Probiotics or Not?

By Body

Probiotics or Not?

There is more information being disseminated than ever about the benefits of probiotics. Certain yogurt companies make it a selling point for their yogurt. Hopefully your doctor will advise you to consume them when he or she puts you on antibiotics and many products now advertise that they have added them to sell the product. But what are probiotics and do we have a need for them?

First it’s important to recognize that we already have a substantial amount of probiotics naturally occurring in our intestines. Technically, probiotics are live microbial organisms, which beneficially affect the host whether animal or human by improving the intestinal balance. By now you may have seen one of the many commercials on TV trying to sell probiotic products by reminding us that our gut is our number one defense mechanism against disease. Probiotics are commonly consumed in foods such as yogurt, kefir, buttermilk, soy sauce, sauerkraut and dietary supplements. When you ingest these foods the probiotics in them enhance your intestines ability to produce more beneficial bacterial microorganisms, which in turn help to fight disease and increase your immunity.

Every healthy bowel has an estimated 100 trillion microorganisms in 500 different species. These bacteria keep pathogens, which are the harmful microorganisms in check, which assists in fighting disease. Additionally they aid in digestion, which in turn helps you to absorb more of the nutrients from your food. When you have the unfortunate need for antibiotics it is important to understand that they kill the good bacteria along with the bad. Taking probiotics during this time will facilitate the regrowth of beneficial bacteria. Clinical trials have shown that it also will shorten the course of infectious diarrhea in infants and children. Scientists are continuing to research probiotics and are learning more each day about the role of these microbes in keeping people healthy. This is especially true when the right type and levels of the probiotic microbes are consumed.

So far research has shown that probiotic bacteria can:

  • Help with the side effects of antibiotic therapy
  • Improve digestive function
  • Improve tolerance to lactose
  • Enhance immune function
  • Help reduce the risk of certain acute common infectious diseases
  • Assist in maintaining urogenital health

Additional there are current studies being done to evaluate whether certain probiotics can play a role in reducing the development of allergies in children. There are many individuals suffering from food related allergies, which cause their bowels to stay in an inflamed state. Taking probiotics can enhance the body’s ability to fight invading pathogens in this inflamed tissue and increase the immune response.

As beneficial as probiotics can be it is also important to mention that in certain individuals with immunosuppression large doses of probiotics or the wrong type of probiotic may pose a theoretical risk. Knowing the source of the probiotics you are taking is also important. If you are going to take supplements as one of those sources make sure you are taking a reputable product.

So, do you need probiotics? If you have a healthy bowel, good digestive function and no food intolerance then maybe not. However, for the rest of us it is definitely worth considering adding some yogurt, kefir or a supplement to our diets.

Best Birthday Ever

By Spirit

Best Birthday EverGrowing up I had a cousin Larry who always bought presents for everybody else when it was his birthday. It wasn’t until much later in life that I fully understood what at the time seemed like really odd behavior. There is nothing quite like doing something for someone else for no reason. It always leaves people surprised and grateful and always shifts energy in a positive direction.

As I was driving to work one morning about a month ago I was thinking about my upcoming birthday, letting my mind wander with what I wanted to do. I like most of us really don’t need or want anything but I always try to do something a little special on the landmark birthdays. While I was thinking of different options my thoughts drifted to Larry and his unusual custom of giving to others when it is was his birthday. Then the thought occurred to me that it would be great if I could do 55 random acts of kindness for my birthday. It seemed totally doable and I had almost three weeks to get it done. As I started to thinking about all the fun things I could do the thought occurred to me that it would be really great if I could get 55 other people to do one act of random kindness. I thought it would be an incredible gift to all the recipients, act givers and me. So I started asking my friends, the kids, neighbors and any patient that I thought would be willing and in a day and a half had reached my goal of 55 people. Everyone was incredibly gracious and so willing that I figured why not go big. So I set my sights on getting 155 people. The requirements were simple enough. You could do your act before during or after my birthday. You could tell me or not tell me what you had done and the only requirement was that if you had agreed to do an act of kindness that you did it. Simple enough, right? Gratefully, the number ended up much larger than 155.

