The piece below contains all the Essential Information About Bowel Movements you ever wanted to know (and were afraid to ask). What is normal? What is not? It’s not something we would normally discuss. How would we know?
The point I hope you walk away with is that many maladies and conditions occur because of an improper diet. Regardless of whether you think you eat well -if you suffer, your diet needs improvement.
The safest way (without prescription meds) for restoring your digestive health is through the use of probiotics supplements.
Whole Food Nation offers a sophisticated supplement (called Pop-a-Green & Pop-a-Purple) containing scores of natural whole foods (fruits & veggies), probiotics, metabolic boosters, digestive enzymes and much more. They are designed to get you healthy and keep you that way. My family has been on them for 6 years and we have never been in better health, generally. We also watch our diet and get regular exercise.
A normal line of questioning from a medical professional might start with, “How many BMs do you have each day? In it, do you notice any evidence of mucous, blood, or, do you have diarrhea or are you constipated?”
Feces is crap, shit, BM, stools, droppings, poop, #2, dung, manure, and bowel contents. It’s all the same thing. All these terms are interchangeable. it helps to speak the language, as sometimes patients don’t know what feces is. You need to be able to effectively communicate to your doctor about this stuff.
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Feces contains, or should contain a lot of water, indigestible fiber, undigested food, mostly. A ‘normal’ stool is brown or lighter brown, formed, not too hard or too soft, cylindrical in shape, not flat on any one side, kind of bulky and full bodied -not compact. it should pass easily, and shouldn’t be extremely foul to smell. That last point, having spent a lot of time in public rest rooms, I have observed, is not achievable by many people. What people eat to get that horrendous smell is beyond me.
To continue, each bowel movement should be in one piece, about the size of a banana. it would also be tapered at the end (like a fine cigar). Sometimes this will not be noticed if it breaks up in the toilet bowl. Some believe that if the body is absorbing all the minerals from your food that the stool should float like a log. Others think that the stool should sink like a rock. Some are of the opinion that it should be somewhere in between.
An occasional deviation from this pattern is acceptable. Any chronic deviation from the above pattern is not healthy and should be dealt with.
It’s amazing how many people don’t even look at their stools in the toilet (or, claim they don’t). It is important to do so, as stools can give clues about your health if you are aware of what you’re looking at. Digestion is a natural bodily function -part of life. Always has been. We should be able to talk about them without embarrassment. For example:
Air or bubbles in the stool might tip us off that we have a gut or flora imbalance and that gas producing bacteria are taking the lead and competing with the healthier flora.
Alternately suffering from diarrhea and constipation can be caused by irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), food allergies, certain spices, alcohol, stress, red meat, lack of fiber, sugar, irregular bowel habits.
Color: Stools are generally the color of the food we’ve eaten.
Constipation can sometimes lead to impaction -which is the presence of a mass of feces too large to pass. This can be extremely painful constipation.
Fecal impaction is most often the result of one or more of the following: poor bowel habits, too much protein, not enough water and fiber consumption, and inadequate physical activity.
Diarrhea, whether chronic or acute, can disrupt the bowel’s normal bio-rhythm and lead to irregularity. It can mean that your large intestine is not functioning properly. The large intestine is in charge of removing excess water from the feces. Other possibilities can include a whole host of things like: food poisoning, lactose intolerance, anxiety, stress, bacterial overgrowth, too many antacids, parasites, viruses, antibiotics, inflammatory bowel disease and irritable bowel syndrome. A properly functioning, healthy bowel will condense about a 1-1/2 quarts down to about one cup of stool.
Painful bloody bowel movements are a sign of trouble and are not to be ignored. To do so is to invite disaster. Serious causes include colon cancer. On the other hand it could be an injury caused by trying to pass too big a stool -perhaps caused by not drinking enough water. Or, it could be a common hemorrhoid. But it could also be colitis, irritable bowel syndrome or Crohn’s disease. In any event, it warrants further scrutiny -unless you are secretly harboring some kind of death wish. There are better ways to go.
Horrible smelling stools could be boiled down to too much protein, or a shortage of beneficial bacteria or flora (which is an imbalance. The bad bacteria are taking over).
If the stools are black, tarry and sticky, this could be an indication of bleeding in the small intestine. These types of stools usually give off a bad (distinctive) odor.
