Probiotic

Hi,

I am getting info about the Probiotics as well. Here is the thread where a couple brands have been mentioned:
https://www.healingwell.com/community/default.aspx?f=17&m=1005218

  My two main suggestions for choosing a good quality probiotic are:   1) Only buy brands from the refrigerator section in the store and keep in the refrigerator at home.   2) Buy a brand from a “practitioner only range”, rather than the commercial brands "directly off shelf" as advised by the shop staff. It may mean you have to make an appointment with a naturopath first but these professionals normally have the very best top-of-the-range brands available.   In Australia , I use a range called Metagenics, which contains 20 billion organisms per capsule.   I have had these links saved under my favourites for a while now and often refer to them. I have found them informative and useful.   You obviously know a lot about probiotics, so I include these links for others that may not :   http://health.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=72149   http://www.usprobiotics.org   http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/455964   http://www.scienceblog.com/community/older/2003/F/20033964.html (you may need to copy and paste the links?) We have a yoghourt at home called Jalna. On the label it says it contains 200 million live cultures of friendly bacteria per serve but it does not say how much a serve is. I am lactose intolerant so I can’t eat it. A tablet or powder would be much easier.

I've been very happy with Theralac. You can read extensively about it by adding .com after the name. It may be a bit more expensive than some, but it has 20 billion organisms and 5 + 2 strains in an acid-proof case allowing it to pass through stomach acid and colonize the intestines at full strength.

I sound like a walking ad. Oh well...it's doing its job...

It seems there are more and more good brands out there now that probiotics are beginning to get sooooo much attention. Recent studies say they improve immune function in general. Probably everyone should take them! My recommendation: do a bit of research on different brands, and then go with your gut. ugh...bad pun...

I was surprised when I checked out the price of VSL3. Not as bad as I was expecting from reading other posts. I hope to purchase it in the next week or two and add it to the potpourri.

Good luck to you!

But what really are yogurt's health advantages, and do commercial products deliver these advantages?

Broad health benefits

"The one thing we're sure of is that yogurt is of benefit to marginally lactose tolerant individuals," says William Sandine, professor, Oregon State University. The enzyme lactase (or |beta~-galactosidase)--which is stable in the yogurt culture S. thermophilus--breaks down much of the lactose to galactose and glucose.

:)

EMom said...
I've been very happy with Theralac. You can read extensively about it by adding .com after the name. It may be a bit more expensive than some, but it has 20 billion organisms and 5 + 2 strains in an acid-proof case allowing it to pass through stomach acid and colonize the intestines at full strength.

I sound like a walking ad. Oh well...it's doing its job...

It seems there are more and more good brands out there now that probiotics are beginning to get sooooo much attention. Recent studies say they improve immune function in general. Probably everyone should take them! My recommendation: do a bit of research on different brands, and then go with your gut. ugh...bad pun...

I was surprised when I checked out the price of VSL3. Not as bad as I was expecting from reading other posts. I hope to purchase it in the next week or two and add it to the potpourri.

Good luck to you!

I just read up on the Theralac product/website. They are located here in Minnesota! Who knew?!
I called and asked them about possible ingredients that would be a problem for me. Now I am unsure if I can take this. I asked about the worst allegies I have: fish/seafood and tree nuts. They said no problem on the tree nuts, but that there is an ingredient, sodium alginate, that is derived from seaweed. Uggh. I can't win. Not sure if I can take this now.

Yup...haven't heard good things about Activa. You'd be better off buying an organic whole milk yogurt. Better yet, make your own. Many people here do. You can post a question and they'll tell you how.

Maybe you wouldn't be allergic to the seaweed ingredient...

Don't give up! There are many good brands. You'll just have to do your homework to make sure they pass your requirements! Again, good luck to you!

MikeB said...
MY Gi is very high on the VSL3 and considers it the "Cadlillac" or probiotics, having had good results with many of his Crohn's patients. So I started it ten days ago and we shall see. He says (and their promotional literature repeats this) that it contains many more active bugs than most over the counter probiotics. In fact there have even been a few small clinical trials testing VSL3 that found some strong evidence of therapuetic benefit. I'm reserving judgment but open to see how it works.

Are you using the pill form?
(just looked at their website, thanks.)