The SINGLE most Important Thing for a Healthy Life
July 14, 2008 by Carolin
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“Death begins in the colon.”
This is what the Russian bacteriologist Ilya Mechnikov stated just over a century ago.
He observed men and women in ages above 100. They all had one this in common:
They lived highly active healthy lives!
His research made the direct link between longevity and a healthy balance of good bacteria in the body.
Bacteria that he named:
The optimal balance of intestinal bacteria is 85% good, probiotic bacteria and 15% bad.
Maintaining this balance is the single most important thing we can do to ensure optimum health, longevity and a good immune system.
So a good balance is great is definitely something to aim for. But what if the balance is disrupted?
Are you in the risk zone of imbalance?
Here are a couple of questions that will help you determine if you are:
- Have you taken antibiotics?
- Do you use birth control pills?
- Do you drink water containing fluoride and chlorine?
- Do you use fluoridated toothpaste?
- Do you supplement with man-made vitamins?
- Does the food you eat contain preservatives and additives?
- Have your food been exposed to pesticides and fertilizers?
- Do you drink coffee/tea or carbonated drinks?
- Are you stressed?
When I read this I can’t help thinking “Who is NOT in the risk zone?”.
So maybe it is better to turn it around and look at the warning signs of bacterial imbalance.
- Food and skin allergies, especially in children.
- Bad breath, gum disease and dental problems
- Sugar cravings and difficulty losing weight
- Acne and eczema
- Joint inflammation
- Fatigue and poor concentration
- Frequent constipation, diarrhea acid reflux and other digestion problems
- Frequent colds and flues.
- Asthma
- Sleeping problems
- Yeast infections and candida
Uptil now most probiotic research has been done on people with healthy problems. But it was recently found that probiotics have an anti-inflammatory potential even in healthy adults.
Probiotics are important for each and every one of us. And especially those of us who suffer from any of the health issues above.
Probiotics are found in:
Fermented foods, such as sauerkraut and many pickles
Special yogurt, such as kefir
In small amounts in foods such as: goat’s milk, honey and artichokes.
In functional foods. There are many functional foods on the market containing probiotics. One problem is that many of them are that they are loaded with sugar.
In super foods. There are great probiotics super foods on the market. Make sure to use one that is of high quality and certified organic.
I know there are discussions and definitions regarding probiotics and prebiotics. But let’s not make it more complicated than necessary. Over 100 years ago Ilya Mechnikov named the friendly bacteria in our intestines probiotics. Let’s stick with that for now.
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Probiotics are so important to our health. When ever I feel something coming on, I take extra probiotics and the cold never develops.