This was without question the best thing that I ever did. The response was incredible and the things that people did were amazing! The acts of kindness included all kinds of big and little things. Some of them were such things as:

  • A meter maid who let 55 people go who’s time had run out on the meter
  • Paying someone’s gas bill anonymously so their gas wouldn’t be turned off
  • Picking up an elderly woman’s newspaper during a downpour and putting it at her front door so it wouldn’t get wet
  • Carrying groceries into the house and putting them away for the next door neighbor on crutches
  • Giving a homeless woman 20 dollars without her asking
  • Taking baked goods anonymously to the teachers at her school with a note that read “For all the hard work you do that is never acknowledged”
  • Paying for 55 people behind him at the 400 toll booth (the toll booth attendant said she loves when that happens because it is so fun for her to deliver the news and watch the peoples faces)
  • Multiple driving kindnesses by many people
  • Paying off a ridiculously high vet bill for a pet rescue foundation
  • Giving someone a 20 dollar tip for a five dollar meal and walking out before they could thank them
  • Helping a neighbor get their sick great Dane in the car and then going with them to the vets
  • Paying for an ill friends house to be cleaned
  • So many, many, many, more to numerous to mention.

People would come and tell me that when they had done one act of kindness it felt so good that they intentionally did several more. I smile ever time I think about all of the goodness and positive shift in energy that had to occur. Some people already do regular acts of kindness but commented that the intentionality seemed to make a difference and that somehow doing this act for me for someone else made it more special for them. People called and wrote me to say that they heard what I was doing and even though I hadn’t ask them they just wanted me to know that they had participated and would then go on to tell me the things that they had done. It was magical and more than once brought me to tears. It has truly been a gift that continues to give. One person expressed that they had been so moved by the experience that they had decided to take a one hundred dollar bill out of the bank each month and give it to someone when they most needed and least expected it. I never anticipated this kind of response. It was an idea that just took off and I am so, so, grateful. This magical experience was simply without question the best birthday ever. Even though it was really all about doing kindness for others it was the best kindness I had ever done for myself. I invite you to consider doing a day or a birthday or any day of intentional acts of kindness. I believe it may shift you in ways that you haven’t yet imagined.

Metabolic Syndrome / Syndrome X

By Body

Metabolic SyndromeFor the past two newsletters, I have focused on the effects that sugar has on our bodies. In the first newsletter, I discussed the immediate effects of sugar in blood sugar levels. In the second one, I focused on insulin resistance, which occurs with long-term sugar abuse. This month I would like to focus on metabolic syndrome.

Metabolic syndrome is on the rise in the United States and generally follows insulin resistance. In essence, metabolic syndrome refers to a group of risk factors that occur together and increase the risk for stroke, coronary heart disease and type two diabetes. Researchers have not been able to identify whether the syndrome is due to a single cause but one thing that’s certain is ALL of the risks for the syndrome are related to obesity.

The two most important risk factors for developing metabolic syndrome are:

  • Extra weight around the middle and upper parts of the body. This is often described as “apple-shaped.”
  • Insulin resistance-which as you learned in the last newsletter is when the body uses insulin less effectively leading to a rise in blood sugar and fat levels accompanied by significant difficulty losing weight.

Additional risk factors that lead to metabolic syndrome include aging, genetic predisposition, hormonal changes and LACK OF EXERCISE. People who have metabolic syndrome often have two other problems that can either cause the condition or make it worse and that is excessive blood clotting and increased markers for signs of inflammation throughout the body. Inflammation in general is highly linked to disease.

So how do you know if you are headed towards or have metabolic syndrome?
Metabolic syndrome is present when you have three of more of the following signs:

  • Blood Pressure equal to or higher than 130/85mmHg
  • Fasting blood sugar equal to or higher than 100 mg/dL
  • Large waist circumference:
  • » Men-40 inches or more
  • » Women- 35 inches or more
  • Low HDL cholesterol:
  • » Men-under 40 mg/dL
  • » Women- under 50 mg/dL
  • Triglycerides equal to or higher than 150 mg/dL

Whether we are discussing sugar handling issues, insulin resistance or metabolic syndrome, all three are aided by exercise or promoted by lack of exercise. What you eat also plays a critical role; however, we have got to get moving as a nation if we are to reduce the obesity in ourselves and in our children. Obesity in children is at an all time high. Our children come to understand their relationship to food and their bodies by the example we set and what we teach them. We are failing and we are getting sicker by the day as a nation.

If you are new to exercise start simple. You are much more likely to have success if you begin slowly. Honor where you are and find something that you like to do. Recently I had a conversation with a woman who expressed how much she detested exercise but in prodding further, I found she loves to ride bikes. She is now riding her new bike all over town, losing weight and loving it. Do whatever makes you feel good, don’t fight yourself. You may be surprised to find you actually like exercise and in addition, you’ll feel and look better.

If you are new to our newsletter and wish to review the past articles on sugar and its effects on the body, please visit our website at www.gibsonchiropracticclinic.com and search under articles by Dr. Pat for these and other articles that may be of interest to you.