When illness strikes your household, often people will go to their medical doctor. Illnesses are tricky and a lot of them present with similar symptoms with different sources (viral or bacterial). Many times you will be prescribed an antibiotic, and not always told to take a probiotic at the same time. Antibiotics MUST always be taken with probiotics. Bacteria in your gut are extremely important and regulates how your body functions. Below is an excerpt about bacteria’s role in the human body, written by Marcey Shapiro, MD, from Transforming the Nature of Health: A Holistic Vision of Healing That Honors Our Connection the the Earth,Others, and Ourselves:
IMMUNE SUPPORT:
About seventy percent of our immune system is located in the digestive tract. “Probiotic” bacteria enhance many of the functions of the immune system, acting independently as an adjunct to our cells’ immune system.
DIGESTION AND ABSORPTION OF FOODS:
The digestion of certain foods, especially carbohydrates, is facilitated by the friendly organisms of the small intestine. The foods we eat nourish their colonies. All we take in, whether food or thought, is important for determining the health of internal bacterial colonies. Each type of bacteria has its favorite diet. The kinds of bacteria most associated with vibrant health thrive upon naturally fermented foods like sauerkraut, miso, yogurt, and kefir, as well as certain fats and animal foods including saturated fats. They also require some types of fiber found in vegetables, fruits, and whole grains. They do best when we are calm, happy, and relaxed.
BARRIER TO PATHOGENIC BACTERIA:
Healthy bacteria crowd out the unwelcome visitors. When beneficial microbes that evolved along with our GI tracts colonize this region, there is not much space available for imbalanced flora to take hold. Bacteria also secrete chemical mediators that support their own species and others with whom they are harmonious. These same chemical mediators suppress bacteria that are incompatible.
PREVENTION OF ALLERGIES:
Beneficial bacteria teach the immune system to distinguish between the antigens of harmless and helpful flora and foods, and potentially dangerous ones. Allergies are a type of over-sensitivity. During an allergy, the body overreacts, sensing harm in things that are not innately harmful. The presence of flourishing colonies of beneficial bacteria decreases the incidence of allergies.
MANUFACTURE OF VITAMINS:
There is evidence that healthy forms of E. coli manufacture vitamin K in the human intestinal tract. In some animals, vitamin B12 is manufactured by intestinal flora. Humans, however, must consume this vitamin from animal food sources.
ELIMINATION OF TOXINS:
Probiotic bacteria eat many of our waste products, breaking them down to component nutrients. These are recycled. What is not used is eliminated within the feces.
Stimulation of tissues: Probiotic bacteria are essential for normal development of the intestinal tract. Certain tissues like the lymphoid Peyer’s patches of the intestinal tract, and the entire large intestine, require the presence of healthy bacteria for growth and maturation.
Prevention of disease: Imbalanced and reduced numbers of healthy flora are found in people with inflammatory bowel diseases like Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. There are also imbalances observed in most people with irritable bowel syndrome, asthma, eczema, and autoimmune illnesses. ”
Keeping your body healthy is a goal for many people. If your body is unable to perform at its best, sicknesses are likely to thrive. Your body should be able to fend off incoming viral or bacterial infections, but sometimes the organs responsible for immune function can’t keep up. If the nervous system is inhibited and doesn’t allow proper innervation to the immune organs, they can’t do their job properly. Keep yourself healthy by making an appointment, and make sure your immune system is working its best to fend off those illnesses. Let’s get to the point where we don’t have to reach for the antibiotics, and instead call the chiropractor and take your probiotics!
HEALTHY SPINE = HEALTHY NERVOUS SYSTEM = HEALTHY IMMUNE SYSTEM
The excerpt above can be found in its original format at https://ahha.org/friendly-bacteria-2/
