Good bacteria or probiotics is a subject that must be understood for you to maintain your health or that of your child but admittedly, rather a dull subject compared to some of my other posts…..

As a group, our children are the sickest youth in the history of the human species.  They are reacting to food and suffering from poor digestion, yeast problems, sensitivities and allergies like never before.  All of these epidemics have one root cause— a lack of good bacteria in their intestines, also known as dysbiosis.

The body is like a battlefield between good and bad bacteria.  Good bacteria promotes good health.  Too much bad bacteria causes infections and disease.  We need more good bacteria than bad to ward off health imbalances.  Lactobacillus acidophilus is the main strain of friendly bacteria in the body.  It is found in the mouth and intestines of men and women and in the birth canal of women.

Even Health Canada recognizes that good bacteria:

• Removes bad bacteria or toxins (yeast, parasites etc) from the body before they enter into the bloodstream,
• Protects the stomach lining and helps prevent leaky gut which is believed to be behind allergies,
• Aids in digestion by making the specialty enzymes like lactase and cellulase,
• Assists in the elimination of waste by improving the frequency and size of bowel movements.  A buildup of waste is the cause of 90% of symptoms, conditions and disease.
• Builds the immune system,
• Stabilizes blood sugar.

There are a multitude of factors that contribute to a lack of good bacteria (also called ‘poor intestinal flora’).  Each one contributes to our toxic load, that is, the amount of food, chemicals, allergens and inhalant pollutants that a person can be exposed to before symptoms appear.

The following factors (for elaboration on any of these factors, see The Resourceful Mother’s Secrets to Healthy Kids) contribute to toxins or bad bacteria in the body of parents and their children, in turn.  Eventually, when toxic load is reached, the body experiences adverse food reactions leading to symptoms, conditions and disease:

1. Genetics
2. Premature birth
3. Birth by caesarean
4. Vaccinations and immunization shots
5. Drugs
6. Frequent infections
7. Early introduction of potential allergens to infants
8. Undigested food particles
9. Nutritional deficiencies
10. Sugar
11. Caffeine and soft drinks
12. Chemicals
13. Alcohol
14. Cigarettes
15. Heavy metals
16. Stress
17. Poor elimination
18. Age
19. Hormonal imbalances
20. Chlorinated water
21. Air quality
22. Radiation
23. Low stomach acid
24. Hypoglycemia
25. Allergic reactions or inflammation along the intestinal lining
26. The typical modern diet

Clearly, these sources of bad bacteria pervade our modern world.  No wonder the majority of us are so deficient in good bacteria.  Probiotics are good bacteria.  They are the opposite of antibiotics.  It is strongly recommended that you and your child consume probiotics every single day.  As the Acidophilus, the most common probiotic makes the intestine healthier, you will notice that you and your child begin to have fewer symptoms, more frequent and larger bowel movements. Just make a trip to your local health food store and ask them to recommend the best acidophilus for your child and the best acidophilus for yourself, as well as provide you with the instructions for taking it.  If you can’t afford the first product they show you, just ask them to show you a less expensive option.  And for those of you that have an adventurous pallet, consuming sauerkraut, miso, tempeh, kefir and other fermented foods, on a daily basis, will provide you with all the good bacteria you need.

“A seven-week-old baby was brought to the office because of severe colic and bloody diarrhea.  The baby cried or nursed and slept for no longer than two hours at a time.  Mom was extremely exhausted because of the lack of sleep in almost two months.  Her paediatrician had recommended stopping breast milk feeding and using formula.  Mom was determined not to give up and with a radical diet change, the addition of the probiotic HMF, she was finally able to see changes in her son and she got adequate sleep as the colic and bloody diarrhea improved.” “Coping with Food Intolerances” by Dick Thom ND.

I’d love to hear your stories of how acidophilus improved your health or that of your child. Here on my blog, you’ll get commentluv. This is a plug-in that allows you to leave a link back to your own site when you leave feedback!

Until next time,

Meredith