Light green stools could mean there has been too much sugar, fruits and/or vegetables and perhaps not enough grains or salt. Mucous can indicate diverticulitis and/or an inflammatory condition due to allergies (or parasites).
Oily or greasy looking stools that may float and are generally large could mean that the pancreas or small intestine are not working well enough and may not be providing enough digestive enzymes. Normal stools may be approx. 1% fat. As this percentage increases toward about 7%, the stool will look oily and greasy. High fat meals can cause this but should be temporary, unless you habitually dine on a lot of fast foods. An occasional fish fry shouldn’t be a problem.
Pale or clay colored stools may indicate that your gallbladder or liver is not up to speed.
Pencil thin or ribbon-like stools are not normal. It might mean you have a polyp or growth on the inside of the colon or rectum.
Presence of food: If the stool breaks up easily and you can see bits and pieces of the food you ate, you are probably not chewing your food thoroughly enough. This causes problems like GERD, acid reflux, abdominal bloating and diarrhea.
Red or magenta stools– ingestion of beets. Not to be confused with blood.
Very dark stools: Too much red wine, too much salt in the diet, not enough vegetables. Other possible causes include: Blueberries, Pepto Bismol and iron pills.
Normal bowel habits are an integral part of a healthy lifestyle. Maintenance of a healthy colon is instrumental in a strategy to avoid serious maladies. Another way of saying that is: to know you have an unhealthy colon and to avoid correcting the situation (which usually is as simple as changing you’re diet), is to invite a disaster. It has been said that life begins and ends with the colon. The food you eat will either work for you or work against you. Your stool is the report card of how you’re doing.
Painful cramping, back pain, before and/or after bowel movements is not normal. If you are experiencing any kind of pain with difficult bowel movements, see a doctor. Change your diet if need be.
Number of Bowel Movements:
Healthy bowel activity is considered one or two movements of moderate size every day. Every other day or once or twice a week bowel movements can affect you negatively, as the colon contents release toxins back into the body through the mucous membranes. It is important to keep that waste moving on down the line.
Healthy Bowel Habits:
There is a usual time of day for every individual when BMs are more likely to occur. You probably anticipate this hour. It is recommended that the individual participates in activities that may stimulate a bowel movement. It is also important that the individual listen to his or her body -recognize the urge and respond to it right away. If you think you’re too busy you are shooting yourself in the foot. The urge will disappear and you can count it as a lost opportunity. The longer stool remains in the rectum, the more water the rectum will absorb from it, making it harder and more painful and difficult to pass. Drop what you’re doing and get your butt in the privy.
The urge to defecate is often stronger in the morning: getting out of bed and commencing your morning activities triggers the movement of the large intestine. Also, the stomach will send a signal when it expands during a meal. The reflex gets weaker with age, which is one cause of constipation in older folks and why good bowel habits are helpful.
Laxatives:
It takes time for an improved diet to affect the bowels in a positive way and for the bowel to assume its normal rhythm. One needs to exercise some patience. Enemas are a better solution than laxitives.
Healthy bowel movements require ingestion of a large amount of liquids and bulk foods. The patient should drink two to three quarts of liquids every day. Bulk comes from unrefined foods. Oat bran, wheat bran, brown rice, green vegetables, apples, and pears are a few examples of high residue, high fiber foods. Eat whole foods. Stay away from highly processed food-like substances. Eat plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables.
Some people benefit from psyllium as a fiber supplement. Psyllium will cause varying amounts of gas. The addition of WHOLE flax seeds and bran will help with the gas if they are eaten whole. A cup of coffee in the morning often helps people get a regular bowel movement.
Some Notes on Intestinal Bacteria Replacement: Inside the healthy lower intestine are billions of beneficial bacteria or microflora. These bacteria are of the Lactobacillusacidophilus and Lactobacillus bifidus strains and were originally transferred by breast-feeding into our intestines as newborns. Your body uses L. acidophilus and L. bifidus in some of the final stages of digestion multiplying as necessary to keep in total balance and harmony with the body.
