{"id":139,"date":"2019-03-22T18:57:59","date_gmt":"2019-03-22T18:57:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hannonchiropractic.com\/blog\/?p=139"},"modified":"2019-03-22T18:58:01","modified_gmt":"2019-03-22T18:58:01","slug":"your-friendly-bacteria","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hannonchiropractic.com\/blog\/your-friendly-bacteria\/","title":{"rendered":"Your friendly bacteria"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><strong><br><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Some bacteria in your digestive tract, termed \u201cgood\u201d bacteria, are a very important aspect of our digestive system and overall health.&nbsp; Before you read this much simplified crash course on \u201cgood\u201d bacteria, you must familiarize yourself with a few terms.&nbsp; The first term commonly used when discussing \u201cgood\u201d bacteria is \u201cflora\u201d.&nbsp; Gut flora is just a different way of saying digestive microbes or small living organisms living in your digestive system.&nbsp; Maybe just as common as \u201cflora\u201d is the word \u201cprobiotic\u201d.&nbsp; Probiotic is the term given to foods and supplements that contain live beneficial microbes that when administered in an adequate amount gives a health benefit to the host.&nbsp; There is somewhat of a mutual partnership between you, the host, and the \u201cgood\u201d bacteria in your digestive system, where both the host and bacteria can live and be healthier together.&nbsp; Another common word is prebiotic.&nbsp; Prebiotic refers typically to the fiber component found in certain foods or supplements that support the growth of probiotics in the gastrointestinal tract.&nbsp; Basically good bacteria feed on fiber; where as the less desirable bad bacteria like to eat refined sugars and fats.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"683\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/www.hannonchiropractic.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/1212-1-683x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-289\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.hannonchiropractic.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/1212-1-683x1024.jpg 683w, https:\/\/www.hannonchiropractic.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/1212-1-200x300.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.hannonchiropractic.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/1212-1-768x1152.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.hannonchiropractic.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/1212-1-1600x2400.jpg 1600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 683px) 100vw, 683px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>What do probiotic organisms do?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>fermentation of non-digestible\ndietary residue resulting in more digestion of your food <\/li><li>support the\nabsorption and production of B vitamins, vitamin k, minerals, and ions <\/li><li>Supports your\nprotein and carbohydrate digestion with enzymes<\/li><li>Aids in dairy\ndigestion in people who are lactose intolerant<\/li><li>Maintains your\nideal &#8220;good&#8221; to &#8220;bad&#8221; bacteria ratio by promoting the\noptimal environment for the growth of good bacteria, \u201cgood\u201d and \u201cbad\u201d bacteria\ncompete for the same location and if the digestive tract is full of the \u201cgood\u201d\nthen there is no where for the \u201cbad\u201d to stake claim and grow<\/li><li>Helps you\nmaintain appropriate bowel transit time<\/li><li>Produces lactic\nacid for your support of digestive processes and colon pH balance which makes\nthe colon a hostile environment for some invaders<\/li><li>Healthy amounts\nof \u201cgood\u201d bacteria has been shown to boost your immune system, it has been said\nthat 80% of your immune system lives in your digestive system<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Where did all the good bacteria go?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In short, poor diet, not eating probiotics, not eating traditional fermented foods, our endless efforts to be clean, such as antibacterial products and hand sanitizers, and clear of diseases, such as antibiotics, have left many of us short of optimal digestive balance.\u00a0 To begin with, the process in which we make food convenient and fast, tends to remove all bacteria, throwing the good out with the bad so to speak.\u00a0 This process is called pasteurizing or sterilizing, and this destroys the helpful bacteria needed to promote intestinal health.\u00a0 Secondly, when taking antibiotics we often overlook what all is taking place.\u00a0 The definition of antibiotic is a drug that kills or reduces the growth of bacterial infection.\u00a0 Antibiotic medication can not differentiate between good and bad bacteria, and thusly kills the good normal intestinal and vaginal bacteria.  Which is partially why so many women get urinary tract infections after taking antibiotics<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Who may benefit from probiotic supplementation or\nfood?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As always it is best for you\nto consult with your healthcare provider about if probiotic supplementation is\nright for you.