The Power of Probiotics - Keys to Optimal Health

by Christine Rosche, MPH, CBT
The Light Living Program to Optimal Nutrition and Weight

Balancing Your Intestinal Flora

Your intestinal tract contains more than 500 species of bacteria. The right ratio of good bacteria to bad bacteria (80% -20) needs to be maintained in the intestinal tract for optimal immunity and health.

If the bad bacteria outnumber the good guys and yeast is prevalent, a condition called Dysbiosis can occur. Dr. Eli Metchnikoff, early in the 20th century stated that: "disease begins in the intestinal tract because of an imbalance of intestinal bacteria. A major part of the immune system is in the intestinal tract."

Dysbiosis weakens your ability to protect yourself from disease-causing microbes, which are composed of low-virulence organisms. Unlike salmonella, which causes immediate food-poisoning reactions, low-virulence microbes are insidious. Published research in functional medicine and functional nutrition lists Dysbosis as the underlying cause of constipation, arthritis, auto-immune diseases, B12 deficiency, chronic fatigue, skin disorders and early stages of breast and colon cancers.

What causes Dysbiosis or imbalanced bacteria in your intestinal tract? Antibiotics, medically necessary at times, simultaneously kill both harmful and beneficial bacteria throughout your digestive system, mouth, vagina and skin. This leaves you more vulnerable to bacteria, parasites, yeast, fungus that are resistant to the antibiotic that was used.

Pro-Biotics (Meaning Pro Life, Supportive Bacteria in your Intestines)

Research by leading functional medicine doctors recommend taking a good quality ProBiotic product twice daily for 3-6 months after a 10 day course of antibiotics. This helps you replenish the "good bacteria" in your intestines that were killed off by the antibiotic.

Other factors that cause dysbiosis, or imbalanced bacteria in your gut, is constant high levels of stress, exposure to manufacture chemicals, envronmental pollution, poor food choices, oral contraceptives, surgery, and the use of certain drugs, including pain killers.

Some microbes produced by dysbiosis may hurt the intestinal lining directly by damaging the brush borders. They can then become absorbed into the blood stream, causing system-wide effects.

How to Chose the Right Probiotic for You

In my clinical nutrition practice, I do a Comprehensive Digestive Stool Analysis (CDSA) or a Probiotic Evaluation Test. Its a simple stool test that tells you the specific levels you have of the beneficial flora, the imbalanced flora in your intestines, levels of any pathogenic bacteria or yeast. In addition, it screens for malabsorption and how well you digest your food (presence of the proper digestive enzymes). We can also see if there is any intestinal permeability in the walls, or damage to the villi and brush borders of your intestines.

Once the evaluation is complete, we then chose the right Probiotic for your particular body chemistry.

It is important to distinguish which probiotic strains are the right ones for you. How much should you take of each kind and at what time of day? How long should you take each kind? At your test result appointment, the probiotic will be customized for you.

"One size fits all" does not always provide your unique daily requirement. All brands are not alike and consistently viable.

For health maintenance you need 2 to 4 billion cultures daily. For health issues, you may need 10-15 billion cultures once or twice daily.

Periodic Re-testing to see how well Probiotics working in your body is essential.

The names of the cultures that you may need are Lactobacillus Acidophilus, Bifidobacterium bifidum, lactobacillus salivarkus, Bifidobacterium Longum. We want to make sure that the cultures you take are viable, effective and produce results. Follow up testing, 6 months later, ensures that you now have the proper balance in your gut and eliminated the "bad guys" such as yeast and fungus.

Your digestive evaluation also includes an introduction on how to make cultured vegetables and kefir, another good source of friendly bacteria.

For further information on the type of Probiotic Product that is best for you or to inquire about the Evaluation of your Beneficial Gut Bacteria, please contact the office of Christine Rosche, MPH, CBT at 650-856-3151 and go to www.lightlivingprogram.com