When good bacteria can’t keep up, the bad bacteria overpopulate the colon to give an imbalance which may result in lower bowel diseases, diarrhea, IBS, gas or Crohn’s Disease. The effect caused by harmful bacteria in the gut is rarely diagnosed close to the beginning of this imbalance. Symptoms may include headaches, infections of the skin. Weakness and/or constipation can also be a symptom of depleted beneficial bacteria.
What Causes A Gut Flora Imbalance?
Toxins, especially drugs such as antibiotics and narcotics is a big factor.
Severe diarrhea also can damage or destroy beneficial bacteria, setting the stage for harmful bacteria to over-populate and causing over production of by-products like ammonia, purines and ethionine, which may eventually trigger colon cancer.
Fasting can also deplete the beneficial bacteria. Large quantities of toxins find their way from the lymph glands into the colon during the fast. Also, with certain diets and certain eating disorders, there would be an absence of certain foods that the beneficial bacteria thrive on.
Using enemas also depletes the beneficial bacteria, especially if chlorinated water is used.
All things considered, I think you may agree, if you can control what you eat -meaning eating more of the beneficial fruits and vegetables and less of (or eliminating, to whatever extent possible) all the junk (highly processed ‘food-like substances) will bring you pretty close to being a healthy specimen. The other variables are mainly lifestyle choices for many of us (drinking, smoking, etc.).
As far as choosing your foods wisely, here are a couple of guidelines:
Eat mostly plants -leafy ones. Fresh fruits and vegetables, obviously, but the leafy plants are important. We already get too much of the seeds (like corn and soy).
If a food product has more than a half dozen ingredients and you need a degree in chemistry from MIT, it is not food. It is a food-like substance.
Eat only things that your grandmother (or, great-grandmother, if you are under 40) would recognize as food.
Visit Whole Food Nation and peruse the ingredients listed for the Pop-a-Green and Pop-a-Purple whole food supplements and the known benefits of each. You couldn’t possible eat all those things. That’s what makes the Pops so attractive.
Do you have any thoughts on this or experience with it (good, bad, or funny)? If so, why not share them by commenting below. Also, if you like this, please share it on Facebook or another social media -buttons are at bottom of page. We do appreciate it. As always, thanks for spending time with us.
Probiotics like Acidophilus and yeast infections go hand in hand. Yeast infection in adults and kids is explored below. Do you know anyone who might benefit from an excellent source of whole foods and probiotics? This is for people who want to restore their digestive systems and curtail some of the side effects like yeast infections -like we did. Whole Food Nation offers Pop-a-Green & Pop-a-Purple. In combination, they contain about 77 ingredients including fruits and veggies, 11 digestive enzymes, antioxidants, probiotics, prebiotics and many more. What’s really in those Pops? Let’s click on it and find out what, exactly is in those Pops, shall we?
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Acidophilus and Yeast Infections
Besides being effective for yeast Lactobacillus acidophilus may cure other diseases according to some people who study these things. Lactobacillus acidophilus is a lactic acid producing bacteria that is thought to have beneficial effects on digestion and overall health. Some studies have shown that yogurt with acidophilus culture and even acidophilus on its own takes care of a yeast infection and vaginitis in adults and children.
A probiotics supplement can be added to milk (as a powder) or taken in capsule form. A good way to get it is in yogurt. L. acidophilus, however, is not present in all brands of yogurt. Read the label to ensure you are getting what you’re after. Acidophilus supplements can be expected to work quickly and effectively. They contain as many as one billion individual friendly bacteria per gram. Count them.
For those who aren’t able to use milk products, acidophilus is also present in soybeans, carrots, garbanzo beans (chick peas), and rice starch. Health food stores sell a variety of acidophilus supplements in liquid, capsule, and powder forms. Some of the selections contain bifidobacteria, another beneficial bacteria, as well as other beneficial nutrients.
Using the powder form, you can make a yogurt-like drink. For best results, the acidophilus supplements should be taken on an empty stomach before breakfast, about an hour before other meals. Some people who have a difficult time digesting regular dairy products sometimes find success with cultured milk products, like yogurt and acidophilus milk.
A highly regarded whole food dietary supplement by Whole Food Nation, as mentioned above, are the Pop-a-Greens and Pop-a-Purples. They contain several strains pf probiotics as well as digestive enzymes, etc. Regular use will beef up your immune system and general colon health, as well as provide a steady stream of probiotics for prevention of yeast infections.
