“Friendly bacteria have long been known to block the growth of toxin-producing organisms.”

That is a quote from Dr. Royal Lee in the 1950’s. He was referring to the vital role that beneficial intestinal microbes play in human health.

Sixty years later, in 2013, the “Microbiome Project” made big science news. This enormous study revealed more details than have ever been published on the subject of gut bacteria.

While we’ve long known that we need friendly intestinal bacteria to prevent such things as diarrhea, constipation, colitis, cramps, gas, diverticulitis, colon and rectal cancer, etc….it is now apparent that a healthy supply of friendly bacteria in the gut does much more than that!

These amazing microscopic critters also greatly influence our getting, preventing, and curing conditions like diabetes, obesity, autoimmune disease, heart disease, depression and/or anxiety, insomnia, and more.

And, as Dr. Lee indicated so long ago, they are involved in detoxifying foreign substances, like immune challenges, out of the body.

We often encourage our patients to work hard at building up their immune systems, so they don’t fall prey to hostile bacteria and viruses. Knowing what we now know about the gut having such a huge role in immunity, our focus must be strongly upon the digestive system. How can we best support it?

1. Stomach acid – needs to be increased in almost every American! The dominance of refined and processed food substances in the national diet has universally resulted in a lamentable lack of necessary stomach acid. So, to a healthy diet of organic whole, real foods, be sure to add digestive enzymes at each meal. Always avoid antacids, which only increase the problem. Come in and be checked for ProSynbiotic or other friendly bacterial support that your body requires.

2. Leaky gut syndrome – an all-too-common condition that often is not recognized. Again, the refined and processed food substances are responsible. Tiny gut perforations allow undigested food particles and unfriendly bacteria (which would normally be destroyed by the friendly fighters in the gut) to pass through into the bloodstream, causing inflammation which becomes chronic – resulting in disease issues as referred to above. Even if you have changed your way of eating to a healthy one, you may be in need of bovine colostrum supplements to help heal this long-standing condition.

Dr. Lee also said, “Good food is only ‘good’ if you can digest it.” How true. A strong and well-functioning digestive system is absolutely foundational to good health!

Let’s make sure we are getting every possible inch of nutritional ‘mileage’ from our food.