&nbsp; However, research is\nshowing positive findings for patients with the following issues: signs of\ndigestive imbalance such as diarrhea, irritable bowel syndrome, inflammatory\nbowel disease, cystitis, urinary tract infections, food allergies, ulcers,\nchronic yeast infections, Crohn\u2019s, ulcerative colitis, research is continuously\ncoming out on obesity, intestinal cancers, other chronic diseases and more.&nbsp; Otherwise healthy people may consider taking\nprobiotics after a course of antibiotic treatment, or if they are traveling\nabroad and are concerned about their immune system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Where can I get probiotics in my diet?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Scientists estimate that there are 100&#8217;s of different species of bacteria alive inside you numbering about one hundred trillion. The weight of these bacteria is estimated at about two to three pounds.\u00a0 Currently, scientists are working to identify these different species and their role in our digestive system.\u00a0 There are approximately 10 different species that are more researched, and of those 10 species only two species of bacteria seem to be of main focus; Lactobacillus Acidophilus and Bifidobacterium.\u00a0 Typically, you will only get the 10 more researched species in supplement form.\u00a0 From your diet the most common way to get the good bacteria is in yogurt, milk enriched with acidophilus, some cheeses, raw sauerkraut, miso, kimchi, kefir, and tempeh. In fact, it has become increasingly popular for yogurt manufactures to advertise their products as being probiotic and good for your digestive system.\u00a0 But as stated above, our food safety regulations, means less bacteria (including the good ones) survive the manufacturing process. Many types of food will undergo pasteurization or sterilization during the manufacturing process and thusly killing most of the bacteria.\u00a0 While this is helpful in disease prevention, it also means we get less good bacteria though our diet.\u00a0 Therefore it is even more important to consider supplementation with probiotics, while getting prebiotics to support the probiotics. Some dietary sources of prebiotics are breast milk, onions, tomatoes, bananas, barley, garlic, jicama, chicory, apple,  <br>Jerusalem Artichoke, and wheat. \u00a0\u00a0Prebiotics occur naturally in foods, but supplements provide a more concentrated source of this substance.\u00a0 For those who are avoiding dairy, there are supplements of probiotics that are in a non-dairy form.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Are There Any Potential Side Effects Or Drug\nInteractions?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It is recommended to\nintroduce probiotics slowly to avoid excess gas and bloating; even with slow\nintroduction, it may still happen but usually stops after a few days. Probiotics\nmay not be recommended for individuals with weakened immune systems, pregnant\nor lactating, or taking immune weakening medications.&nbsp; You should consult with your healthcare\nprovider and ask if taking probiotics would be advised as part of your effort\nto replenish your good bacteria.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The topic of probiotics maybe a little confusing, partially due to the over simplification necessary to keep this article an article and not a book, but also due to the probability this is new news to you.&nbsp; However, to summarize not all bacteria will cause disease and sicknesses to our body.&nbsp; Many healthcare providers recommend that in order to get back on track to building your ideal health, you need to start with a good foundation in your digestive system.&nbsp; This comes from not only the good bacteria, but by adding extra fiber and water to your diet to enhance the benefits of the probiotics.&nbsp; Laying this foundation will therefore allow the good bacteria to work for you, helping your digestive system and immune system be strong and healthy. <br><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Some bacteria in your digestive tract, termed \u201cgood\u201d bacteria, are a very important aspect of our digestive system and overall&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[42,17,43,41,18,39,40],"class_list":["post-139","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-bacteria","tag-chiropractic-tips","tag-digestion","tag-gut-health","tag-hesperia-chiropractor","tag-prebiotic","tag-probiotic"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hannonchiropractic.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/139","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hannonchiropractic.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hannonchiropractic.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hannonchiropractic.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hannonchiropractic.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=139"}],"version-history":[{"count":11,"href":"https:\/\/www.hannonchiropractic.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/139\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":292,"href":"https:\/\/www.hannonchiropractic.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/139\/revisions\/292"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hannonchiropractic.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=139"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hannonchiropractic.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=139"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hannonchiropractic.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=139"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}