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Ultimate Probiotics: A question for imagardener2 and other gardeners on forum

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Ulcerative Colitis
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Posted 8/14/2017 12:23 AM (GMT 0)
I have been taking probiotics for years to help maintain remission. They seem to be effective for me but the problem with probiotics, (from pills, yogurt or kefir), is that they don't colonize in your gut, so they need to be replenished almost daily.

I have read somewhere that there are natural probiotics that can colonize and restore good intestinal flora. These are special elevated microorganisms that can be found on the leaves and skins of organically grown fruit and vegetables.

The key is to eat the produce fresh, raw, and unwashed. I vaguely remember past threads that said one reason why IBD afflicts mostly wealthy countries and is less known is poorer countries is because of our super cleanliness.

I tried putting wild spearmint and wild cucumber from my yard into my salads recently and it does seem to lessen the need for taking probiotics. I dunno, but that might just be a coincidence, after all "correlation does not imply causation".

So my question to the gardeners is: has anyone noticed mitigation of symptoms after eating fresh, raw, and unwashed organic produce from your garden?
Posted 8/14/2017 12:04 PM (GMT 0)
sorry there iac, but i wash the stuff i grow - just because - and we have a lot of wind at our place and subsequently we have a lot of dust - so i rinse the dust/dirt off before i eat - maybe i'll try forgoing the bath and see what happens -
Posted 8/14/2017 1:58 PM (GMT 0)
It's interesting but without washing leaves you are not sure what you are ingesting: both goodies and baddies. I know dirt can carry a lot of baddies, so be careful! Interesting theory though!

When I'm hiking in the mountains I do drink from stream water (only high-up near the summit, and fast moving) which carries risks but I do wonder if there are benefits as well. Less chance of being polluted and might have some goodies in it too. No giardia as of yet but an inherent risk of course!
Posted 8/14/2017 5:05 PM (GMT 0)
My garden has been organic for a while but can'r say I eat much dirt ha. Yes there are some naturally occurring bad bio's like anthrax in soil and I don't think grit (Florida sand) is good for teeth. I also believe when plants are sprayed with pesticide/herbicide it kills the good stuff along with the bad. But without pesticides/herbicides the world would be in famine in under a week. I know from my own garden (spray-free) there are things I can't grow because they will not survive the bugs and disease of Florida.

There is a case to be made for being "too" clean which my house will never be accused of being, but I use parsley based surface cleaner (store bought) instead of chemicals like 409 or Fantastik. Currently I use no probiotics, including yogurt which my gut hates, I did years back but eventually didn't need them. Always have VSL#3 in the fridge just in case but use it very rarely now that things are good.

One of my major "grows" is herbs of all kinds to add to recipes: several basils, Italian, Thai and lemon, mint, a and others. Love cilantro but have to buy it, won't grow for me in Florida. Herbs have multiple health benefits plus taste great and elevate even simple recipes.

Alarming article seen last week about much higher rates of colon and rectal cancer in younger people. My belief is it's due to food choices, likely fast food and red meat and too little vegetable intake including fiber.
Posted 8/14/2017 5:57 PM (GMT 0)

imagardener2 said...

Alarming article seen last week about much higher rates of colon and rectal cancer in younger people. My belief is it's due to food choices, likely fast food and red meat and too little vegetable intake including fiber.

Yes, I was thinking this, too......and young minds (including my own at the time) lack the ability of foresight. And these changes happen at such a snails rate, correlation becomes difficult if not impossible.

We are all left 'wondering" and that can be a frustrating place sometimes......

A friend brought over some organic veggies he grew and when I made the suggestion of not washing them, he furrowed his brows and told me about all the worms he'd recently removed from them. I decided to go with 'half measures" and did a semi-thorough rinse instead turn
Posted 8/15/2017 11:08 PM (GMT 0)
Youre probably better off eating raw carrots etc and getting your good microbes that way. I would think the deeper layer of soil there would host more benign and benevolent bacteria than what you may run into on the surface. Some of the "backlash " or bad press, from organic produce comes from e coli or salmonella contaminating the leaves after an animal walks through the field after stepping in manure or whatever, so a legitimate concern.
Posted 8/16/2017 2:00 AM (GMT 0)
I was introduced to the "medical medium" - name of a book, on a trip last year. Two of the first people I met somehow started talking about severe autoimmune diseases they had and swore by the book...I thought well, why not. I only read a few pages (so radically different from the diet I am on...wasn't willing to give it a try)...but I know his introductory gist was exactly your premise....eat - specifically organic - unwashed fruits and vegetables. He strongly believes that is where the strongest probiotics are to be found.

According to the diet and studies I AM following from the "Gut and Psychology Syndrome" book, or GAPS (almost identical to the specific carb diet) is that certain vaccinations, too many sugary foods and refined carbs, diets high in fiber from grains "has a profound negative effect on gut flora, gut health and general body metabolism, predisposing a person to IBS, bowel cancer,....etc.", bottle fed babies (long spiel on lack of breastfeeding and the longterm effects of this), long term stress, pollution, exposure to toxic substances, exposure to ionizing radiation, and extreme climates all have a profound effect on our friendly bacteria, antibiotics, fast food....ad infinitum .
Posted 8/16/2017 5:00 AM (GMT 0)
I cannot imagine not washing fruits and veggies before eating, it is just something that I have always automatically done, but there may be something in what you say, who really knows for sure. Maybe just a quick wipe would suffice, especially if you know where it comes from, like your own garden!

I get my probiotics from Water Kefir so I feel like I have got things covered on that score.
Posted 8/16/2017 11:39 AM (GMT 0)
I was thinking more about picking berries off a bush from your yard or maybe an unsprayed apple from a tree.

But it was just a thought that will soon disappear after watching a few more episodes of Monsters Inside Me. smile
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