75 Billion CFU
Let’s be honest, if you took everything that someone told you that you need, you would be overwhelmed. Supplements, vitamins, minerals, herbs, pro-biotics, essential oils and the random witches brew that is the new fountain of youth. All of this adds up and can be expensive and sometimes harmful. So, “What should I be taking?” I have been answering this question the same way for over 12 years now and I don’t see a reason yet to change my answer. I personally take 5 items. The picture below shows 6 items. The Zinc on the end is in the Active Life Nutrient Multi-Vitamin.
My essentials
I am writing this article because I have witnessed patients and family members respond to Pro-Biotics within a couple weeks. If you have not decided to take a pro-biotic yet, let me help you make a decision.
Why pro-biotics?
The first time I decided to take a pro-biotic was when I asked a pharmacy student to compare the flu shot with a pro-biotic on preventing the flu. The results were the same. Both prevented the flu equally. I thought to myself, great! no more flu shots for me. By the way, to this day I have not had another flu shot (more on this in a future post). The gastrointestinal tract is one of the most important systems for our immune system. Most infections come by way of the gastrointestinal system. Oh, I need to be clear, the GI system starts in the mouth. So, seeing your dentist is very important. A healthy GI tract is key in preventing sick days.
Reason 1 – Prevention of flu and other bacterial, fungal, and viral infections
What can a weakened immune system create? A weakened immune system prevents, not only the clearing of infections, but also the elimination of irregular growing cells. Irregular growing cells are what can become cancer cells.
Reason 2 – Promoting healthy immune system for cancer prevention
Stomach issues are one of the most common problems that I hear complaints about. From reflux, GERD, Gas to constipation and diarrhea we all struggle at times with a normal GI tract. Most of these issues involve inflammation in some part of the GI tract. Patients that have a diagnosed inflammatory bowel disease have seen remarkable results when taking a pro-biotic. Ulcerative Colitis, Crohn’s disease, diverticulitis and Irritable Bowel are all examples of inflammatory conditions in the GI tract.
Reason 3 – Resolving symptoms of Inflammation in the GI tract
“Leaky Gut” This new condition is now being recognized by physicians. Let me explain a bit about leaky gut. The inflammation that I discussed above allows for larger molecules to be absorbed and enter the blood stream. These larger molecules cause the immune system to respond and attack. This creates more work for an already weak immune system. The condition known as food sensitivities is caused by leaky gut. Many of us are lactose intolerant. Cows milk is God’s designed milk for a cow. Some of the proteins that are in cows milk are not designed for our body to tolerate. Therefore you might get bloated, gassy, have a loose stool and other issues. Did you know that acne, rosacea, psoriasis and eczema have been linked to sensitivity to lactose? If you have been to our pharmacy and have picked up a medication for an inflammatory skin issue like these our advise is always to eliminate dairy products for a month and see if your skin condition improves. Most of the time there is a notable improvement. This is just one example of what leaky gut is responsible for. I could go on but I will save it for another post.
Reason 4 – Reduce “Leaky Gut”
Which one should I choose?
This question is why you come to Regel Pharmalab. At last count we have 8 different choices for a pro-biotic. We can help you select the one that will fit you best. If you want the basics here is what to look for:
Refrigerated – Make sure you choose a pro-biotic that is sold in the refrigerated section and keep it in the refrigerator.
CFUs – These are the amount of bacteria in the capsule that have been tested to perform the task of forming colonies. Your pro-biotic needs at least 10 Billion CFUs.
The Strains of Bacteria – I recommend taking a pro-biotic with at least 5 different strains of bacteria.
Bifidobacteria – This specific strain has been shown to be very effective and sometimes is left out of the capsule.
For more information on this subject I have written a couple other posts you can find them by clicking on the links:
Let me know how I can help you resolve your health problems. I look forward to solving your medication problems.
Comment below if Pro-biotics are working for you.
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