Photo credit:Nature.com
'Obese and lean individuals have different gut flora composition. The gut microbiota of mice and humans are similar, with Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes dominating. At this point it's not clear exactly which species are important in weight management. Some studies show reduced numbers of Bacteroidetes in obese subjects, while others point to lower levels of beneficial bacteria like Lactobacillus.'
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The Ideal Way to Optimize Your Gut Healthby Dr. Mercola
'You can ferment virtually any food, and every traditional culture has traditionally fermented their foods to prevent spoilage. There are also many fermented beverages and yoghurts. Quite a large percent of all the foods that people consumed on a daily basis were fermented, and each mouthful provides trillions of beneficial bacteria—far more than you can get from a probiotics supplement.
Here's a case in point: It's unusual to find a probiotic supplement containing more than 10 billion colony-forming units. But when my team actually tested fermented vegetables produced by probiotic starter cultures, they had 10 trillion colony-forming units of bacteria. Literally, one serving of vegetables was equal to an entire bottle of a high potency probiotic! Fermented foods also give you a wider variety of beneficial bacteria, so all in all, it's your most cost effective alternative.'
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'Over many, many years, bacteria has been scrutinized and persecuted for causing the development of thousands of diseases and ailments in people, but what do we actually know about these microbes that seem to cover everything at all times?
Recent research shows that we actually don’t know a whole lot about when we look at the leaps and bounds we took to disinfect and cleanse nearly everything we own. In a research project entitled the Human Microbiome Project (much akin to the Human Genome Project of great relevance), researchers show that bacteria and microbial bodies are actually much more beneficial than they will ever be detrimental. '
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'It is an awesome fact of nature that we have trillions of organisms within our body – containing completely foreign DNA – some of which break down toxic chemicals that we humans have created to kill other things, but are now killing us, e.g. pesticides. Who are these strange helpers?
Bacteria!
Wait. Aren’t bacteria supposed to harm us? Aren’t they the enemy in the endless war against infection?' Read more...
'Stomach aches, pain, gas, bloating, discomfort, or worse? Is there a way to settle things down and avoid the problems associated with the digestive system?With more than 25 years’ experience as a Board Certified Gastroenterologist, Dr. Shekhar Challa has written a new book, Probiotics for Dummies, which takes the mystery out of the way bacteria behaves in the body and describes exactly what you need to do to exert a positive control over your digestive system and everything else that depends on it.Probiotics are beneficial, live microorganisms (in most cases, bacteria) that are similar to those found naturally in the human intestine. Also known as “friendly” or “good” bacteria, probiotics are the cornerstone of any successful health program because they restore a healthy balance between friendly and bad bacteria in the intestinal tract, a balance that is critical for the health of the entire body. Probiotics are associated with treating everything from IBS to certain forms of cancer, allergies, eczema, and even the effects of aging.Here are some of the recipes he recommends for people who want to restore the levels of probiotic bacteria in their systems naturally.'Read more...
'How to Make Homemade Fermented Sauerkraut (Pink Ginger Sauerkraut)1 Head Green Cabbage
1 Head Purple Cabbage
2-3 tbsp Sea Salt
2-4 tbsp Fresh Ginger
1 Lemon Squeezed
1-2 cups Water1) Gather the ingredients needed for the sauerkraut recipe you are planning make…2) Chop off the base of the cabbage and put aside for later…3) Shred the heads of cabbage (using a hand-shredder or food processor)…4) Combine shredded cabbage and all other ingredients in a large bowl…'Read more...
'The Gut-Brain Connection From a proactive perspective, it's important to realize that you have the potential to take control over your health, including your mental or psychiatric health. Psychiatric conditions such as OCD are primarily believed to be the result of chemical dysfunction in your brain, or in some cases hereditary and therefore out of your control. Many fail to realize that a) your lifestyle can override genetic predispositions, and b) your lifestyle can be a major underlying cause of that chemical imbalance or dysfunction. So, there's plenty of reason to take a closer look at lifestyle factors such as diet and toxic exposures—whether you want to prevent a health condition, or treat it. Some may object and say that a child hasn't had enough time to develop bad lifestyle habits, but when it comes to health problems related to the brain, the GUT is typically involved, and children are now increasingly BORN with damaged gut flora—courtesy of less than ideal lifestyle choices by the child's mother... In a very real sense, you have two brains: one inside your skull and one in your gut.' Read more...
