Antibiotics are designed to kill bacteria. Probiotics are beneficial bacteria. Doctors, concerned that probiotics can weaken the effectiveness of antibiotics, have sometimes warned patients not to take probiotics while on an antibiotic regimen or while on chemotherapy.

But now the mainstream medical opinion has shifted. With conventional researchers and doctors developing a deeper understanding of the importance of gut bacteria and the role it plays in our immune system, many doctors now recommend taking probiotics during antibiotic and chemo regimens. Apparently, the probiotics do not significantly affect the drugs if taken two or three hours after the drugs are administered (some say to wait two hours, some say three). In fact, studies have shown that probiotics can even increase the success rate of these treatments while potentially alleviating diarrhea and other side effects.

Probiotics are typically transient. Most do not colonize well, if at all, and the ones that are more likely to won’t colonize at all under antibiotic use or chemotherapy. But even if a probiotic can’t colonize effectively, with continued administration, it’s presence can keep pathogenic organisms from proliferating without disrupting existing beneficial gut bacteria.

So how do we protect or rebuild a healthy gut microbiome? The best way to get a healthy bacterial ecosystem to develop in the gut is to eat large salads like this one every day. Antifungal supplements (like SF722) and beneficial mushrooms can also help keep the gut flora healthy and ward off infections. But no supplement compares to eating right. Doing the right supplement with a healthy diet is great, but if money is too tight to do both, put that money towards the right diet.

For more information, be sure to check out the following:

• Chemotherapy Detox
• How To Heal Your Gut
• Best Supplements To Kill Candida and Everything Else You Ever Wanted To Know About Fungal Infections
• Detox Cheap and Easy Without Fasting – Recipes Included

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has released a new study that confirms the awesome powers of a bacteria commonly found in probiotic supplements: Bacillus. Testing a variety of Bacillus microbes against Staphylococcus aureus, a common cause of antibiotic-resistant infections, scientists found that the beneficial bacteria stopped the S. aureus bacteria from colonizing the gut. Dr. Anthony S. Fauci, M.D. leads the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), the NIH division responsible for the study.

Probiotics frequently are recommended as dietary supplements to improve digestive health…This is one of the first studies to describe precisely how they may work to provide health benefits. The possibility that oral Bacillus might be an effective alternative to antibiotic treatment for some conditions is scientifically intriguing and definitely worthy of further exploration.”

Related: How To Heal Your Gut

Drawing Conclusions

This study came in two parts. The first part examined the behavior of S. aureus in healthy subjects and the second used a mouse model to explain bacillus’ influence on the harmful bacteria. In both cases, researchers found that more bacillus equals less S. aureus. In the initial section of the study, scientists found 200 volunteers in rural Thailand. They first tested them for Bacillus, and then tested for S. aureus. Of the 101 subjects who tested positive for Bacillus, none of them tested positive for S. aureus.

The second portion of the experiment was a mouse study, based on the volunteer findings. The guts of the mice were deliberately colonized with S. aureus. These mice were then fed probiotics every two days, which eliminated the S. aureus colonization. Researchers identified fengycins, a lipopeptide (a molecule that’s part peptide and part lipid), as the reason S. aureus was no longer able to colonize. The lipopeptide shuts down the sensing system the potentially harmful bacteria need to proliferate.

How to Use This News

This information makes a fantastic case for probiotics and more specifically bacillus. Even potentially dangerous bacteria like Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) are susceptible to those supplements. Bacillus is a widespread bacteria, with more than 200 species found in the air and water. More than half of the rural Thai volunteers from the first portion of the study had bacillus in their guts, and the likelihood that they have an every other day probiotic regimen is very low. People can get bacillus from eating raw, vegetable foods.

Related: Holistic Guide to Healing the Endocrine System and Balancing Our Hormones

If you want a probiotic though, there are a few things to look for. First, the probiotic does you no good if it doesn’t make it past the stomach acid and bile to make it to the intestinal tract. There are a couple of ways around that. The American Nutrition Association found that Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium, and Streptococcus are the bacteria most likely to make it past the stomach acid. Another strategy is to find a probiotic with an acid resistant-capsule. That can increase the chances the probiotic will be able to balance the gut and do some good.

Beneath the Surface

We often talk about bacteria in terms of “good” and “bad.” Bacillus, found in most probiotics, is considered a good bacteria. E. coli and S. aureus are considered bad bacteria. Yet E. coli produce vitamin K2 and is a crucial part of a healthy digestive system. Meanwhile, two strains of Bacillus (B. anthracis and B. cereus) cause anthrax and food poisoning, respectively. Scientists have barely discovered what bacteria are capable individually, much less how they work holistically. This study suggests that thinking about how our microbes work together could be a positive, necessary shift…especially with the threat antibiotic-resistant bacteria pose. Antibiotics have been easy and lucrative. But those drugs might not be viable much longer. Are probiotics the best solution?

Sources:

• NIH Study Finds Probiotic Bacillus Eliminates Staphylococcus Bacteria – National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
• Pathogen elimination by probiotic Bacillus via signalling interference – Nature.com
• Bacillus – Encyclopedia Britannica
• Probiotics, Bacteria, and Our Health – Organic Lifestyle Magazine

A new study presented in San Diego of 140 premenopausal women in Bulgaria who found that urinary tract infections (UTIs) were reduced by half with when their water consumption increased by 1 and a half liters. The women included in the study previously had experienced UTIs more than three times a year. After dividing the test subjects in half, researchers found that the group who increased their water intake by 1 and a half liters (6 cups) averaged 1.6 infections a year and the group who did not drink more water reported an average of 3.1 infections.

