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Health & Fitness

Dysbiosis: The War of Good Vs. Bad

A healthy balance of bacteria are absolutely essential to good health! Read on learn more about good vs. bad bacteria and 6 steps to optimize your health.

Dysbi—what?  Yes, it’s called dysbiosis and it’s a little known war between the good and bad bacteria in our intestinal tracts that many people aren’t aware of.  

When the bad bacteria are “winning the war”, they can be the cause of a significant number of adverse health conditions.

So you maybe wondering… What exactly is this dysbiosis thing that I’m talking about?  Simply stated, dysbiosis is an imbalance of microbial organisms in the body.  It’s where the normal healthy balance of bacteria begins to favor the bad bacteria.

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We all have billions; yes billions, of microorganisms living in us and on us that we rely upon for good health.  There are more than 400 microbial species in the healthy gastrointestinal tract.  In our intestinal tracts, there is a delicate
balance between good and bad bacteria. 

We rely on good bacteria such as Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium to help with immune system function, control the bad bacteria, produce vitamins such as biotin and vitamin K, hormone production and several other vital functions.

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Digestion and absorption are vital components to our overall functioning.  Many people fail to realize that upwards of 80% of our immune system lies within our gut.  It separates the outer world from the internal environment of our body.
This makes a healthy digestive tract absolutely essential to maintaining good
health.

When the bad bacteria take control of the gut, it becomes nothing but trouble. The bad bacteria contribute to bacterial overgrowth which can have serious health
consequences. 

When the bad bacteria have gone wild they can contribute to:  persistent diarrhea, constipation, bloating, indigestion, irritable bowel syndrome and malabsorption.

However it’s not digestive problems that result from dysbiosis.  This situation
can also contribute to health conditions such as fatigue, body pains, headaches, cognitive problems, lightheadedness, brain fog, general malaise, joint inflammation, rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, thyroiditis (Graves’/Hashimoto’s), SIDS, and colon cancer to name a few.

If you find yourself suffering with numerous symptoms or you’re just not getting any better with your current treatment protocol, a good place to look is the gut. 

There are specific, non-invasive tests that I use regularly to assess the integrity of the gut and to check to see if dysbiosis is contributing to an individual’s health problems.

So how does dysbiosis develop? 

There are a number of ways and here are a few:

- Eating too many sweets and starchy foods

-Overuse of antibiotics

-Stress

-Poor digestion

-Inflammation

-Infection

-Exposure to toxins

-Lowered immune defenses

-Unknown causes

By far, one of the biggest contributing factors to dysbiosis is the use of
antibiotics.  As previously mentioned, healthy people have a delicate balance between good and bad bacteria in their intestinal tracts.  Antibiotics equate to
anti=against, biotic=life.  Against all life both good and bad.

After a round of antibiotics, the delicate bacterial balance in the gut becomes
disrupted.  Remember, the good bacteria are essential to good health. 

What most people fail to do after antibiotic use is to take probiotics to add back the
good bacteria that were wiped out from the antibiotics.  Here’s a hint:   consumption of yogurt just will not do the trick for adding back the good bacteria. 
You would have to consume way too much yogurt to achieve a therapeutic
benefit.

So how can we keep our intestinal tract healthy?

Follow the 6 “R” approach to keeping your gut healthy.

1.  Remove irritants:  remove foods that you maybe allergic to (wheat, soy, eggs, etc.), avoid alcohol, antibiotics (use only if absolutely necessary), and NSAIDs

2.  Reduce:  sugar, processed carbohydrates, saturated fats, meats high in antibiotics and steroids

3.  Restore:  proper bowel movement by increasing the amount of fiber and water in your diet

4.  Replace:  enzymes needed for proper digestion

5.  Reinoculate:  add back the good bacteria as needed by using probiotics supplements with good strains such as Lactobacilli and Bifidobacterium.  Consider the use of healthy products such as inulin that promotes the growth of the good bacteria.

6.  Repair:  supplement as needed with items such as L-glutamine, essential fatty acids, vitamin C, vitamin E and aloe vera, which all help to reduce intestinal inflammation and promote good health. 

A healthydigestive tract is an absolute necessity to good health.  I have had the opportunity in my office to see amazing changes in individual’s health by improving the functioning of their digestive tracts.

If you experience digestive problems or other health conditions that just don’t seem to be getting any better, it would be wise to see which bacteria are “winning
the war” in your intestinal tract. 

Remember to follow the 6 “R” program to stay healthy and/or regain your
health.  80% of your immune system resides in your digestive tract so keep it healthy.

Who’s winning the war in your digestive tract?


Dr. Michael Kirk is the owner of an integrated chiropractic and nutrition practice in Moorestown,NJ.  He can be contacted via his website:  www.PerformanceHealthandChiro.com.

 

Disclaimer:  The content of this article is for informational purposes only.  The
information and recommendations outlined in this article are not intended as a
substitute for personalized medical advice.  The medical information in this article is intended as general information only and should not be used in any way to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.  The goal of this article is to highlight nutritionally significant information, and offer suggestions for nutritional support and health maintenance. Please be advised that any suggested nutritional advice or dietary advice is not intended as a primary treatment and/or therapy for any disease or particular bodily symptom.

 

 

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