Replenishing intestinal flora (WAS: Probiotics)

[Guest guest]

Hi Ron,

 

I realize that " billions and billions " sounds like a huge number ... and it

is if we're discussing how many hamburgers McDonald's has sold. But in the

world of microbiology, bacteria grow in proportion to their food supply. If

you simply eat well ... and DON'T eat poorly ... the flora in your gut will

replenish themselves quite nicely and in a reasonable timeframe.

 

What do I mean to " don't eat poorly " ? Don't eat a lot of high-fat foods.

Don't eat a lot of (or any of, really) dehydrated foods. Don't eat salt and

spices and the like. Just eat very simply. And DO forage (ask people if you

can harvest the trees in their backyards) and buy directly from farmers at

every opportunity.

 

If this response does not satisfy you, then here is another option, which I

offer in spite of my own commitment to veganism. If you simply eat ONE meal

of plain, raw yogurt, you will do more to replenish the flora in your gut

than you will by consuming all toe probiotics in the store. Then just let

the bacteria go to work inside you. But honestly, only choose this course if

you feel impatient. Which leads me to ...

 

From my perspective, the real issue here is choosing to trust Nature's

design, and choosing to exercise the patience that flows from that sense of

trust.

 

Best to all,

Elchanan

_____

 

dukkadon [dukkadon]

Friday, January 18, 2008 10:23 PM

 

Probiotics

 

 

I have just taken myself off some pretty powerful bipolar II drugs. Among

other side-effects, I believe these drugs probably wiped out my intestinal

flora (or fauna, whichever it is) and I'm now interested in replenishing

these bacteria.

 

I understand that there are over 500 different kinds of friendly bacteria in

the gut, and that I need billions and billions of them to help with

digestion, absorbsion of nutrients, controlling bad bacteria, etc.

 

I understand that replenishing these bacteria is a problem because most of

the bacteria in the food I eat will be killed by the acids in the stomach.

So the problem becomes: where can I get billions and billions of these

friendly bacteria; and, how can I get them past the acids in my stomach

without killing them? How can I re-establish a colony of them in my gut?

 

Any advice would be appreciated--especially if anyone knows what I can eat,

or where I can buy supplements, etc.

 

Thanks.

 

Ron

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

Hello Elchanan,

 

It's good to hear from you! Thanks for the sane response, Buddy!

 

I am the impatient type, so I think I will buy a quart of the yogurt

that has 8 different kinds of bacteria in it and eat that over a

week's time. But I thought I need more than 8 kinds of bacteria. I

thought there were some 500+ kinds. Where do I get those? And how do

those bacteria get past the hydrochloric acid in my stomach to

establish a colony in the intestine, that's what I'd like to know?

 

I've also decided to stop drinking tap water, which contains flourine,

chlorine, and some other chemicals to treat the water against possible

germs. . . of course these poisons kill the bacteria in my intestines

as easily as they kill the bacteria in tap water, right?

 

And I'm quitting coffee, salt, spices, and animal protein, which

collects antibiotics and chemicals that the animal is fed.

 

Easy to say; more difficult to do! Today will be Day One. . . again.

 

Ron

 

 

 

, " Elchanan " <Elchanan wrote:

>

> Hi Ron,

>

> I realize that " billions and billions " sounds like a huge number ...

and it

> is if we're discussing how many hamburgers McDonald's has sold. But

in the

> world of microbiology, bacteria grow in proportion to their food

supply. If

> you simply eat well ... and DON'T eat poorly ... the flora in your

gut will

> replenish themselves quite nicely and in a reasonable timeframe.

>

> What do I mean to " don't eat poorly " ? Don't eat a lot of high-fat foods.

> Don't eat a lot of (or any of, really) dehydrated foods. Don't eat

salt and

> spices and the like. Just eat very simply. And DO forage (ask people

if you

> can harvest the trees in their backyards) and buy directly from

farmers at

> every opportunity.

>

> If this response does not satisfy you, then here is another option,

which I

> offer in spite of my own commitment to veganism. If you simply eat

ONE meal

> of plain, raw yogurt, you will do more to replenish the flora in

your gut

> than you will by consuming all toe probiotics in the store. Then

just let

> the bacteria go to work inside you. But honestly, only choose this

course if

> you feel impatient. Which leads me to ...

>

> From my perspective, the real issue here is choosing to trust Nature's

> design, and choosing to exercise the patience that flows from that

sense of

> trust.

>

> Best to all,

> Elchanan

> _____

>

> dukkadon [dukkadon]

> Friday, January 18, 2008 10:23 PM

>

> Probiotics

>

>

> I have just taken myself off some pretty powerful bipolar II drugs.

Among

> other side-effects, I believe these drugs probably wiped out my

intestinal

> flora (or fauna, whichever it is) and I'm now interested in replenishing

> these bacteria.

>

> I understand that there are over 500 different kinds of friendly

bacteria in

> the gut, and that I need billions and billions of them to help with

> digestion, absorbsion of nutrients, controlling bad bacteria, etc.

>

> I understand that replenishing these bacteria is a problem because

most of

> the bacteria in the food I eat will be killed by the acids in the

stomach.

> So the problem becomes: where can I get billions and billions of these

> friendly bacteria; and, how can I get them past the acids in my stomach

> without killing them? How can I re-establish a colony of them in my

gut?

>

> Any advice would be appreciated--especially if anyone knows what I

can eat,

> or where I can buy supplements, etc.

>

> Thanks.

>

> Ron

>

>

>