The dealio on Probiotics

We’ve been reading about them, seeing commercials about them and being told that we need them.

But what are they, what do they do, and how do we get them?

 

SO what are Probiotics?

Welp, great question. Probiotics are the BENEFICIAL bacteria that line the inside of our gut. We have around 10^14 which means there are more of THEM then there is of US, and as a result they really should be considered an organ.

If you think about it, we are born into the world sterile. We’ve been swimming around in our mothers womb for a number of months and then WHAM we are exposed to the world.

So then we spend the next few years not only building our language and motor skills, but POPULATING our gut with bacteria. That’s why you see kids with their mouth on EVERYTHING (let them and let them eat dirt).

They are building their gut microbiome.

So, why do we need the little buggers?

I feel like studies are coming out daily about why we need them and what they do for us. It’s really super awesome.

So to give you a few:

• They regulate weight gain and loss
• They regulate cholesterol levels
• They influence metabolism
• They help us metabolize toxins
• They are a KEY in the development in the immune system (hello allergy epidemic)
• They contribute to the bodies production of the B vitamins and vitamin K
• They help stimulate colonic motility (ie: help us poop daily)
• They help us breakdown and absorb nutrients
• And these are just a few…

How do you know if you and your GUT are really outta whack?

Well, you usually have signs and symptoms and this can range from acne, eczema, psoriasis, IBS, IBD, Chrons, to depression, anxiety, ADD, ADHD, autism and allergies.

Where do you GET them?

Ah, my favorite question.

Ready?

FOOD.

Fermented food.

Like:

• Sauerkraut
• Kimchi
• Miso
• Kombucha (my fav)
• Tempe
• Kifir

And the game is you make it yourself (or have a neighbor do it) to guarantee you’re getting the bacteria, as I am assuming most of you don’t pasteurize (blow incredibly high heat to kill everything-bacteria AND nutrients) through your food. Oh, and then consume them on a daily basis.

Need help?

Go here

http://www.wildfermentation.com/wild-fermentation/

That book, Wild Fermentation, is super awesome.

Ok, ok, now I know I’ve lost some of you, or many of you are rolling your eyes going “really Tanda? I don’t have time for that.”

Soooooo, the good news is health food stores have supplements you can buy (Activia doesn’t count, that stuff is crap).

So go get them. And just as a MAINTAINCE dose you can have 3-4 billion strains of bacteria a day. Please.

EVERY day.

Why?

Think about this. Something like 60-70% of our poop is sloughed off bacteria (I know great image right?). And ideally we are pooping 1-3 times a day. So you’re loosing all that beneficial-ness (remember all the things that those bugs do for you as I listed above?)

So if you’re pooping them, you need to REPLACE them.

And if you’re NOT pooping daily…well, um, you need them even more. Just sayin’.

So pass the bugs, errr, the kombucha, please.