To begin to turn your health around, the FIRST two most important steps are:  Regain gut health and balance your insulin levels.  Many health problems just go away once these two are in better health.

1. Gut Health

2. Insulin and Insulin resistance

 First step in regaining your health

Gut bacteria and their importance.
There are up to 10 times more bacteria in our gut than the total number of cells in our body. So anything up to 100 trillion bacteria. These bacteria are essential for good health;

• They constitute around 60% of our immune system
• Help you digest your food
• Help detoxify heavy metals and chemical you have been exposed to
• They manufacture Vitamin B’s and Vit K2
• The contribute to our neurotransmitters so help balance out mood
They are direct contributors to natural anti inflammatory processes

A poor ratio of harmful gut organisms to healthy gut organisms leads to problems such as urinary tract infections, IBS and diarrhea. A good diet will promote healthy gut flora but sugars cause an overgrowth of unhealthy bacteria.

Drugs such as antibiotics as well as alcohol and other toxins also upset the balance.  Probiotics help to restore natural balance.

Studies have also shown that probiotics help to prevent and treat infections of the urinary tract or female genital tract, to reduce recurrence of bladder cancer, and to prevent and manage dermatitis/eczema in children through their involvement in reducing leaky gut syndrome.

It is beneficial and necessary to take probiotics during antibiotic therapy and to continue for a few weeks after the end of the course of antibiotics. In fact, taking routine probiotics in certain situations of poor diet and stress may be advisable. Consult with a health care provider if you experience side effects when taking probiotics as it may be wise to titrate up to the recommended dosage if you have disordered gut balance.

Sometimes the gut is so disordered (Dysbiosis) that huge numbers of beneficial bacteria need to be replaced.  This may amount to dosages of 100’s of billion.
Large doses are safe, as side effects, other than gas and bloating, are rare. Doses vary from brand to brand and may vary from 1 billion to several hundred billion organisms per dose. Some strains are to be taken on an empty stomach with water while others may be taken with food. It is wise to follow label instructions.  Generally severe gut dysbiosis will require higher dosages of probiotics, usually around 60 billion or more

Prebiotics (to distinguish from probiotics) are nondigestible carbohydrates that selectively stimulate the growth of the beneficial bacteria already present in the gut. Prebiotics can be taken in supplement form as fructo-oligosaccharides (FOS) and/or inulin and may be taken with probiotics. Food sources include oat bran, onions, asparagus, chicory, and banana.

Problems with the gut, as with all health conditions, impact in different ways on the individual and resolution may involve a special selection of probiotics, careful dosage as well as management of potential parasites.