Yoni Whitten, D.C., C.C.W.P
If there were a way to avoid catching a cold and getting the flu this year, while at the same time becoming healthier wouldn’t you like to know about it? It sounds too good to be true doesn’t it? The truth is that there is a proven way to do exactly that and you don’t need a drug or a vaccine to do so. In fact, you have all the necessary tools to start improving your health and drastically reduce your risk of illness right now.
The recent mumps outbreak in New York serves as a potent reminder that we cannot depend solely on vaccines when it comes to safeguarding our health. Since August of 2009 more than 1,000 people have been infected with the mumps in New York and New Jersey. Nearly 80% of those affected were fully vaccinated against the mumps! The good news is that we are equipped, from birth, with something far more powerful and more effective than a vaccine could ever be – our own body’s immune system.
A robust immune system is our number one defense against all diseases – everything from the common cold to cancer. It surprising to many to learn that 85% our immune system is made up of microscopic bacteria living inside of our digestive tract. These bacteria can be classified into two major groups: health-promoting bacteria and potentially harmful bacteria. In order to achieve optimal health and maximal immune system function, we must establish and maintain the proper balance of health-promoting to potentially harmful bacteria in our gut (the ideal ratio is 85:15 “good” to “bad”).
Of various the types of health-promoting bacteria found within the body, probiotics are one of the most important. Medical research continues to uncover health benefits and expand the limits of what was thought possible with regard to these essential nutrients. A study, published in early 2009 showed that just one month of probiotic supplementation increased the body’s ability to fight off the flu by an astonishing 1709%.
At the time of our birth, we are completely sterile and defenseless against potentially harmful invaders and because of this we spend the first part of our lives establishing and building up our immune system. We were designed to acquire some basic level of immunity from our mother’s breast milk. However, because so few children are breastfed these days, children, in particular, benefit tremendously from these essential nutrients. In fact, a recent study, published in the journal Pediatrics, found that young children given probiotic supplements twice a day for a period of just 6 months experienced fewer colds, needed less antibiotics, and missed fewer days of school than kids not taking these nutrients.
In addition, these kids had reduced fever by 73%, decreased coughing by 62%, and reduced runny noses by 59%. The evidence here is as clear as it is exciting; probiotics have the ability to not only prevent sickness, but to lessen the symptoms associated with sickness as well. The use of antibiotics in these kids was also reduced by 84%! This is a major gain in and of itself because antibiotics are so vastly overused in children and this overuse contributes to the spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
Probiotics work their magic by establishing colonies of health-promoting bacteria within the body that literally compete for space with and physically crowd out harmful fungi, bacteria and viruses. They stimulate our immune system and protect us against over-growth of harmful micro-organisms, infection and disease. Probiotics also improve our digestion and absorption of nutrients, promote regular bowel function and are even used for the synthesis of certain vitamins.
Throughout evolution human beings have derived a diverse and healthy supply of probiotics from the foods we eat. Unfortunately for us and our children, the typical American diet is completely devoid of these essential nutrients. What makes matters worse is the fact that the highly-processed, high sugar, non-fiber foods that make up the vast majority of our diet in this country severely disrupts the balance of bacteria in our digestive tract and creates an environment in which potentially harmful bacteria can flourish. Sugar is an incredibly efficient fertilizer for growing bad bacteria within the body.
Other factors such as environmental pollution, drinking water treated with chlorine and/or fluoride and taking antibiotics are profound stressors and further disrupt the balance in a negative way. Some of these stressors are within our power to change, others are not. What we can and must do is put strategies in place to boost the body’s immune function starting with increasing the amount of probiotic-rich foods in our diet or by supplementing with these essential nutrients.
However, if we wish to extract the full benefit from these essential nutrients, we must take the steps necessary to create an environment inside of the body where health-promoting bacteria can flourish. The reward is a stout immune system , improved defenses against every sickness know to man as well as increased vitality and a sense of well-being. Begin today by following the simple action steps listed below.
Action Steps:
References:
1.Acute exercise stimulates macrophage function: possible role of NF-kappaB pathways. Cell Biochemistry and Function. 2006 Aug 14;
2.Nieman DC, Henson DA, Austin MD, Brown VA. The immune response to a 30-minute walk. Med Sci Sports Exerc 37:57-62, 2005. David Nieman, of Appalachian State University
3.Nieman DC, Henson DA, Austin MD, Brown VA. The immune response to a 30-minute walk. Med Sci Sports Exerc 37:57-62, 2005. David Nieman, of Appalachian State University
4.http://www.cnn.com/2010/HEALTH/02/08/mumps.outbreak.northeast/
6.The Journal Pediatrics, August 2009