If you have any thoughts on or experience with something you find in these pages, you’re invited to share them by commenting below. Care to Share? We hope you do. Use the Facebook icon or another social media button at the top or bottom of each page.
The presence of probiotics in the colon is a natural phenomenon -that is, if one eats a natural diet. -which Americans have gotten away from in recent decades. More common now is the industrialized diet of processed food-like substances -offered to us by the food industry. Our health is not foremost on their mind. It needs to be on our minds. Restoring your digestive health and maintaining colon health are linked to probiotics and nutrition.
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A diet rich in fruits and vegetables and high in fiber goes a long way toward maintaining health for longevity. It has been called “Food for Damage Control.”
Whole Food Nation is ahead of the curve on that -with their “Pops.” Pop-a-Green and Pop-a-Purple Whole Food supplements contain 50-something ingredients. Fruits, veggies, metabolic boosters, Probiotics and more.
I bet you never thought you’d actually WANT bacteria in your gut, now did you? Yet now that probiotics and probiotic supplementation have taken center stage in the fight to maintain vibrant health, more and more people who may have never even heard the word ‘probiotic’ before are starting to pay attention – close attention.
But how can you know which are the best probiotics to take? And what’s more, where can you find them?
Just in case you don’t happen to know what probiotics are, or what the benefits of taking probiotics supplements can be, let’s cover a little of the background first. (If you’re already familiar with the benefits of probiotics, you can scroll on down to the bottom of this article where I’ve provided a couple great links that will help you choose the best probiotics for you.)
What Do Probiotics Do?
I like short answers and short explanations, so let’s address the basic question of what probiotics do this way… Probiotics keep you healthy. Period. According to many studies as well as a recent story on CNN, scientists have been aware of the connection between probiotics and vibrant health for decades.
If you’re old enough, you may remember those old Dannon yogurt commercials featuring a town in the former Soviet Union where many of the inhabitants were over 100 years old — and attributed their longevity to the fact that they ate lots and lots of yogurt-probiotics yogurt, thus getting millions of beneficial probiotics into their bodies every day.
Today, we’re a bit more sophisticated about it. Yes, yogurt — at least the ones that contain those “live and active cultures” you see on the label — do contain probiotics. But many times there aren’t enough, or the right kind, for us to truly get all the benefits.
In fact, many people take probiotics supplements that contain many different “strains” of probiotics to get the full effect. For example, some probiotics will help restore your body’s balance after a course of antibiotics (a well-known killer of the good bacteria that lives in your gut), but will do nothing for your overall immunity. So, probiotics are beneficial to restore digestive system health and your natural immune system.
I could go on and on about which probiotic is best for every specific symptom or problem you may be experiencing — as well as which ones are best to give your overall health a giant boost — but to avoid repeating myself, you are encouraged to poke around the many articles and links found on this website to access further information about various conditions that are known to benefit from probiotics. I dare to say -if probiotics were present in the first place, many of these maladies would have been prevented.
If you have any thoughts on or experience with something you find in these pages, you’re invited to share them by commenting below. Care to Share? We hope you do. Use the Facebook icon or another social media button at the top or bottom of each page.
A case can be made for the use of high quality probiotics supplements to accompany use of antibiotics. Future chronic symptoms may be minimized by supplementing in this manner, as well, as is touched on below.
Probiotics bacteria (good bacteria) is what is in Yogurt and buttermilk. Yeast infections can be prevented or treated with probiotics . Probiotics is not normally considered a yeast infection treatment, but it behaves like one and is one of the best vaginal yeast infection remedies. You may want to consider a whole food supplement containing probiotics and digestive enzymes that we use and trust: Whole Food Nation.
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Benefits of Using Probiotics Supplements with Antibiotics
Considering the increase in the usage of antibiotics, there has been a proportional increase in chronic GI disorders and yeast infections. The result has been an increase, because of the now well-understood correlation, in recommending to take a supplement of Probiotics.