Drink more water. Experience fewer UTIs. Is it really that simple? The answer is yes and no. UTIs don’t magically develop because you’re not drinking enough water, though a dehydrated body is more susceptible to infection and any number of ailments from headaches to constipation to depression to acid reflux. Consider these health issues. Consider the time, money, and effort that goes into treating these ailments. Why aren’t we putting as much effort into preventing the UTI as we are into treating it?

The Very Beginning

Conventional medicine says that a urinary tract infection occurs when bacteria enter the urinary tract through the urethra. The belief is that the bacteria comes from the rectum, and studies show that 80 to 90 percent of bladder infections are caused by E. coli, an intestinal bacteria. Many holistic health practitioners suspect that leaky gut may also be a common cause of UTIs. The E. coli bacteria has a long, hair-like appendage with the protein FimH at the end of it. That protein forms a tiny hook. The hook helps the E.coli hang on and gives it a chance to grow and irritate the urinary tract. The urinary and intestinal tracts are composed of the same mucosal tissue and much like the gut, the E. coli that end up in the urethra can be balanced by beneficial bacteria, particularly lactobacillus. If there isn’t enough lactobacillus to balance the E. Coli, the risk of UTIs increases. Other common UTI risk factors include:

• Sex
• Holding in urine for too long
• Feminine products
• Hormone shifts
• Dehydration
• High blood sugar or uncontrolled diabetes
• Kidney stones

Recommended Reading: Gluten, Candida, Leaky Gut Syndrome, and Autoimmune Diseases

While physiology makes UTIs are more easily noticed in women and much of the literature on them is geared towards women, they do affect men as well. In fact, older men are most likely to be hospitalized for serious kidney and bladder infections, usually the next phase of an untreated urinary tract infection. Rates of emergency visits for people with UTIs remain highest among the elderly, although there is a bump among women 15-25 years old. Fifty to sixty percent of adult women have experienced a UTI in their life, and that familiarity could explain why women are less likely to be hospitalized than men. Being able to recognize UTI symptoms quickly and deal with them effectively can be the difference between a mild inconvenience and a serious bladder or kidney infection. Some of the ways to spot a UTI are obvious (it burns when you pee), but other signs of a distressed urinary tract are equally important. These include, but are not limited to:

• A constant need to urinate
• A burning sensation when you urinate
• Cloudy, foul-smelling urine
• Pain or pressure in the lower abdomen
• Feeling tired
• Fever and chills
• Back or side pain

Regular lower back pain is a sign of a sluggish renal system. A sluggish renal system allows pathogens to colonize. Fluid gets stale, it doesn’t move as it should, and pathogenic activity increases. The organs become swollen and put pressure on the hip and lower back joints. This can make it difficult to stand up straight and elongate the back. If the pain decreases after urination, this is the sign that none needs to detox the urinary tract and the liver and gut.” – Michael Edwards

If you’re experiencing any of these symptoms, how can you stop a UTI from going any further?

Treatment Options

Once you realize that you have or could soon have a UTI, time is of the essence. If you decide to go the conventional medicine route, you’ll be given antibiotics. UTIs are the second most common reason to prescribe antibiotics, but this method harms more than it helps. Yes, harmful bacteria like E. coli are eliminated, but the slow-moving lactobacillus necessary to keep the harmful bacteria in check are also destroyed. Without those beneficial bacteria to balance the vaginal ecosystem, antibiotics have turned a simple UTI that research now tells us could have been resolved with drinking more water into a breeding ground for a potentially recurring infection.

Recommended Reading: How to Cure Lyme Disease, and Virtually Any Other Bacterial Infection, Naturally

It is naive to think that a bladder or urinary tract infection should attempt to be cured just by simply drinking more water. But this study also proves that there are other potential treatment methods out there that haven’t been properly explored due to how easy it is to prescribe antibiotics. Many of these methods also have the benefit of strengthening your overall body ecosystem and preventing future infections. In addition to drinking lots of water, other common holistic treatment options include:

• Cranberry – According to Web MD, cranberry juice, extract, or supplements help about as much as taking antibiotics to prevent another UTI. It is most effective when paired with higher PH urine or a balanced microbiome. The tannins in cranberry make it effective against E. coli and prevent it from colonizing the urinary tract. Cranberry also supports the kidneys, making waste elimination more efficient. All cranberry is not created equal, though so make sure you use unsweetened cranberry juice, not from concentrate. The taste can be gnarly, so do yourself a favor and check out this lemonade recipe. The recipe makes it easy to add cranberry to your everyday routine.
• Probiotics – Good bacteria are needed to manage harmful bacteria overgrowth. Without them, E. coli and other disruptors are able to flourish. For a UTI (or anything really), it’s important to pick a probiotic that makes it to the problem area. Lacto-fermented foods like sauerkraut, kefir, or kim chi are great sources of beneficial lactobacillus, but it remains to be seen if they make past the stomach acid. Your best bet is looking for a probiotic with an acid-resistant capsule.
• Garlic – Garlic has some fantastic antimicrobial properties and is effective in eliminating a range of bacteria and fungus, including candida. The properties are a result of the compound allicin which occurs when a sulfur-based compound called alliin, and the enzyme alliinase in garlic come into contact. To take full advantage of the allicin, leave the garlic for a few minutes after it has been chopped. This allows the alliin and alliinase time to create more allicin. Keep your garlic raw to get the most benefits, but swallowing raw garlic by itself can cause nausea. Raw, chopped garlic on salads is an especially effective deployment of the herb.
• D-Mannose – Of all of the remedies listed, D-mannose has received the most attention from researchers. In a 2014 study of its efficacy, D-mannose was more successful than nitrofurantoin, an antibiotic, at reducing recurring UTIs and had fewer side effects. D-Mannose is related to glucose and derived from cranberries, peaches, and other berries.
• Vitamin C – Vitamin C enhances the immune system, improves liver function, and inhibits the growth of E. coli. Pregnant women experiencing vitamin c treatment for three months experienced fewer urinary infections, according to a 2007 survey. It acidifies the urine, limiting bacteria growth. Vitamin c does come in supplement form, but many of those are derived from corn. Your best bet to increase your vitamin c intake to eat more produce, as it’s found in oranges, kale, peppers, and a multitude of other beneficial goodies.
• Oil of Oregano – Active against all of the clinical strains of bacteria tested (including E. coli), oil of oregano acts like an antibiotic without contributing to antibiotic-resistant bacteria.It does this with extremely high levels of antioxidants and is antiparasitic, antiviral, antibacterial, and antifungal. It is a powerful, indiscriminate killer that can reset the microbial environment in the intestines. It can be very harsh to irritated or sensitive skin, so capsule form is likely the easiest way to use it.

None of those actually fix the root cause of UTIs, though. Environment matters. Many people don’t have complete control over the pesticides sprayed on their food or what is happening with the waste produced by the chemical company down the street or 15 miles away. There is, however, another environment that you can and should exert control over in the quest to be healthy – your gut environment. This is where it all starts. When you have a UTI or bladder infection, something has gone wrong with the gut. Diet is crucial.

Recommended Reading: How to Kill Fungal Infections

Bad bacteria will always be there, but infections occur when the good bacteria are no longer able to keep them in check. Good bacteria are slow moving globs of protection that crowd out and starve off pathogens. Cultivating this good bacteria is essential to balance the pathogenic bacteria. Diet builds and nurtures beneficial bacterial colonies. Bad bacteria thrive on sugar and other refined foods, and it’s no coincidence that our most beneficial gut bacteria prefer to live off of a variety of beneficial raw veggies, fruits, and herbs.

We Need Fewer Antibiotics…Start Now

Antibiotic resistance is here. By necessity, we must look somewhere other than antibiotics, and there are other options that conventional medicine is not considering. If reducing UTIs by half is accomplished with a treatment as simple as drinking more water, what do we even need them for? For years, medicine has pushed for a cure rather than prevention. As margins for error in health keep decreasing, choosing to treat and support your body with diet and lifestyle before you get sick is the best way to never get sick.

Fast UTI Protocol

Cranberry juice is the secret. But not just any cranberry juice will do, it must be 100% cranberry juice with no other juices or sweeteners added. Conventional cranberry juice with high fructose corn syrup or table sugar will more often than not feed a urinary tract infection.

Lakewood is a common brand of cranberry juice that is available in the U.S. It is pasteurized but it is not reconstituted (not from concentrate). If you can find cranberry juice that’s unpasteurized at your local farmers market, or make it yourself, even better. If you cannot find the cranberry juice get a cranberry supplement. For those with recurring UTIs. have both on hand if possible.

At the first sign of kidney problems, like slow, shy, or otherwise difficult urination, take a gulp of cranberry juice straight, and then make a gallon of cranberry lemonade. This will help detoxify the kidneys, liver, gallbladder, and to a smaller extent the gut. If the infection has set in, SF722 and a probiotic would be in order. For chronic urinary tract issues, taking SF722 daily and always having nettle leaf and this kidney tea (or tincture) on hand is advised.

Related Products:

• Cranberry
• Probiotics
• Urinary Tract Formulas

Must Reads:

• CBD Oil – A Comprehensive Guide To Cannabidiol
• Detox Cheap and Easy Without Fasting – Recipes Included
• Start Eating Like That and Start Eating Like This – Your Guide to Homeostasis Through Diet
• How to Make the Healthiest Smoothies – 4 Recipes

Sources:

• To Reduce Risk Of Recurring Bladder Infection, Try Drinking More Water – NPR
• Top 12 Natural Home Remedies for UTI – Dr. Axe
• Urinary Tract Infection – How Bacteria Nestle In – Science Daily
• What Your Doctor Won’t Tell You About Recurrent Urinary Tract Infections – Body Ecology
• 8 Most Common Causes Of UTIs – Prevention
• Women suffer most from urinary tract infections, men more likely to be hospitalized – Science Daily
• Cranberry Juice and Urinary Tract Infections – Topic Overview – Web MD
• Garlic – The Most Amazing Herb On The Planet – Organic Lifestyle Magazine

The human body is home to over five hundred different strains of bacteria that serve specific functions. Even bacteria of the same name may function in different ways. For example, if a specific strain of Lactobacillus (a commonly studied probiotic strain) helps prevent an illness, that doesn’t mean that another strain of Lactobacillus would have the same effect. We have yet to discover all the effects that probiotics have on the body, but we do know that the right strains, cultured and processed the right way, offer the following six proven health benefits:

1. Probiotics Provide Energy

According to Gastroenterologist Matthew Ciorba, up to 10% of our daily energy needs are provided through the process of fermentation by our gut flora. By breaking down the components of food that we are unable to digest (like fiber), bacteria in our gut allow us to assimilate fatty acids, sugars, and amino acids that we would not have access to otherwise.

