Posted 5/6/2010 4:21 PM (GMT 0)
Probiotics are good bacteria. Our bodies contain both, good and bad. The good's job is to keep the bad in check.
The bad bacteria may or may not cause infection, some of us cut our fingers and do not get infected, some do, with bacteria.
Chances are, if you have IBD, your bacteria, or intestinal flora, is out of balance. So probiotics can help bring the flora back into balance.
I started using long before the medical doctor's came to this realization, and now healthy bacteria is being marketed all the time.
You can get good bacteria cheaply, by going to a health food store and getting a good plain organic yogurt and then using that as your starter for making yogurt yourself (very easy to do, I'm sure you can google a recipe for it or try a SCD website, which I bet will find you all kinds of recipes for making it yourself.
For those who find yogurt as disgusting as sour milk, like me, you can take probiotics in pill from. The price will range from 10 -100 dollars, depending on the type. I find Primal Defense in powder from, so I can regulate how much I take, works best for me. Having said that, I do switch up my brands, as each use different compilations of probiotics. A good rule is a multi-spectrum probiotic with types that will survive digestion into the colon.
NOTE: When starting any supplement, start small, every other day if not half doses and work up. With Probiotics you will react, more diarrhea, chillls/sweats, bloating among other effects as the body detoxifies. This will stop, or should, over time, as the good over take the bad.
ProB's are good for every gut, not just sick ones. Our ultra processed and chemically laden food can lead to an imbalance of flora. Guaranteed if you've taken anti biotics your gut will benefit from ProB's. If you have IBD, Probiotics should be part of the daily regimine.
Our bacteria flora, which covers us inside and out is important to keep in balance. It's why we should not use antibacterial soap, as anti biotics and anti bacterials cannot distinguish good bacteria from bad, and kill both. Plan soap and time will be just as effective on the dirt, and will leave the good bacteria alone.
I only buy Probiotics from health food stores, usually they are refrigerated, but Primal Defense is not, which makes it easy to travel with. At home I refrigerate, just cuz I can. It's not cheap though.
I hope this helps :)
BE well,