Antibiotic therapy can affect gastrointestinal (GI) bacteria (the kind found there naturally) and result in gastrointestinal distress and vaginal yeast infections. The bacterial populations of the digestive system play an important part in maintenance of the health of the colon and immune system and protects against bad bacteria and other disease organisms. Supplementing the beneficial bacteria lactobacillus acidophilus and bifidobacterium has been known to reduce the symptoms of IBS and prevent diarrhea associated with antibiotics. This is beneficial for adults and children. Probiotics Supplements with antibiotics may also help reduce the dosage frequency of antibiotics by improving the immune response.
Research continues to show the relationship of systemic yeast infections (Candida Albicans) with complaints about Chronic Fatigue Symptom (CFS), Fibromyalgia, Epstein Barr Virus, Lupus, M.S., Alzheimer’s, Crohn’s disease, as well as other chronic conditions.
Antibiotics are considered one of the greatest medical discoveries, sparing countless lives. The over-use that has become prevalent in our society for minor infections may have serious consequences that might develop into chronic symptoms later on. Probiotics Supplements could have reduced or corrected symptoms rather than to take an antibiotic and could have alleviated that risk.
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If you have any thoughts on or experience with something you find in these pages, you’re invited to share them by commenting below. Care to Share? We hope you do. Use the Facebook icon or another social media button at the top or bottom of each page.
To learn more about one of the best whole food supplements containing probiotics, visit WholeFoodNation. a simple straightforward resource for people who want to improve and maintain their health for the long haul, like we do.
Do you know anyone who might like to know about a good Probiotics supplement to tame their Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), promote colon health and boost the immune system? Please share this article with them.
The following discussion addresses the relationship between lifestyle and diet -and how the relationship between the two affects overall health and is a big factor in irritable bowel syndrome (sometimes called ‘spastic bowel’). If a proper diet and adequate exercise is in place, it goes a long way toward maintaining digestive health. Part of a good diet is the adequate dose of natural probiotics, which can be found in yogurt. Alternatively, one could choose to use good probiotics supplements. Probiotics benefits are many.
Homeopathy is a natural alternative treatment for Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) that revolves around treating the health and lifestyle of individual patients with medication that may provide lasting relief. Some people are believers in Homeopathy as a long-term way preserve their health -others find this treatment as a last resort after they’ve exhausted other options.
I.B.S. manifests itself in many ways, differing for each person affected. It may show up as excessive flatulence, constipation, or as diarrhea. All can be accompanied by varying degrees of abdominal pain. Sometimes, periods of constipation will alternate with periods of diarrhea. Constipation is the most common and sometimes is the most painful, while diarrhea can be the most inconvenient. Flatulence can be quite embarrassing and is worth taking corrective action. It is worth noting that other health problems may be factoring into these conditions and careful diagnosis is important to determine the likely causes.
General health, lifestyle and diet are three areas that must be looked into first. Every person is different and so are the causes of IBS. Homeopathic treatments are customized for each patient. There is no ‘one size fits all.’
A continual structured physical exercise routine will probably not cure IBS by itself but it is difficult to refute, in this age we live in, that its effect on the body’s general health is a huge positive factor in improving and maintaining general health. Regular exercise will contribute in no small measure to making IBS remedies more effective.
A low-fiber diet is a common cause of constipation. The prevalence of low fiber, highly processed diets among Americans may reach pandemic proportions as a result of the so-called “western industrialized diet.” A focus on the increase of whole grains, fruit and vegetables is beneficial, and certainly a more natural relief for IBS than the over-reliance on laxatives! Most Americans could benefit from the introduction of a whole food dietary supplement containing fruits, vegetables, probiotics, digestive enzymes, as well as many other beneficial ingredients -all of which are conspicuously absent from the “western diet” most people subsist on. If you know anyone who would like to mend their dietary ways and perhaps buffer against past abuses, Whole Food Nation has something they would benefit from. These Probiotics Supplements are for people who want to get their health straight and make the most of what they have left. They are for all people who recognize they’ve been dancing down the wrong dietary path for too long. Baby Boomers are a group that comes to mind.
Consumption of plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, in great variety, in and of itself, could be argued is a preventive measure against Irritable Bowel Syndrome and, as well, a natural relief of IBS. Realistically, you probably can’t eat all the fruits and veggies you need, which underscores the importance of the whole food dietary supplements mentioned above. See the Staying Alive Press.
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If you have any thoughts on or experience with something you find in these pages, you’re invited to share them by commenting below. Care to Share? We hope you do. Use the Facebook icon or another social media button at the top or bottom of each page.
