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The Role of Probiotics in the Immune System

By Jana Jennings

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For Beginning Nutritional Students of All Ages.

For any nutrition to make a difference in our immune system, and thus our health, it must be received in an environment conducive to absorption. Probiotics help contribute to a healthy intestinal environment.

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Introduction

A large portion of our immune system is in our digestive system.

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Doctors’ opinions of the amount of our immune system residing in our digestive tract range from 40 – 80%. At any opinion, it is worth giving attention to the military based in our gut.

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Doctor Opinions of Immune System

Digestive SystemLymphatic System

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Dr. Joseph Mercola suggests six vital functions of probiotics in the digestive tract.

Your friendly bacteria help to…

•Digest and promote absorption of some undigested starches, fiber, and sugars.• Produce K and B vitamins and promote mineral

absorption.•Metabolize and break down toxins.

Probiotic Functions

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• Keep bad bacteria under control. Probiotics also act as anti-inflammatories for bacteria-induced types of inflammation.• Prevent allergies.• Provide vital support to your immune system.

Probiotic Functions

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Optimal Intestinal Bacteria Ratio

Good BacteriaBad Bac-teria

Optimally, these nice guys should outnumber the bad guys by 85 to 15 percent.

Gut Bacterial Ratio

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Many health issues can be resolved by restoring the optimal ratio between the good and the bad bacteria, helping us to heal from malnourishment and toxicity.

Gut Bacterial Ratio

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For those exceptional people who make perfect dietary choices, probiotic supplementation is very seldom needed. But some circumstances may warrant supplementation for optimal recovery, such as overconsumption of sugar and taking antibiotics.

Dietary Choices

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Broad spectrum antibiotics not only kill bad bacteria, but also kill your good bacteria, and can create “superbugs” when the course of treatment isn’t completed as directed.

Antibiotics

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Bad Bacteria

Bad bacteria thrive on sugar and starch carbohydrates, but starve in the absence of carbohydrates.

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Probiotic Strains

There are many different strains of probiotics and each target different bacteria in their anti-inflammatory functions.

Strains continued on next page

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For example, one study found that Lactobacillus and Propionibacterium groups were more effective anti-inflammatories in the inflammatory marker, CRP, which contributes to cardiovascular problems.

Return to probiotic functions

Probiotic Strains

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In addition to looking for various probiotic strains in your probiotic supplements, also look for those that…

• need no refrigeration, • have a long shelf life, • can survive stomach acid in order to

pass into small intestine, and •will reside long enough to colonize.

Shopping for Probiotic Supplements

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For centuries and millennia past, we fermented foods. Only homemade and unpasteurized, lacto-fermented foods made from raw ingredients, actually offer the best probiotic treatment.

What did we do before

supplements?

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Kefir is loaded with beneficial enzymes and bacteria, especially if made with raw milk. It is rich and creamy, and very easy to make. It is almost lactose free as well.

Kefir

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Sauerkraut is another lacto-fermented food that has been providing superb nutrition for many centuries. It is eaten as a condiment at most meals for some people around the world.

This batch of sauerkraut has been fermented with caraway seeds.

Sauerkraut

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For his second round-the-world voyage, Captain Cook loaded 60 barrels of sauerkraut onto his ship.

The sauerkraut had preserved sufficient quantities of vitamin C to protect the entire crew from scurvy. (Nourishing Traditions)

Captain Cook

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An excellent resource packed with recipes for excellent nutrition and tons of nutritional information and history is Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon

Return to Captain Cook

Nourishing Traditions

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Making dietary changes that optimize the good to bad bacteria ratio is a must in order to achieve the goals intended with the remainder of our good nutritional choices. If the intestinal walls and its environment are not healthy, nutrients cannot be adequately absorbed.

Conclusion