Our life depends on the health of our gut. When we don’t have enough probiotic bacteria, germs and toxins attack the lining of the intestine. This damages the cells lining our intestine, and with enough damage, germs and toxins get into our blood. While we may not see this happening, we can feel the results. Frequent bloating and gas indicate there’s a problem with our digestive system, and probably indicates our intestines are running low in beneficial bacteria. But we may also experience frequent headaches, increased allergic response, blood sugar spikes, and chronic illness. B. infantis thrives most in the intestines of infants as it helps break down lactic acid in human breast milk and is hence named B. infantis. However, it is good for kids and adults, too. This probiotic also feeds on natural fructose (not High-fructose corn syrup), and on glucose, and other all-natural carbohydrates.

Bacteroides and Firmicutes: The first two primary strains of intestinal bacteria, have been found to influence fat absorption, almost regardless of diet. Lean people have more Bacteroides and are therefore encouraged to have more fatty foods. Obese people have more Firmicutes which thrive on carbohydrates and release chemicals that enhance the craving for starchy foods. As obese people lose weight, the ratio of bacteria in their gut swings confidently over to more Bacteroides. Modern diet increases the growth of Firmicutes.

Bacteroides – are the experts in breaking down proteins and carbohydrates and posses a huge collection of genetic blueprints allowing them to manufacture any enzyme they need to do so. Their ability to extract maximum energy from everything leads to the erroneous belief that they may be responsible for an increasing tendency to gain weight. Bacteroides do seem to like meat and fatty acids. Their ability to produce large amount of Biotin, which includes vitamin B-7 also known as vitamin H, which has an ability to heal a certain skin condition caused by consuming too much raw egg white, vitamin H also neutralizes Avidin, a toxin found in raw eggs. (See – ‘Glossary and Explanation of Terms’).

GM Maize produces too much Avidin (added for insect resistance) and should not be eaten raw even by animals. Avidin is no longer toxic when cooked.

Psyblum husks (Isabgol) is one food supplement that helps increase bacteriodes. They also act as a gentle laxative, hence care should be taken to not take them so often as to get addicted.

Prevotella – is in many ways the opposite of Bacteroides. They are more common in the gut of vegetarians though they also appear in moderate meat eaters. Prevotella prefer working with Desulfovibrionales which are adept at trawling through mucous membranes looking for useful proteins and produce sulphine compounds as they work. They degrade slimy mucous in the gut which could conceivably increase gut pains. It is also associated with the production of vitamin B-1 (Thiamine).

Ruminococcus – do exist as a small minority in our gut and are assumed to produce ‘heme’ a substance the body needs for many things including for the production of blood. They are also associated with Akkermansia bacteria which breakdown mucins in mucous and swiftly absorb sugar, which again may contribute to weight gain.

Mollicutes – The Mollicutes are a class of bacteria distinguished by the absence of a cell wall. Mollicutes are parasites of various animals and plants, living on or in the host’s cells. Many cause diseases in humans, attaching to cells in the respiratory or urogenital tracts.

From among the commercially available probiotic bacteria those that have the potential to be useful for certain central nervous system disorders are Bifidobacterium and the Lactobacillus genera (B. longum, B. breve, B. infants, L. helveticus, L. rhamnosus, L. plantarum, and L. casei). There is reasonable evidence that taking probiotics containing Lactobacillus species may help prevent antibiotic associated diarrhea and that taking probiotics with saccharomyces (say S. boulardii) may help to prevent difficile infection following systemic antibiotic treatment.

Pages: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7