Take Care of Your Intestinal Tract to Take Care of Your Health
Do you or someone you know suffer from heartburn, bloating, diarrhea or conversely constipation? You’re not alone. As nutritionists we see clients everyday with these symptoms. Many have endured them for years and even decades. When we work with these clients we are happy to finally help them find relief from their suffering with the help of proper food and supplementation to right their digestive systems.
What do we mean by digestive system? We’re talking about our intestinal tract which has a shocking amount of bacteria living in it – 75 to 100 TRILLION. Yes, trillion. Some are good bacteria (probiotics) and some are bad bacteria and when the scales are tipped in favor of good bacteria this equals better overall health in your body. When the right balance of probiotics is achieved our intestinal tract is able to efficiently aid in digestion and absorption of nutrients, support the immune system, brain function, and much more. Beyond that there is also a powerful connection between your mood and your intestinal health since most of your feel good brain chemicals are made in your digestive system. Wow! It goes without saying that those are all great benefits.
On the other hand, when the intestinal tract is out of balance, the intestinal wall can be damaged which then creates a “leaky gut” which is when you have cracks in the lining of your intestinal tract which allow food, bacteria and other things from your intestines to escape into your blood stream – creating their own set of health issues. Beyond that less than desirable issue, an unbalanced intestinal tract results in many more unwelcome symptoms such as:
- Heartburn
- Bloating/cramping/pain
- Sugar cravings
- Indigestion or gas
- Constipation or diarrhea
- IBS
- Crohn’s or colitis
- Colon cancer
- Brain fog or memory loss
- Anxiety and depression
- Joint or muscle pain
- Autoimmune diseases like Hashimoto’s (low thyroid function), rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, etc.
- Obesity
- Frequent illnesses and infections
- Asthma
So how does our intestinal tract get out of balance? Well, have you ever taken antibiotics? Or maybe you drink tap water, were born by C-section, wasn’t breastfed or have stress in your life (who doesn’t?)? Even the pesticide residue from non-organic foods affects the balance of the intestinal tract. All of these scenarios wreak havoc on your digestive system, creating a compromised intestinal tract for years to come.
So you determined you could be out of balance … now what? Take a probiotic! Daily! They are that important.
Here’s a quick rundown on our many offerings and how they’re unique.
Bifido Balance (Capsules or Powder)
- What it is: A blend of bifidobacteria, the most prevalent good bacteria in your intestinal tract, making up (ideally) about 70% of your gut bacteria. That’s why we tend to start people here.
- Who should use it: Bifido Balance as a great place to start if you’re new to probiotics or have a very sensitive system. Also, anyone struggling with sugar or carb cravings, Bifido Balance works amazingly well for eliminating those cravings, especially when paired with L-Glutamine.
- Dosage recommendations: One to two capsules (or 1/4 tsp of the powder variety) ten to fifteen minutes before each meal.
- What it is: Six different strains of bacteria and a non-pathogenic yeast that cleans out other pathogens (bad microbes) in the gut so good strains of bacteria can colonize the intestinal tract instead.
- Who should use it: Those struggling with yeast overgrowths like candida (some signs of this could be: sinus issues, skin conditions, toenail fungus, athletes foot, yeast infections, a white coating on the tongue, itchy ears and more) can benefit, because the non-pathogenic yeast listed above helps kill off the yeast overgrowth.
- Dosage recommendations: One capsule per day taken before bed (but really anytime is better than none).
Acidophilus (Capsule Form) or Dophilus Powder (Powder Form)
- What it is: This pure strain of Lactobacillus acidophilus works in targeted areas, specifically to line the stomach, bladder and vaginal tract.
- Who should use it: Anyone who struggles with acid reflux, urinary tract infections, vaginal yeast infections. Frequent colds and flu, bloating, diarrhea or constipation.
- Dosage recommendations: One to two capsules at night. For extreme symptoms take one to two capsules before meals. If using powder form, dosage is ½ tsp and if you’re really struggling with any of these symptoms we recommend the powder over the capsules.
- What it is: A 50:50 blend of patented acidophilus and bifido bacteria, two of the most thoroughly studied probiotic strains.
- Who should use it: Most anyone who has experience taking probiotics and is looking to diversify their intestinal tract bacteria.
- Dosage recommendations: One to two capsules ten to fifteen minutes before a meal.
For more insight about which probiotic is best for you feel free to contact our front desk staff at 651-699-3438 as they are full of information and happy to help! For even more information on intestinal health check out the blog post, What is the Microbiome? What Does it Do and How to Keep It Healthy.
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