Doctors Now Know What Your Great-Grandma Knew All Along
The following discussion touches on the gradual evolution of the mainstream medical establishment (Big Medicine) of the recognition of probiotics benefits for a healthy gut. Which is to say – healthy digestive and immune systems. It’s something the naturopaths have known for a long time, as did your great-grandmother. As a society, we’ve lost sight of what our ancestors knew about diet and health and have been duped into subsisting on a diet of laboratory concocted food-like substances. hence, the pandemic of disease in this country. Other idustrialized nations are not subjected to the “western Industrialized Diet” to the extent we are and it shows in their collective general health.
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Doctors Recognize Probiotics Benefits
It is only in recent years that the mainstream medical (that is to say the AMA) are recognizing the benefits of probiotics supplements. Until recently (and at some level, even now), probiotics are misunderstood – at times dismissed as a farce. Medical doctors are not trained all that much in the field of nutrition. They are trained to diagnose and prescribe medication. There are some well respected, high profile doctors now recommending probiotics for a growing list of maladies. Other medical professionals are now following the lead of the more progressive among them.
Many documented cases of patients ailing with digestive disorders like Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Diverticulitis and some other conditions that have been known to improve with the addition of probiotics in the diet over time. Some patients show an improvement quickly while others take more time. Some recover fully and others have reported varying degrees of symptom relief.
There is no magic bullet when it comes to digestive disorders which often are difficult to diagnose accurately and treat. In some cases, patients have suffered for years. Taking probiotics is a “can’t hurt, might help” thing. It is highly recommended that probiotics be included in one’s regular diet as a preventive measure.
Your grandmother (or, great-grandmother, depending upon your age) always knew better. Over the past 35 years, or so, with the ‘Big Food’ companies serving up the American industrialized diet -we, as a society have all suffered as we lost sight of the diet steeped in tradition that began fading away in the beginning of the 20th Century. Our diet, especially over the past 35 years has consisted of too much highly processed food-like substances and not nearly as much fresh fruit and vegetables, as an example.
Another big reason doctors have recently recognized probiotics is because stress and poor diet do their part in causing digestive problems as we get older. The best way to go about restoring your digestive health as we age is to supplement our diets with a quality probiotic.
While some are attempting to repair damage caused by bad diet, others are in a preventive mode of thinking. With use of a good whole food multi containing probiotics, many digestive ailments and the common complications associated with them may never be an issue.
As time wears on, it is very likely that probiotics benefits will be something we hear more and more about – especially as the medical community continues to recognize their benefits and recommend their use for a growing list of conditions. Buy probiotics and use them -see for yourself.
Do you have any thoughts on this or experience with it (good, bad, or funny)? If so, why not share them by commenting below. Also, if you like this, please share it on Facebook or another social media -buttons are at bottom of page. We do appreciate it. As always, thanks for spending time with us.
There are reasons to use probiotics supplementswhen using antibiotics. There are reasons, too, for making probiotics a part of your daily ritual. If you are looking to buy probiotics, some links can be found below to a couple of products we trust. Follow the link to information for your review, in order to make a good buying decision.
If Taking Antibiotics, Don’t Forget the Probiotics
We are all carrying around extra passengers with us in our intestines in the form of friendly bacteria. A few hundred different specie, in fact. As humans have evolved, those bacteria have evolved, as well, to create a mutually beneficial co-existence.
These little critters help our bodies absorb vital minerals and nutrients, and boost our immune system health. They compete with pathogens (bad bacteria) for space and resources, Some of the by-products of the ‘good’ bacteria actually help keep the population of bad bacteria under control. If you’re stressed or run down, the environment in your gut (your intestine – where it all happens) changes, creating conditions that favor pathogenic bacteria to take control, upsetting the balance.
Antibiotic medication takes out the beneficial bacteria in your gut as well as bad strains of bacteria (pathogens that cause illness). You can sometimes tell when the balance has tipped in favor of the bad bacteria, as they produce of toxic gases that can cause abdominal bloating, discomfort and flatulence. Those toxins can inflame the gut wall too, making the absorption of nutrients from food more difficult. Sometimes, if they’re active enough it brings on feelings of nausea too, as your liver struggles to handle the high level of toxic byproducts.
