Think of your digestive system as a barrier between you and the outside world. There are three different ways that the digestive system and probiotics help build your immunity.
In
your digestive system there is a community of flora, or
naturally-occurring bacteria, that it's important to keep in balance.
Probiotics
help maintain an optimal balance of the good flora in your digestive
system. They also help out-compete the bad bacteria that may cause harm,
and they secrete chemicals that kill off some bad bacteria. When good
bacteria beat bad bacteria, it helps you stay healthier.
An intestinal
mucus layer lines the digestive tract and acts as a barrier and
protection to keep bad bacteria out of your body.
Probiotics help
stimulate the production of the protective mucus layer and can also line
the mucus layer to add an extra level of defense.
70% of your
body's immune cells are found in the intestinal immune system.
The intestines have an incredibly large surface area. If stretched out,
the area is equal to the size of a football field! The surface area is
necessary for nutrient absorption, but it presents a defensive challenge
– that large area needs to be policed to keep bad things out of your
body.
Immune cells in
your intestinal immune system are constantly on guard, testing all the
things that enter your body to decide whether they are good (let them
in) or bad (keep them out). Probiotics help stimulate and exercise the
immune cells by going through a sampling and screening process that acts
just like a fire drill. So, probiotics help prepare your immune cells
to fight off any bad bacteria that come their way!
There is good reason to believe good health begins in the gut (digestive
tract). The gut is responsible for digesting foods aided by several
organs, specific enzymes, good bacteria and nutrients. The digestive
process feeds the cells and provides energy for life, however the
average American diet assaults the digestive processes with toxins that
come from our foods, water and air.
The ubiquitous use of prescribed
antibiotics, over the counter drugs and our feedlot animals impair
beneficial bacteria necessary for a healthy digestive system.
Additionally, birth control pills, chlorine and fluoride in drinking
water, chemotherapy, the use of alcohol and tobacco impede friendly
bacteria in the body. Surgery, parasites, trauma and stress also trigger
intestinal imbalances that lead to illness and dis-ease.
Beneficial bacteria, known as friendly
bacteria or probiotics (for life), lives in the gut in massive amounts.
It protects the body from harmful bacteria. Friendly bacteria play
multiple roles that include:
The Lactobacillus family contains many
types of friendly bacteria that help the body’s resiliency to illness
and disease. Lactobacillus acidophilus is present mainly in the small
intestine and works at lowering cholesterol levels, LDL levels and
killing candida yeasts. They produce lactase, an enzyme required for the
digestion of milk sugar.
Bifidobacterium is found mainly in the
large intestine and also in the lower part of the small intestine. These
friendly bacteria prevent toxicity that comes from nitrites in food,
helps detoxify bile and assists in the management of some liver
conditions and illnesses.
Lactobacillus Bulgaricus helps make
yogurt and kills harmful bacteria.
Due to our lifestyles, the
body constantly fights the invasion of bad bacteria and toxins that lead
to chronic illness and disease. Because friendly bacteria have such
powerful ability to rid the body of toxicity and unfriendly organisms,
it is necessary to consume them on a regular basis.
A study was conducted in Sweden in a
company examining the effect of probiotics on their ability to improve
work-place health by reducing short term sick-leave caused by
respiratory or gastrointestinal infections. The results were
outstanding. Ten out of 94 workers using the probiotic took sick time
during the study compared to 23 in the placebo group. Furthermore, none
of the 26 workers using the probiotics lost any time due to illness
compared to nine out of 27 in the placebo group.
Do you think this employer will recommend
the use of probiotics? Read details of the study at
http://www.ehjournal.net/content/4/1/25
Everyone is exposed to toxins and
bacteria on a daily basis so it is not only prudent, but necessary to
take probiotics for preventive measures. I have witnessed extremely
favorable outcomes from clients who use probiotics regularly. The key is
to use a very good product regularly.
Contrary to popular belief, consuming
frozen yogurt, fruity dairy yogurts, yogurt covered raisins or nuts,
does not provide any protection. There are several high quality products
in the marketplace.
Some final thoughts:
As always, a wholistic
lifestyle that includes a good multi-vitamin, healthy eating, exercise,
stress management, rest and moderation of behavior (temperance) are
important. There is no silver bullet. Lifestyle is the key. Make it a
priority.