Related: How To Heal Your Gut

2. Probiotics Are Antioxidants and Anti-inflammatory

An excess of oxygen radicals in the gastrointestinal tract is a potential cause of chronic diseases. As these oxygen radicals accumulate in the intestinal tract, they can damage the intestinal lining and create a state of chronic inflammation. Strains of Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus have been found to limit the accumulation of free radicals in the intestinal tracts of rats by acting as antioxidants. The end-products that gut bacteria produce, like the short-chain fatty acid called butyrate, also have antioxidant properties that help to reduce inflammation and heal the intestinal wall.

3. Probiotics Resist Infection

The fermentation end-product butyrate also supports regulatory T-cell functions in the gut and contributes to the integrity of the intestinal wall. This allows the body to prevent infectious pathogens from getting in while we let our immune system eliminate them from the body. Probiotics also prevent pathogenic bacteria like E. coli from being able to colonize our intestinal tract by out-competing them for food, using acids to change the environment, and creating anti-microbial substances that prevent the bad bacteria from thriving.

Product Recommendation: Syntol AMD – Arthur Andrew Medical

4. Probiotics Prevent Digestive Issues

We need bacteria to digest food. Probiotics help prevent digestive issues in many ways. They keep our intestinal wall from being oxidized by free radicals by acting as antioxidants and triggering the production of protective mucous. Probiotics also produce substances that provide the intestinal wall with what it needs to heal itself. Butyrate, for example, provides the components that the intestinal wall needs to form new cells while providing energy for existing cells. Butyrate has also been found to increase intestinal motility, which helps prevent constipation.

Recommended: How To Reverse Fatty Liver Disease (Diet Plan Included)

5. Probiotics Produce Vitamin K and B Vitamins

In addition to producing butyrate, probiotics have the capacity to synthesize seven different vitamins:

• Vitamin B12: Vitamin B12 is required for proper red blood cell formation, neurological function, and DNA synthesis.
• Vitamin B6: Vitamin B6 is involved in more than 100 enzyme reactions that are mostly concerned with protein metabolism.
• Vitamin B5: Vitamin B5 is needed to produce red blood cells, manufacture sex and stress-related hormones, synthesize cholesterol, and maintain a healthy digestive tract.
• Vitamin B3: Vitamin B3 helps the body make various sex and stress-related hormones, improve circulation, and suppress inflammation.
• Biotin: Biotin metabolizes carbohydrates, fats, and amino acids and plays a role in preventing insulin resistance.
• Folate: Folate is essential for proper cell division.
• Vitamin K: Vitamin K is required for the synthesis of proteins involved in blood clotting and bone formation.

These vitamins are essential for processes that affect every cell in the body, but our needs for these vitamins are not met by our probiotics alone. We must consume adequate amounts of these vitamins to receive their benefits because it is unclear how much of these vitamins is produced by our probiotics.

6. Probiotics Help with Fat Loss

A few studies suggest that specific Lactobacillus strains have an impact on body fat, weight, and metabolic disorders. For example, the ingestion of Lactobacillus gasseri SBT2055 for 12 weeks reduced fat mass gain, body weight, and waist to hip ratio in overweight subjects when compared to a placebo. This may be due to the link between leptin and probiotics. Leptin is a hormone secreted by fat cells that lets the brain know when we are full. Probiotics indirectly affect our leptin response by promoting a state of low inflammation and allowing us to get more nutrition out of every calorie we eat. This creates the perfect environment for fat loss.

Attack of the Antibiotics

Antibiotics are designed to kill a broad range of bacteria in an effort to fight off infection. Unfortunately, antibiotics also destroy over one-third of the bacteria in our gut. This causes rapid shifts in our microbiome (intestinal bacteria) that leaves us vulnerable to harmful bacteria like Clostridium difficile and Salmonella typhimurium.

Even if the harmful bacteria do not infect our system, our intestinal tract will still be compromised. Without a proper balance of beneficial flora, our intestinal tract will become inflamed and leaky, letting pathogens through. We will also lack the Vitamin K and B vitamins that are normally produced by probiotics in the large intestine. This can lead to hormonal imbalance, a lack of energy, and an increased risk of disease.

With all of these negative effects, it becomes obvious as to why antibiotic use is associated with a large number of health problems and an increased susceptibility to infectious diseases. The health of our microbiome is essential for our health and well-being. Check out How to Detoxify From Antibiotics and Other Chemical Antimicrobials for more on this.

Related: Signs You Have Too Much Candida

Don’t Worry, Change Is Simple

Even if you have taken antibiotics recently, you can begin to counteract their negative effects immediately. According to David Relman, a microbiologist at Stanford University, the bacteria in our gut adapt quickly to what we eat. In an article in the Frontiers in Microbiology, M.P. Francino explains that our microbiome is “…capable of returning to a composition similar to the original one.”