If you are taking antibiotics, there are some important items you can keep in mind to re-populate your intestines with good bacteria -which should improve your sense of well being.
ANTIBIOTICS and PROBIOTICS
Begin taking probiotics supplements, and continue for a few weeks after you have finished the course of antibiotics. Buy a brand name that has a variety of different strains of probiotics as well as other beneficial ingredients.
Take your probiotics at night, with a hi-fiber food like fruit or legumes, as more of the bacteria will survive the journey to your intestines by hitching a ride on the fiber. Some of the bacteria won’t make it past the very acidic environment in your stomach.
If you are dairy tolerant, a small cup of plain yogurt every day is a great natural probiotics source. Yogurt and other fermented foods have been used by many cultures for centuries to promote the health of the colon / immune system. Ensure the yogurt is fresh and try different brands for the best effect.
The probiotic bacteria will soon start to displace the bad bacteria and help quell any bowel disturbances that have occurred. Antibiotics and probiotics are part of an alternative health regimen you won’t usually receive from your primary care physician.a regimen
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The following touches on some of the many reasons we can think of to clean up one’s diet. Friendly Flora (aka Probiotics) are an essential link to restoring and maintaining your digestive health. A healthy immune system begins in the colon -which is linked to a healthy diet rich in fruits, vegetables and probiotics / friendly flora.
Probiotics supplements are sometimes beneficial. Examples of some supplements we are familiar with (and buy ourselves) are here for your review. We like the Pops for the diverse ingredients, as well as probiotics and friendly flora. Called Pop-a-Green and Pop-a-Purple, they are produced in small batches and distributed by Whole Food Nation -for people who want to escape the ravages of the Western Industrialized Diet, like we did. What’s really in those Pops, anyway?
You Need Probiotics and Friendly Flora For Better Digestion and Overall Health
Your colon is the beginning and the end in terms of your health. What you hear referred to as your immune system is ‘headquartered’ in your colon. It is your large and small intestine (your gut), your digestive system. Well entrenched inside your digestive system are thousands -maybe millions of living organisms. These bacteria, these flora, consist of a few hundred different strains and are friendly -not all bacteria are bad. They are there to hold down the numbers of invasive species -the pathogens, the bad varieties that make you ill, to manageable levels.
So, yes, there are harmful bacteria and helpful bacteria. The beneficial, friendly bacteria produce substances than can prevent disease, deactivate viruses, produce natural antibodies, reduce cholesterol Because of it, the immune system is enhanced.
If you’ve ever been prescribed mainstream medicine (like antibiotics), you may be aware that it doesn’t always perform as advertised. Medication that is designed to wipe out bacteria does exactly that – it kills bacteria, both the good, friendly flora as well as the pathogens. When that occurs, steps should be taken to restore the balance of probiotics in the gut.
There are natural sources of probiotics, such as yogurt, kefir, and other fermented foods. Many people choose to supplement probiotics -to keep the right balance between good bacteria and bad in the body. As it is essential for good health, it is worth considering.
Probiotics, often referred to as the “good bacteria” in your body, play a vital role in your good health:
1.) Probiotics create natural antibiotics that destroy harmful bacteria -as might be found with food poisoning.
2.) Probiotics control certain harmful bacteria by changing the levels of acidity in various parts of the body.
3.) Probiotics create other antibiotic substances, which control harmful bacteria, yeasts and viruses.
4.) It is the probiotics that produce the enzymes needed to break down waste and keep it moving in the colon.
5.) Probiotics are known to help reduce high cholesterol levels and benefits the regulation of female hormone estrogen, which may reduce the likelihood of menopausal problems. The converse could be argued, perhaps, that an imbalance, or shortage of probiotics may increase the level of cholesterol. It’s a simple matter of beefing up your friendly flora to see if it has any positive effects on your cholesterol level.
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Your Probiotics and Friendly Flora bottom line is this: your body cannot function properly without probiotics. In the U.S. and some other industrialized societies, due to the proclivity to subsist on highly processed food-like substances (which is what is referred to the ‘Western Diet), as well as environmental stress, most people do not have adequate numbers of friendly flora in their intestinal tract, which is directly related, some would argue, to the pandemic of diseases and health problems that affects our populace.
