillus, acidophilus... There are many strains.) Why? Several reasons, but among those are proper nutrient digestion / absorption and immune function. Did you know that they account for about 60% of our immune function? Wow... And recent studies have shown that pregnant moms that take priobiotics give their little ones a better chance of NOT suffering from allergies. Pretty cool. These little guys are awesome for your health, but they have 3 main enemies: antibiotics, the SAD (Standard American Diet) and chlorine.

So, what happens when you take antibiotics? Well, as you know, antibiotics were designed to kill bacteria, and they are very good at their job. The problem is that they are not very discriminating at all. Gone are the good bacteria as well. This presents a problem.

If you have a diet consisting of all natural, raw foods, naturally fermented foods (kefir, sauerkraut, etc.) and very low sugar intake, over time you could rebuild the probiotic population. But, not many people have that type of diet. So, what happens on the SAD - or Standard American Diet? This is where it gets messy... We Americans take in way too much sugar (in all its various forms), and sugar is exactly what feeds the BAD bacteria, among them candida albicans, which can cause all kinds of nasty health issues - including organ failure in severe cases. Ugh.

And then there's chlorine. Most municipal water supplies add chlorine to kill... you guessed it: bacteria. So, what happens when this chlorine hits our gut? Yup, it kills bacteria - good and bad.

So what are we to do???

Bottom line: we all need a good probiotic. Do some research and find one that will work for you. Or, check out my link at the right and read about the kind I take (Total Flora Support). Even if you haven't taken an antibiotic in years, the effects can last and last. If you have to take an antibiotic, make sure that you are taking a probiotic at the same time. Try to drink filtered water and cut out as much sugar as you can. I know it's hard to do, but your - and your children's - immune system and health in general will certainly thank you.