This means that food can be our medicine if we eat the “right” foods.

What Are the “Right” Foods?

The “right” foods are prebiotic. Probiotics provide your gut with the beneficial bacteria it needs to thrive. Prebiotics provide your beneficial bacteria with what they need to survive and to provide you with all of the benefits mentioned earlier in this article. Think raw produce, herbs, and spices.

Many experts agree that one of the best ways to get probiotics in your diet is by eating fermented vegetables. Kim chi, sauerkraut, and pickles are fermented vegetables that contain different kinds of probiotics. These probiotics are already working to digest your meal before you eat it, which makes nutrients within the food more bioavailable. This is especially beneficial for those with digestive issues.

To ensure that you are eating the best fermented vegetables, check the label on the container. Look for the words “raw”, “unpasteurized”, and “naturally fermented.”  When looking at labels, smaller, local businesses are worth a close look, and anything national will most certainly be pasteurized in some way. Most of the probiotics are killed when the product is heated or pasteurized. Also, make sure there are no preservatives like sodium benzoate or sodium sulfite. The best fermented vegetables are made using organic vegetables and unrefined salt. Herbs, spices, and seeds are added for more flavor and nutrition.

Fermented vegetables also provide you with plenty of prebiotic material. As our bacteria enjoy their meal, they produce many highly beneficial end-products like butyrate.

Non-starchy vegetables like broccoli and artichokes, greens like kale and collards, and salad greens like spinach and arugula come with plenty of fiber to feed your probiotics and plenty of nutrients to feed your body.

After Dr. Mercola had his homemade sauerkraut tested in a lab, he reported that “…a 4-6 ounce serving of the fermented vegetables had ten trillion bacteria.” This means that 2 ounces of sauerkraut had more probiotics than a full bottle of 100-count probiotic capsules.

Michael Edwards, OLM’s Editor-in-Chief has an unusual opinion of fermented foods.

I love sauerkraut and I hope everyone reading this learns to make it. Fermented vegetables have many benefits (for instance, see the vitamins up at #5), but the bacteria itself doesn’t make my list. Our stomach acid kills most of it. That’s what stomach acid is designed to do.  I know some who swear they make such a potent product that much more of the bacteria makes it into the gut. After trying some of these products, I agree.

But, for anyone who is sick, and especially anyone who has an abundance of Candida, fermented vegetables cannot provide enough, or cannot provide a strong enough strain of bacteria to counteract a sick gut’s biofilm. I recommend a high qaulity, trusted probiotic supplement along with a prebiotic diet.”

What about Yogurt?

Dairy products, like milk, are commonly known as an essential part of our diet, so probiotic-rich yogurt should be called a “superfood”, right?

Unfortunately, some of the widely accepted beliefs about the benefits of dairy products, like the belief that dairy builds strong bones, have been disproven. Dairy has also been linked to various cancers, especially prostate and breast cancer. Combine these findings with the fact that conventional yogurt lacks beneficial prebiotics and contains high amounts of sugar, and it becomes clear why it may be best to limit the consumption of dairy. Due to the state of the dairy industry and how yogurt is processed, even plain, unsweetened conventional yogurt is more likely to feed pathogens than to be a source of probiotics.

The Dirty Truth about Supplements

Scientific literature is riddled with uncertainty regarding the effectiveness of probiotic supplements. For example, a Canadian study in 2004 measured the viable organisms in 10 brands of probiotic preparations and none matched the amount on their labels. Eight brands had only 10% of the stated number of probiotics and two of the brands had no viable probiotics at all.

Even if these probiotic supplements contained all of the viable probiotics that they promised, there would still be no guarantee that the probiotics would survive the journey to the intestinal tract.

Most probiotic supplements are also ineffectual for a multitude of reasons. It’s not just the probiotic count that matters; strain quality varies widely and are more often ineffectual. Of the ones I’ve tried (about 45) Bio-K, Abzorb, and FloraMend are three I know of that work. Most probiotic supplements are a waste of money, and many actually feed Candida and other non-benefical microflora.” – Michael Edwards

The Treacherous Journey of Probiotics

First, probiotics must survive the environment they are exposed to when they are outside of the body. Once the probiotics are ingested, they must survive the extreme acidity of stomach acid and bile acids. One study states that, “…survival rates have been estimated at 20–40% for selected [probiotic] strains.” According to the American Nutrition Association, Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium, and Streptococcus probiotic strains can survive the journey through the stomach. However, L. bulgaricus and S. thermophilus, as well as Leuconostoc and Lactococcus species, cannot survive.

Even when the probiotics make it to the intestinal tract, they still have to attach to and colonize the intestinal wall. This is another uncertain aspect in consuming probiotics that is difficult to measure. Unfortunately, there is no way to guarantee that the probiotics in your sauerkraut, kim chi, or probiotic supplement will actually colonize your intestinal tract.

How to Make Probiotics Work for You

Even the best probiotic will do little to combat a poor diet. In fact, the best probiotic supplement is the “right” food. To improve your digestive health and receive all the benefits of probiotics, all you have to do is eat prebiotics and probiotics in the form of raw, unpasteurized fermented organic vegetables and organic non-starchy vegetables every day. With enough time on this kind of diet without processed and refined foods, almost anyone can improve their digestive system.