Where do you come into contact with bad bacteria? Airplanes, cars, hospitals, malls, movie theaters, public rest rooms – anywhere there are people and door knobs you will find bad bacteria. It’s good to wash your hands often while out and as soon as you return home.
Non-organic meat, milk, and eggs, it is argued, contains antibiotics that were administered to the cattle, poultry, etc. in their food. These antibiotics probably destroy the good bacteria in your intestinal tract in the same manner as medication prescribed by your doctor. (In case you needed another reason to replenish your flora).
Whole Food Nation is what keeps my family healthy. Do you know anyone who might like to know about these whole food multis? If so, share the info with your friends.They contain the probiotics, prebiotics, 11 digestive enzymes and a plethora of beneficial ingredients totaling upwards to 77 in number. To investigate further, see 77 Ingredients.
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The idea that probiotics may benefit chronic Diverticulitis has become more mainstream and is considered in some corners a natural treatment or a remedy -or to prevent the condition.
Whole fruits and vegetables can be an important link to colon health. Many foods contain probiotics and are another important link. It is also true that the American industrialized diet is distinctly lacking in fruits and veggies for many people. Probiotics supplements are useful for people who know they don’t eat right, like us, and want to stay on track to treat or prevent serious conditions such as diverticulitis and / or irritable bowel syndrome. Immune system health begins with a healthy colon.
The Effects Of Probiotics On Diverticulitis
Diverticular disease is a western world disorder of the colon or large intestines. Diverticula are little ‘bulges’ on the colon lining that protrude through the muscle wall of the colon. This condition is often the result of a diet low in fiber.
As you are probably aware, fiber absorbs water, helping to make our stools larger and softer. Our “western diet”, lacking sufficient fiber, leads to smaller stools. As the colon contracts to release these stools, pressure increases on the wall of the colon. This can lead directly to the development of blowouts or sacs, usually located in the lower portion of the colon.
The problem is common among older people. Studies show that by the age of 70, as many as 60% of the population have diverticula or diverticulosis of the colon. It generally begins after the age of 30 or 40. It is less common among people who eat a diet high in fiber and consisting of lots of fresh fruits and vegetables.
Most people who have diverticulosis have no symptoms and are not aware they have this condition.
Approximately 20% of people with diverticulosis will develop an inflammatory condition called diverticulitis. This is a bacterial infection involving one or more diverticula.
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For many years it was theorized that an infection flared up in a diverticulum when a bit of stool or a food particle lodged in the diverticulum. The result was inflammation of the pocket lining and an infection or an abscess developed, eventually rupturing to create a localized perforation of the colon.
The most recent notion involves the associated inflammation of the lining that surrounds a colonic blowout or diverticulum. Colonoscopys have shown this inflamed lining and biopsies confirm findings of microscopic colitis. It is now believed that the low grade inflammation can develop into the more acute diverticulitis.
Fever and pain in the lower, left abdomen can be symptomatic of acute diverticulitis. Today, a CT scan of the abdomen can usually confirm a diagnosis of diverticulitis.
Treatment of diverticulitis is dependent upon how severe the episode is. Patients typically begin antibiotics and are prescribed a special diet. In severe cases surgery may be performed.
Once the condition subsides, patients are encouraged to increase the fiber in their diets to avoid recurrence. Recent studies have eliminated the theory that seeds can lead to an episode of diverticulitis.
It has been suggested that the microscopic colitis around a diverticulum is caused by a change in the good intestinal bacteria or microflora. The change in the microflora may result in a chronic inflammation that can lead to diverticulitis.
Probiotics May Benefit Chronic Diverticulitis
There have been several studies that have reported the benefits of adding probiotics to individuals who have had diverticulitis. The results have shown that probiotics seem to reduce the number of recurrent episodes.
Other studies are being conducted to evaluate the longer-term benefits of probiotics for people who have recurrent diverticulitis. In the meantime, it seems reasonable to add a good probiotic, to a daily regimen of a high-fiber diet to prevent diverticulitis.
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Best Probiotics Supplements is dedicated to providing quality information on the topic of Probiotics for general health improvement and maintenance.
It is for people who are disenchanted with the food-like substances offered up by the American Food Industry at large, as we are.
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