Those who've been around me long enough will know that the two supplements I recommend for everyone -- whether healthy or not -- is omega-3 fatty acids (fish oil) and probiotics. In my opinion these are hands down absolutely necessary and I don't say that lightly. In this issue I want to share with you specifically about probiotics.
 
If you're like most people, you absolutely want to live with vitality, feeling at the height of health all the time, to get the most out of life. Probiotics, or friendly bacteria, are your ticket.
 
The term probiotics comes from the Greek, "for life." Probiotics are live microorganisms that, when ingested in sufficient numbers, replenish the microflora in your intestinal tract and thereby perform a number of health-enhancing functions.
 
It has been said that "death begins in the colon." However I have come to agree with others that say "life begins in the colon." Maintaining great colonic health is absolutely essential to maintaining improved overall health. No question.
 
Some of the things that go on in your colon may surprise you. Did you know that:

•    There are 500 species of bacteria living inside you.

•    One hundred trillion bacteria live inside you -- more than the number of cells you have in your entire body.

•    The weight of these bacteria is about two to three pounds.

•    Some of these bacteria are referred to as "good" and some as "bad." The ideal balance between them is 85 per cent good and 15 per cent bad.

A problem arises when that balance of good and bad bacteria is reversed, leading to a condition called dysbiosis -- an unbalanced situation, coming from the prefix dys, which means "impaired, difficult, bad" and the suffix biosis meaning "life." The balance shifts to 85 per cent bad and 15 per cent good bacteria, and this leads to a myriad of dysfunctions, one being a compromised mmune system.
 
This problem in balance shift stems from our society’s fear of every trace of bacteria in our food supply and everywhere else, and all the ways we try to get rid of them. I totally understand as I used to be the same way. But this unfortunately has come back to bite us. As a whole, we are less exposed to bacteria now than in the past -- both "bad" and "good" bacteria.
 
Foods that have a good supply of health-promoting bacteria are cultured foods such as yogurt, kefir, cheese, and sauerkraut. But due to strict food safety regulations, less bacteria (bad or good) survive the manufacturing process. Many products, especially milk products, are pasteurized or sterilized at the end of the production process, which destroys bacteria, bad and good.
 
Although this is helpful in disease prevention, it also equates to obtaining less health-promoting bacteria. Since beneficial bacteria are increasingly absent in our food, the supplementation with probiotics in our diets becomes essential so our digestive and immune systems can maximize the effects of a healthy diet.
 
If you do nothing else to change your diet at the present time (I hope you will later if you're not eating right) but add a fish oil and a probiotic supplement you'll be laughing not just figuratively but literally as your health and vitality will skyrocket.
 
Supplements I recommend are: Fish oil: Nutra Sea. Probiotics: Primal Defense by Garden of Life. If you have any questions about how to take them to be most effective, please ask as it’s best to get as much out of them as you can so that they have their greatest effect.

If you’re interested in learning more about nutrition, exercise and health-related issues please sign-up for my free newsletter at www.makersbody.com/newsletter.html.

Tyron Piteau is a registered kinesiologist, personal trainer, and corrective exercise specialist. tyron@makersbody.com

Copyright North Shore Magazine Issue Oct - Nov 07