Recommended Reading:

• Fermenting Vegetables
• Candida, Gut Flora, Allergies, and Disease
• How to Kill Fungal Infections
• Health Benefits of Apple Cider Vinegar & How to Make Your Own
• Your Guide to Root Vegetables – Health Benefits, Recipes, and More

Sources:

• Can probiotics modulate human disease by impacting intestinal barrier function? – Cambridge
• Probiotics: In Depth – NIH
• Dietary changes affect gut microbes within a day – Science News
• A Healthful Dose of Bacteria — Yogurt Is the Best Probiotic Source, but Clients Do Have Other Options – Today’s Dietitian
• Caveat emptor. “Probiotics” might not be what they seem. – NCBI
• A Gastroenterologist’s Guide to Probiotics – NCBI
• Potential beneficial effects of butyrate in intestinal and extraintestinal diseases – NCBI
• The weight of leptin in immunity. – NCBI
• Lipid peroxidation and antioxidant status in colorectal cancer – NCBI
• Probiotic Mechanisms of Action – Karger
• Probiotics: determinants of survival and growth in the gut – The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition
• Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic acid) – University of Maryland Medical Center
• Vitamin B6 – NIH
• Vitamin B12 – NIH
• Vitamin B3 (Niacin) – University of Maryland Medical Center
• Vitamin H (Biotin) – University of Maryland Medical Center
• Folate – NIH
• Vitamin K – NIH
• Antibiotics and the Human Gut Microbiome: Dysbioses and Accumulation of Resistances – NCBI
• The effects of antibiotics on the microbiome throughout development and alternative approaches for therapeutic modulation – NCBI
• Human nutrition, the gut microbiome, and immune system: envisioning the future – NCBI
• Health Concerns about Dairy Products – The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine
• Non-starchy Vegetables – Diabetes
• The Science of Probiotics – American Nutrition Association
• Fermenting Foods—One of the Easiest and Most Creative Aspects of Making Food from Scratch – Dr.Mercola

Indigestion can seriously mess you up. I mean, think about it. One of the most important systems that your body has isn’t working properly and starts glitching. There’s going to be some inner turmoil.

If you’re prone to indigestion, you know what I’m talking about. Yeah, you might want to leave it a minute there before you provoke the stink-o-palypse.

So, you want to sort that out ASAP.

Where do you go? You have the option of popping down to your local drugstore, but let’s face it- that binge of chips and cheese you had last night probably has a lot to do with it.

No, this is between you and your gut. There’s no reason to get anyone else involved. So start at the root and get these five superfoods down your chute. They are guaranteed to save you from the embarrassment of the century. Don’t say we never did anything for you.

Moringa

Moringa is one of those old-as-time secrets that we were just extremely slow at catching onto. Indeed, we now know that it’s probably been used as a medicine for indigestion for a millennia. That’s a ridiculously long time to think about.

Because of its high fiber content, it works like a mop in your intestines (and for the boys, around your colon) to clean up any of that extra grunge left over from a greasy diet. Not to mention its anti-bacterial composition, great for ousting any unwanted visitors that get in the way of healthy digestion.

Extra gut perk? Moringa’s packed with isothiocyanates that’ve been shown to act as a natural antibiotic against H. pylori, a pathogen that’s a major cause of gastritis, both gastric and duodenal ulcers, and gastric cancer.

Aloe Vera

Oh, aloe vera. You’re probably more used to smearing this on you whenever you get a bad cut, but aloe vera also has surprisingly good traction inside the body. It contains things called mucopolyaccharides (we’re not even going to bother offering a pronunciation), which are present in every cell of our body and have a ton of vital jobs.

Among these are helping our digestive tract to absorb nutrients, getting body fluids to flow smoothly, and building a wall in the intestines which stops toxic and harmful chemicals right in their tracks. And it’s proven, too; a 2004 study showed that ulcerative colitis patients saw a significant improvement after taking the stuff twice a day for four weeks.

Chlorella

Chlorella is a kind of freshwater algae, originating from East Asia. It’s set apart from other algae thanks to its detoxifying agent, which helps to remove harmful substances from the body- particularly around the liver. Its heavy fiber content helps to toughen up the lining of the intestines and fight constipation head on, keeping your bowels regular and your body feeling feeling much lighter.

Kefir

When people talk about kefir, they’re usually talking about milk with kefir grains added in- known quite simply as milk kefir. But it’s the added grains that make kefir especially beneficial. They work essentially the same as yoghurt- adding more “good” bacteria to crowd the bad, but they have a lot more beneficial qualities than your standard, store-bought yoghurt. They help to soothe inflamed intestinal cells whilst the collection of friendly microflora found sends in new recruits for the battle against harmful gut flora.

Kimchi

Kimchi (pronounced kim-chee) is the national dish of Korea and has seen more of the universe than most of us will ever see. In fact, there was a type of kimchi bred by scientists for the sole purpose of being safe to eat in space!

Loaded with anti-oxidants and with enough fiber to leave your intestines sparkly clean, kimchi offers pure benefits with almost no calories or fat to speak of. Kimchi goes through a process of fermentation that creates helpful bacteria. One of the star players in kimchi is lactobacillus, which helps regulate gut flora.

