Vital Supplement: Probiotics!
Knowing functional & holistic medicine, the most important supplement we can take is a very good probiotic. Outside of avoiding sugars and high fructose corn syrup, we believe that taking a probiotic is one of the best ways to improve health.
Many of you would tell us that you take a probiotic daily to keep your bowel movements normal and keep your GI tract healthy! Probiotics are so much more vital to our whole health! Our body’s cells are almost 90% microbes and only 10% human cells. Human cells are bigger so we tend to forget about the viruses and bacteria that is a part of us. Some of these bacteria are beneficial and work synergistically with our immune system to protect us.
Our Immune System has 2 primary responsibilities. The first is to recognize a stranger. The second is much more difficult. It is to label these strangers as dangerous or benign. Breakdown in the ability to modulate the immune system can cause the immune system and our bodies to over react like in asthma, rheumatoid arthritis, and psoriasis OR underreact like in cancer.
The largest area of “good bacteria” should be in the gut. The more sugar we eat, the more stressed our lives are, and the toxins and hormones in the foods we eat — the more we”feed” bad bacteria and yeasts. This also really destroys our “good bacteria” in our gut. This imbalance, called dysbiosis, is the cause of some of our most complicated disorders.
Restoring good bacteria and balance can:
Reduce episodes of eczema, asthma, and allergies.
Improve the productions of mood hormones like serotonin and dopamine. The majority of our “mood” hormones are made in the gut. Someone with dysbiosis is more likely to have depression, anxiety, and chronic fatigue. Yeast typically is the microbe that dominates in these situations and this is why people will crave sugars and carbs!
Improve sex hormone balance as good bacteria are responsible for estrogen detoxification. Without this, estrogen will reenter the hepatic portal and put a very high burden on the liver.
Treat issues like Irritable Bowel Disease and begin to repair an inflamed bowel and food sensitivities.
Reduce the risk of Colon Cancer and autoimmune disorders like rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, Celiac disease, Type 1 diabetes, etc.
Help to balance the microbes on the skin and reduce acne and rosacea.
Many, many more benefits that we have not yet discovered.
The probiotic that I recommend most is Orthobiotic 1 tab before bedtime (best utilized on an empty stomach, but you can take at any time). It has 25 billion colony forming units of seven different types of good bacteria and good yeast and is far superior to anything we can find over the counter or even prescription. Excell for life also carries other probiotics to be able to suit all our patients!
Blessings & honored to care for you!
Dr. Lisa
