Do we need Probiotics?

Mega SporeBiotic – Spore biotic's - The best probiotic I have found to reseed and reset the microbes in the digestive system – for both humans and our lovely horses. (These are a practitioner only product, available from Sharon at The Healthy Nest).

Probiotics are bacterial or yeast microbes, found in many fermented foods, or as a supplement that we can ingest to reseed/increase the healthy organisms in our bodies, keeping a happy, healthy environment for digestion and good nutrition to occur. They help to regulate our digestive systems, our immune function and are the first line of defense against pathogens. The different microbes in our systems differ in physiological structure, some are antibiotic–resistant but many are not.

There is an estimate of between 10 trillion to 37.2 trillion cells in our human bodies, with our own eco system being estimated to have over 100 trillion microbes. As we break this down we start to see our bodies in a very different light – there is more to us then we first thought- are we more human or more microbe??

Thanks to projects like the Human Microbiome Project and the Human Food Project it has been revealed that the number of microbes in our systems being in the trillions, consist of some good and some bad. Even the so called "bad" have a place in the system, but it is about having the right balance. And we have come to understand the good are our greatest allies when it comes to good healthy, well functioning bodies, as an unhealthy digestive system opens us up to over-growth of bad yeasts and bacteria. Under-functioning digestion means lack of essential nutrients, compromised immune function, higher risks of infection, allergies, inflammation, leading to a whole break down of the eco system and a myriad of health problems.

It has been shown Americans actually have the LEAST diversity of species, due to the Western diet, lifestyle, medicine and stress. Australians are fast catching up.

So how do these microbes affect out bodies and how does taking a GOOD probiotic help?

Remember the probiotics are but a few of the good species of the microbes working in our systems for the betterment of our body.

So lets look as just a few of the things they are doing –

· Helping to digest food, including taking genes from the food to help this process take place.

· Digesting protein, taking it apart and freeing the amino acids for the bodies use.

· Helping to balance how your body determines weight loss or gain.

· Increase the absorption of minerals and nutrients, and making a full spectrum of B vitamins and Vitamin K and in some animals vitamin C.

· Helping to make some of the essential and short chain fatty acids.

· Break down bile acids.

· Reduce intestinal inflammation, balancing the intestinal pH protecting the intestinal wall and lowering the colon pH.

· Protect against eczema, allergies, asthma, respiratory problems.

· Helping our livers to determine toxins.

· Helping to keep pathogenic bacteria and yeasts in balance.

· They will even influence our behavior.

This is all only the tip of the ice berg, we could be here for ever trying to make this list and never cover it all, as the research and discoveries continue – there is so much we don’t know and still to be discovered.

A truly reliable probiotic, is one which is designed by nature and found in our environment, as well as our digestive system. To arrive in the intestines alive and perform its function fully, it must survive the harsh environment of the stomach (this is a highly acid environment, as it should be). Many of the probiotics in the market place don’t survive, if they need refrigeration how will they survive the harsh digestive system without the right support?

MegaSporeBioticTM contains strains that have been proven to

impede the growth of unwanted bacteria and yeast, while strengthening the immune response and producing essential nutrients at the site of absorption. MegaSporeBioticTM is the first probiotic and antioxidant combination.

How will this probiotic work?

· Aids in digestion

· Improves regularity

· Helps control bacterial overgrowth

· Detoxifies the intestinal tract

· Reduces inflammation & pain

· Assists in the reduction of cholesterol

· Produces key nutrients - antioxidants (via HU36TM), B-vitamins, Vitamin K2, Nattokinase, and CoQ10

· Provides immune modulation for the prevention and treatment of infections, allergies and asthma

What are the strains used and what are their benefits?

Bacillus Licheniformis–

· Produces antibiotic bacitracin

· Produces protease and improves protein digestion

· Produces whole spectrum of B vitamins and Folic acid

Bacillus Indicus HU36™ -

· Potent immune stimulation

· Produces high levels of carotenoids – lycopene, axtaxanthin, beta-carotene and lutein

· Produces quinols and vitamins

· The most effective antioxidant probiotic on the market

Bacillus Subtilis HU58™

· Produces over 12 affective antibiotics

· Widely used, safe and highly effective

· Produces nattokinase and vitamin K2

· Highly important for immune development - GALT

Bacillus Clausii

· Most widely used probiotic drug in the world

· Potent immune stimulator

· Antibiotic resistant for use during antibiotic treatment

Bacillus Coagulans

· Strongly studied with long history of use –

· In IBS, Crohn’s ulcerative colitis

· Produces L+ optical form of lactic acid

· Potent immune stimulation

So is a probiotic all I have to do?

Remember we mentioned in the beginning, some of the reasons we were having problems with our microbes – DIET being a major component. If we don’t make changes to our diets and just think taking a probiotic – even a good one – is going to fix things then think again. If you continue to have a highly processed diet, high sugar intake, anti–nutrient foods, low fibre intake, you could create bigger problems. You could be encouraging the proliferation of the bad yeasts and bacteria and not helping your body to be able to eliminate the toxins. This spells disaster. And just because a food is “natural” does not make it safe. If it is high in “natural” sugars and anti-nutrients, it is going to cause damage to the digestive tract, and feed up the bad yeasts and bacteria. This is going into a whole other discussion we will save for later.

Good probiotics need support to

So now remember the probiotics are a live organism which needs food to survive –a Prebiotic. This is actually the food for these little guys. Lovely insoluble fibre, non-digestible food ingredients that selectively stimulate the growth and activity of bacteria in the colon. But be aware, there are some highly processed products on the market, pushed as healthy, which may nourish the good guys, but may also encourage the pathogens - commercial FOS/inulin can encourage the growth of Klebsiella, a pathogenic bacterium, and pathogenic yeasts can also use FOS/inulin for food. A healthy, well balanced, well supported ecosystem will cope with small quantities naturally occurring in some of our foods. But you want to encourage the growth and betterment of the microbial ecosystem and suppress the pathogens.

I am available to do tele consultations, specially in this time of the Covid virus concerns.

Email for an appointment - shop@thehealthynest.com.au or Ph:07 4598 2055

– see Mycoglannan for animal treatments.