We all have moments where our digestive system just doesn’t want to cooperate, but you don’t have to put up with it. Changing our diet is probably the most effective way we have of treating indigestion, since a lot of the time the reason our tracts are taking a hissy fit is because we’re not giving them enough of the good stuff!

Further Reading:

• How to Kill Candida and Balance Your Inner Ecosystem
• How to Cure Candida
• The Fascinating Bacteria in our Gut, and How it Affects Our Whole Lives

Recommended Supplements:

• Floramind-Prime by Thorne (Probiotic)
• Shillington’s Intestinal Cleanse (cleans intestinal tract, kills parasites)
• Formula SF722 (kills Candida and all other fungi, yeast)

For most of the history of mankind, we lived in close contact with the Earth. The majority of our diet consisted of foods and water that had soil clinging to it.  This soil was not an inert substance; it was a dynamic mineral rich, probiotic infused source of electrochemical energy.  The unique, soil-based probiotic, bacillus subtilis, was one of the key components that gave the soil its powerful nutritional benefits.

Humans are the only species on the planet that does not intentionally consume soil.  Our ancestors always had soil in their diet through picking produce out of the ground and drinking from lakes, rivers, and streams.  Many original doctors and medicine men used dirt in their various healing concoctions. Today, we intentionally attempt to sterilize our food and avoid the consumption of soil.

Bacillus Subtilis and Our Immune System

Bacillus subtilis is an ubiquitous bacterium that is commonly found in water, soil, air, and decomposing plant residue.  This bacterium is called a human soil organism (HSO) and has an extraordinary ability to survive harsh environments.  It produces an endospore that allows it to endure extreme conditions of heat, dryness, humidity, and acidity in the environment.

B subtilis is fully resistant to bile salts and can handle the harsh stomach acid environment, which allows it to get into the digestive system and colonize.  It has beneficial effects in the digestive system. ^1,2,3  Research has revealed that supplemental B subtilis improves symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome. ⁴

B subtilis is able to suppress the growth of harmful pathogens, strengthen the mucosal biofilm, and enhance the growth of other good probiotic strains such as lactobacillus species in the gut microflora. ^5,6

Soil Based Organisms and Our Innate Immunity

As our ancestors were exposed to trillions of organisms every day through their dirt consumption, they were strengthening their microbiome and their immune system.  They were exposed to many different pathogenic organisms to which their immune system learned how to adapt and destroy.

If the pathogenic load was too strong, the individual would get sick and sometimes they would die.  This was obviously tragic and was a leading cause of death.  However, those who didn’t die often had robust immune systems that were well-adapted to the harsh pathogens around them.

Modern Technology and Improving Immunity

With modern technology, we are not exposed to these natural microbes.  The use of our technology can reduce the pathogenic load we are exposed to in order to prevent sickness and infectious fatalities, meanwhile, providing the proper stimulation to our immune system.

One such way to gain these benefits is the inclusion of human soil organisms in our natural diet.  This would include growing much of our own food in gardens and consuming it right out of the ground with little cleaning.  We could also drink water from clean rivers, lakes, springs, and streams. (Editor’s note: If we could find clean sources. Most are contaminated with giardia and other parasites as well as pollutants.)

Finally, one can use naturally fermented foods and supplement with probiotics containing HSO’s such as bacillus subtilis.  Most probiotics on the market only contain the lactobacillus and bifido bacterium species.  These are fantastic for the health of the small and large intestine, but some individuals struggle with a sensitivity to these microorganisms.

It is wise to find a probiotic supplement with HSO’s such as bacillus subtilis, which is hyposensitive and easy for most individuals to tolerate.

Sources:

1. Improved growth and viability of lactobacilli in the presence of Bacillus subtilis (natto), catalase, or subtilisin – Pub Med
2. Improved growth and viability of lactobacilli in the presence of Bacillus subtilis (natto), catalase, or subtilisin – Pub Med
3. Evaluation of Bacillus subtilis strains as probiotics and their potential as a food ingredient. – Pub Med
4. Effect of Bacillus subtilis PB6, a natural probiotic on colon mucosal inflammation and plasma cytokines levels in inflammatory bowel disease. – Pub Med
5. Sticking together: building a biofilm the Bacillus subtilis way – Pub Med
6. Soil Organisms: Bacillus Subtilis – Organic Fitness

Eating to establish and maintain healthy bacteria in the gut may be the most important action we take to maintain and enhance our health. Once we understand how the good bacteria in our gut aids us—in digestion of our food, protecting us from pathogens, how it’s essential to our immune system, how it creates 95% of our serotonin, and more—it’s easy to understand how crucial gut health is to our overall health.

Prebiotic foods are the first and most important step. Raw vegetables and fruits feed the healthy bacteria in our gut and provide the insoluble fiber that not only moves waste through our system, it provides a structure for the bacteria to cling to as it multiplies. These foods should comprise 80% of our diet.

Though stomach acid may kill the majority of bacteria in fermented foods, many believe that regular consumption of these foods adds to the healthy bacteria in the gut.

Not long ago, I drove across town to buy kimchi, one of my favorite probiotic foods. A pint was $6.99. A quart was $12.99. I was so excited to a gallon jar for $20.00 I forgot to read the label! MSG. Need I say more? So I decided it was time to learn how to make kimchi.

