Doctors should have warned about microflora deficiency
BY SUZY COHEN Dear Pharmacist
Saturday, August 25, 2012
Dear Pharmacist, You’re sort of
obsessed with gut health because
you frequently suggest probiotics to
people seeking better health. Not one
of 14 doctors over six years has ever
suggested probiotics. What’s the big
deal? — R.M., Ocala, Fla.
Hmm, maybe you would not
have needed 14 doctors if any
one of them had warned you of
the adverse health consequences
of microflora deficiency?
Think allergies, irritable bowel,
depression, hypothyroidism,
cancer and autoimmune
disorders galore. The ramifications
for poor probiotic status
cause disease from head to toe.
There are more than 100 trillion
microbes that live inside
you, so it’s critical that the good
organisms outnumber the bad
ones, or else disease sets in.
People who enjoy good health
do so because of their strong
immune system that powers up
at birth with an assortment of
healthy bacteria obtained from
mother’s milk.
By occupying various niches
in the intricate landscape of our
bodies, our resident microbes
protect us from foreign bacteria,
fungi and viruses. Many
studies prove this.
To improve the ratio of good
to bad microbes, I recommend
taking probiotic supplements.
Everyone associates probiotic
supplements with gastrointestinal
health and relief of constipation,
but probiotics are great
for skin health, weight, staying
healthy as we head into cough
and cold season, lifting depression
and, believe it or not,
thyroid health. Yes, that healthy
bacterial garden in your gut
activates approximately 30 percent
of your thyroid hormone,
which in turn boosts energy
and burns fat.
All prescribed or over-thecounter
medications reduce
your probiotic bacterial stash,
so I’m disappointed to hear
that not one of your 14 practitioners
suggested a probiotic to
restore gut flora. With probiotic
supplementation, results
are immediate, usually within
days to weeks. Oh, and yogurt
is probably the worst way to
take in probiotics because the
organisms are likely dead by
the time you eat it.
I have put an extended version
of this article at my website
tulsaworld.com/pharmacist.
info@dearpharmacist.com
Associated Images:
|
