Most natural health enthusiasts are generally pretty savvy when it comes to balancing vitamins, nutrients and electrolytes, eliminating processed food, and exercising regularly to optimize health and prevent disease.
And if you’re reading our Natural Health Alternative articles, you’re either already a naturalist or are researching ways to improve your health without the use of pharmaceuticals and other poisons.
However, one topic that many people forget to cover in their research and menu-planning is likely one of the most important, because without it, optimally processing all those other nutrients is an uphill battle.
If you have ever had to take an antibiotic for a bacterial infection, you’ll likely know that one of the side effects of the medication is diarrhea. This is because our intestines function well when the beneficial bacteria is thriving.
These friendly microbes are essential in breaking down food particles so the vitamins and nutrients in them can be extracted and absorbed through the intestinal wall. Taking an antibiotic doesn’t just kill the bad infection for which it was prescribed- it kills off everything. The intestines need the good bacteria to function well and when those germs are gone, we wind up with diarrhea.
This is an example of an acute insult to our intestinal flora that results in an easy-to-identify physical problem (the runny stools). However, a more elusive problem persists for millions of people who are addicted to a traditional Western diet, but is very similar in nature.
[adrotate group=”5″] The good bacteria, or probiotics, are absolutely essential to digestion and health. These little wonder bugs are responsible for as much as 70% of the functioning of our immune systems. They help purge foreign invaders and diseases, eliminate toxins, and break down food so that all those nutrients can actually be absorbed.
Why go to the trouble of seeking out the best-quality, organically grown fruits and vegetables if much of their nutritive power isn’t going to be absorbed?
So how do we build up our probiotic numbers and keep them healthy and happy?
There are 4 key ways to ensure maximum benefit:
1) Feed the good bacteria and starve the bad bacteria- Refined and processed sugars are like mother’s milk for the bad, harmful bacteria in the body. Alternately, phenols (found in red wine, legumes, and the skins of vegetables) feed the good microbes we want thriving. Eliminate the white sugar (and high fructose corn syrup) and processed foods and instead replace those with nature’s colorful bounty.
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2) Increase soluble fiber- Not only do the good probiotics make a meal of soluble fiber, but the by-product of the feast is an increase in the beneficial fatty acid chains that fight cancers and other diseases.
3) Consider prebiotic supplements and foods- Not all yogurt is created to be equal. Many of the flavored ones are packed with refined, processed sugars and artificial flavors. However, there are some unsweetened varieties that contain high levels of prebiotic support and probiotic cultures. You can flavor it yourself with fresh berries and a little local honey.
4) Eliminate stress- Like any other living thing, probiotic microbes are affected by a toxic environment, which can be due to illness, environment, or damaging effects of emotional and psychological stress. Having an effective method to eliminate stress and better control your body’s fight or flight response will protect the probiotics from the ravages of stress.
3 easy exercises drop your blood pressure as well as stress level as soon as today. Check out these blood pressure exercises here…
Like its name implies, prebiotics are the nutritional elements that come before a healthy arsenal of probiotics. Increasing the optimal food for the probiotics will cause them to increase in number and function better. Knowing that their functions are to eliminate disease and process nutrients that are critical for health makes these microscopic allies so very important.
Make sure, as you plan your diet changes, to include as many prebiotic elements as you can. Simply replacing refined, processed white rice with the same-sized serving of beans is a great first step. You may also find that you’ll have an easier time losing visceral fat with enough of those changes, too, so it’s a win-win situation.
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What are your favorite prebiotic sources? Have a favorite yogurt or bean recipe to share? Make your comment below…
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Having had for the last 10-15 years, a problem with milk, I find yoghurt, especially cows milk yoghurt, difficult to digest. I tried taking lactase which helped a little but no enough.
For about 6 months I have been using kefir grains with unpasteurised Jersey full cream milk and have had no problems.
I haven’t noticed any mention of kefir in any of your articles and would be interested to see some comment.
Hi, Julissa; I began these changes years ago, thank goodness! Wish my health showed up with these changes. PS I made many more changes than those listed! All for better health. I make my own yogurt. It is so simple, and so tasty! I like to take it out and cool it before it gets too sour; refrigerate it immediately. I like to buy whole grain cereals without sugar or sweetners; and put a bit of the natural tan sugar on it; or honey; then scoop enough yogurt into it to make it moist, and soften the cereal a little, leaving it still crunchy! Love your article and your name is beautiful sounding, and written. georgia (feeling great, getting over flu!)
Don’t depend on your doctor to inform you about probiotics. They are either ignorant about probiotics or they just don’t care. If you can’t drink or eat diary products you might want to try a probiotic that is dairy-free such as Culturelle with Lactobacillus GG. If your probleis diarrhea Culturelle is the probiotic to try. I had tried a probiotic I ordered through the mail from True Health called Ultimate 3 Biotic. I had to return the product because of the side effects of gas and bloating which outweighed the benefits. With most Probiotics have a side effect of gas but after a few days your body gets used to the product and the side effects disapee. You man have to shop around for a probiotic that works for you. Make sure it says guaranteed potency through date on box and not from date of manufactory to get the potency you need. Hope this helps
Fermented vegetables like fermented soy beans, sauerkraut, sauer beans and kimchi are also great to establish helathy intestinal flora.
Dr. Pankaj Naran of India (anciant secret) always adocate, don’t eat any dairy product except Clarified Butter of cow.
Great Info! probiotics is really a boon to our health we must strive to keep them healthy!
Julissa writes: “Feed the good bacteria and starve the bad bacteria”
Dr. Mercola recently wrote:
If it is ideal to have 15% of “bad” bacteria then “bad” bacteria is not all bad.
If it is ideal to have only 85% of “good” bacteria then having too much “good” bacteria is presumably negative for your health, so “good” bacteria is not all good.
Why then are some bacteria labelled “bad” and others “good”?
Presumably “bad” bacteria are those, which, when in excess of this ideal 15%, are responsible for some really bad health conditions, whereas “good” bacteria, when in excess of their ideal 85%, although not producing optimal health, do not produce extremely poor health.
Is it true, therefore, that there is no such thing as truly bad bacteria and no such thing as truly good bacteria: it is just keeping bacteria in the most healthy balance that is important. Or are there some some bacteria that we are not aware do anything good at all and/or always produce poor health symptoms in whatever amount/proportion they populate the gut?
Use your own home made yoghurt. It is easy; bring some milk to nearly boiling keep it at that point for at least 5 minutes. Allow to cool to 30C (when you can feel a bit of heat in it. Add some live culture (AB Strains) pour into a Thermos close the lid and allow to cure. After few hours (4 to 8 depending on taste and texture. Pour into a container and refrigerate. I make 250 mls every morning and have it with my breakfast the next day. You buy the first culture as commercial product that says live cultures. It may take afew attempts to get it right but the result is worth it.
If only one in about ten cells in our bodies is “ours” and carries our genes, then:
When a DNA sample is taken, whose DNA does it represent?
Kombucha and kefir are other fermented drinks that are easy to make. I drink them daily