{"id":14743,"date":"2013-03-05T16:52:31","date_gmt":"2013-03-06T00:52:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.fireitupwithcj.com\/dev\/\/new\/\/?p=14743"},"modified":"2015-06-08T08:42:44","modified_gmt":"2015-06-08T15:42:44","slug":"probiotics","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.fireitupwithcj.com\/dev\/probiotics\/","title":{"rendered":"Probiotics- Going with your gutt (Cynthia Lair)"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u00a0Fermented & cultured foods: the surprising health benefits<\/strong><\/h1>\n

March 2013 by Cynthia Lair<\/p>\n

Some call them bacteria or bugs but the nice name for this lively population is “flora.” More than 500 different species make up the flora in our bodies, weighing in at between 2 and 5 pounds.
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This colony of microbes doesn’t just coexist within us. Our health is dependent upon their ability to stay healthy and report for work each day. Here’s why.<\/p>\n

Five ways bacteria help<\/strong><\/p>\n

Twenty-four hours a day our gut flora work to help us thrive. Here’s a top five list of chores the microbes do for us:<\/p>\n

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  1. Prevent the growth of pathogenic bacteria by recognizing and squashing out the invaders that might make us sick.<\/li>\n
  2. Aid digestion by breaking down food, extracting nutrients and even synthesizing some nutrients (such as vitamin K and biotin).<\/li>\n
  3. Regulate the constant regeneration of the gut lining.<\/li>\n
  4. Produce hormones that regulate fat storage.<\/li>\n
  5. Prevent depression.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    What? Prevent depression? Seems so.<\/p>\n

    Findings published in “Proceedings of the National Academy of Science” show a link between probiotics and lower levels\u00a0 of stress hormones, and protective effects against depression.<\/p>\n

    Not only that, these trillions of good guys \u2014 live microorganisms in fermented and cultured foods \u2014 also have been linked to obesity prevention. Accumulating research indicates lean people tend to have a higher proportion of two types of beneficial bacteria than obese people.<\/p>\n

    Scientists and researchers only are beginning to study and realize how crucial the vitality and makeup of our flora is to our body’s overall health. The microbes living in the gut are anaerobic \u2014 meaning they die as soon as they are outside the body. So it wasn’t until we could snoop around inside the body undetected with microscopic instruments that some of this information could come to light.<\/p>\n

    All the important work of the flora can be accomplished only if the good gut bacteria outnumber the harmful bacteria. A ratio of 85 percent good microbes to 15 percent bad is ideal. But most Americans house the reverse (20 percent good and 80 percent bad) and it’s wreaking havoc on our health.<\/p>\n

    When the bad guys are in charge, our immune system is weak. Allergies, skin problems, irritable bowel syndrome and even some autoimmune diseases are being linked to a feeble first line of defense.<\/p>\n

    Why don’t we have more friendlies and fewer unfriendlies? What’s to blame?<\/p>\n

    Five ways we kill good bacteria<\/strong><\/p>\n

    Well, here are the top five ways we destroy or handicap our hardworking good microbes:<\/p>\n