The first step in making any fermented food is to thoroughly wash the jar you are using for the fermentation, all of the utensils and dishes, and your hands. Just make sure everything is good and clean. Running things through the dishwasher or sterilizing is an option to consider.

You Will Need:

• 1 large Chinese cabbage – 2 lbs (Napa seems to be the most common choice for kimchi, but you can use bok choy or any other cabbage)
• 1 cup kosher salt
• 2 cups of pure water
• I daikon radish
• 5 green onions or scallions
• 1 Granny Smith apple
• 2-3 carrots
• 1 head of garlic
• 1/4 cup of sliced ginger
• 1 tablespoon organic sugar
• 1 ½ cups of Korean red chili flakes or hot pepper powder
• soy sauce, fish sauce, or vegetable culture
• Jars or a fermenting crock

Chop Up Your Cabbage

There are hundreds of recipes for kimchi. One of the variations involves how you cut up the cabbage. You can cut it into bite size pieces or cut a Napa cabbage into four pieces, core the pieces, and separate each leaf that you will eventually spread with your spice mix and roll it up. Or you can leave the entire cabbage intact. In this recipe, we are going to cut the cabbage into bite size pieces.

Soak Your Cabbage

First wash the cabbage. Now you will soak the cabbage in your brine mixture.

Again, the directions vary widely on this step. Some say massage the salt into the cabbage leaves others say soak in salt water from 2 hours to overnight. My preference is the quick method that only takes an hour.

• Separate the cabbage into 2 bowls (unless you have one great big bowl).
• Sprinkle half a cup of salt on the cabbage in each bowl.
• Pour one cup of water into each bowl.
• Using very clean hands, massage the salt into the cabbage. Do this every twenty minutes for an hour.

Cut Your Other Vegetables

The other vegetables (and the apple) need to be cut into small pieces – thin enough to ferment well and become soft, but not so thin that they dissolve into the mixture. You can cut your radish, carrots, and onions into matchsticks or slices. Aim for bite size pieces that are no more than ¼ inch thick and 1 inch long. Set aside. (Remember to toss the cabbage after 20 minutes).

Make Your Paste

Use a food processor to process the ginger and garlic until it is a paste. Put it in a bowl and add the red chili flakes and organic sugar. Add a few tablespoons of non-chlorinated water to make the paste a spreadable consistency. Add two teaspoons of soy sauce or fish sauce or use a vegetable culture according to directions. Mix well. (Once again, massage and toss your cabbage.)

Rinse and Drain Your Cabbage

When you have massaged and mixed your cabbage three times, rinse it well to remove the excess salt. Make your final rinse in filtered or non-chlorinated water. (Chlorine inhibits the fermentation process). Rinse and dry your bowl. Drain cabbage in a colander for 20-30. Squeeze out excess water (or use a lettuce spinner).

Putting It All Together

Once your cabbage has drained, put it back in the dry bowl and add the other vegetables and apple. Mix well.

Rubber or plastic gloves are a good idea. If you don’t use them, the red pepper will burn sensitive skin. But you don’t have to use them. Just make sure your hands are really clean and don’t touch your face or eyes.

Add the paste and really work it in to coat every surface.

Pack the coated produce into jars or a crock. Pack it tight. Leave an inch or two at the top of the jar. Push down on the cabbage mixture to make the brine rise above it.

Put a lid on the jar and store in a dark place for 1-5 days. You will need to burp the lid once a day if you use a standard jar. Or you can use a lid with an airlock. Or you can use a crock. Your kimchi will be ready when the cabbage looks a little translucent and tastes right. Usually 2-3 days. Refrigerate it at that time to slow down the fermentation process.

Remember, kimchi recipes will vary in ratios and ingredients. The amount of ginger and garlic vary widely and whether or not to use fish sauce or to add carrots or apple. Ratios will vary as well as ingredients. Experiment. Discover your own perfect recipe.

Fermented foods are just one of the ways to improve gut health. An 80% raw food diet is essential to gut health as is ridding the body of Candida.

Editor’s Note

Contrary to popular belief, fermented foods are not a great source of probiotics. The bacteria, while numerous, mostly dies in the stomach acid. There are tons of other benefits to fermented foods, and some of the bacteria do reach the gut, but for people suffering from Candida, fermented foods are not your best defense. The supplements below and garlic are better for balancing gut flora. A “trick” that some do is to use certain foods like black strap molasses or baking soda to lower the acidity of the stomach acid and then eat sauerkraut.

Also, most of the probiotics you find in stores have weak bacteria that don’t make it past the stomach acid. FloraMend and Bio-K have exceptionally strong bacteria strands that pass through stomach acid fully functional. Also, vegetables make great prebiotics. They ferment in the gut (in a way) as they are digested.

Recommended Supplements:

• Floramind-Prime by Thorne
• Shillington’s Intestinal Cleanse
• Formula SF722
• MicroDefense – Pure Encapsulations

Further Reading:

• The Fascinating Bacteria in our Gut, and How it Affects Our Whole Lives
• Fermented Foods Optimize Your Health
• After taking antibiotics, this is what you need to do to restore healthy intestinal flora

Sources:

• How to Make Kimchi: according to my Kun Umma — Samuel Kiehoon Lee – YouTube.com
• How to make Kimchi – YouTube.com
• How To Make Easy Kimchi at Home – Cooking Lessons From the Kitchen