Andrew M. Sklar, DDS, PC
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Alexandria, VA 22311
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Probiotics Not Just For Digestion
Most of you have probably heard about probiotics, and how they can somehow help your digestion. But, do you know why we're hearing so much about them these days, how they work, or that probiotics can do so much more than just help your digestion?
There are 10 times more bacteria in your intestinal tract than cells in your body. Billions of bacteria inhabit our mouths and small intestine, and trillions reside in the colon.
These bacteria can be both good and bad. The bad bacteria can cause acute or chronic illnesses. The good bacteria (probiotics) offer us protective and nutritive properties – like the ones that produce lactic acid, which helps acidify the intestinal tract and protects us from harmful bacterial overgrowth.
It is important to keep the bacteria in balance and imbalances are more common than you might think. It doesn't take an extreme illness to upset the balance of bacteria in your gut.
Chances are, you have an imbalance if you a) eat a diet high in sugar and animal proteins that feed the bad bacteria; b) don't eat enough fresh vegetables and naturally fermented foods that feed the good bacteria; c) take some common medications, especially antibiotics (which destroy both bad and good bacteria), anti-virals, antacids and most OTC pain medicines; and/or d) breathe air full of toxins known to destroy friendly bacteria.
A bacterial imbalance can result in a number of GI disorders, such as Irritable Bowel Syndrome or a compromised immune system, contributing to everything from sinus and dental health issues to kidney and cardiovascular problems.
Fortunately, restoring the balance of good bacteria (probiotics) can offer a solution to many of the resulting health issues. Some probiotics have even been shown to assist in dental health by reducing the formation of cavities and bad breath, and fighting dangerous bacteria that are involved in producing plaque.
While it is possible to consume probiotic bacteria in fermented milk products such as yogurt, kefir, and cottage cheese, as well as fermented vegetables such as sauerkraut and soybeans (miso), some of these products do not contain enough probiotic cultures or the correct strains to provide health benefits. Therefore, supplementation is recommended.
A good rule of thumb is to look for a multiple strain probiotic (five to fifteen strains), with at least 10 billion cultures (CFU's) per serving, with lots of “L's” (lactobacillus) for the small intestine, and “B's” (bifidobacteria) for the large intestine. If taking an antibiotic, take the probiotic two hours from your antibiotic dosage to prevent the antibiotic from killing the beneficial bacteria in the probiotic.
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