A new study, published in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, demonstrated a connection between diet, and stool pH and bacterial levels in adults.¹ The researchers studied stool samples from vegetarians, vegans, and omnivores. They found lower levels of potentially pathogenic bacteria, like E. coli, in people consuming the vegan or vegetarian diets. What they also found, in conjunction, was a decrease in stool pH level with decreases in consumption of animal proteins. Those on the omnivore diet had a stool pH of 6.9; those on the vegetarian diet (which included dairy and eggs) had a stool pH of 6.6; and those on a vegan diet (no animal proteins) had a stool pH of 6.3.

The higher pH in the omnivore diet is explained in part by an increase in the production of alkaline metabolites by enhanced growth of the protein-digesting putrefactive bacteria in the gut. That’s right—a diet high in animal protein promotes increased putrefying activity of gut bacteria, raising the pH of stool and making products like putracene, cadaverine, and nitrosamine, which could lead to colon cancer. Diets lower in animal protein and—this is key—higher in fiber promote gut bacterial activity that produces more acid via production of the beneficial short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) butyrate, propionate, and acetate, promoting a more acidic environment in the gut.

The change in pH levels explains why potentially pathogenic bacteria were increased in the higher pH (more alkaline) stools of people consuming an omnivorous diet. Lower pH ranges do not support the growth of potential pathogens, which thrive in the higher pH range over 6.5.^2,3 So I say, stay alive under 6.5!  

Here is a major point. The lower pH may be mainly a biomarker indicating the production of the SCFAs, particularly butyrate. Butyrate is a major fuel for the colonocytes, and is critical for optimum colon health. Butyrate also affects nuclear transcription in a positive way. In other words, when colonic cells are under attack from absorption of free radicals from fecal material (more likely to happen with chronic constipation), the nucleus, under stress, sends a message to the cell: either commit suicide (apoptosis) or produce more damaged cells (cancer).  Butyrate is more likely to promote apoptosis, preventing cancerous cells and allowing new cells to come in and maintain a healthy colon lining.

However, we must always remember everything is a question of balance.  All of the SCFAs including butyrate come from the fermentation of soluble fiber from plants by commensal bacteria. Too much fermentation with too low of a pH (or too much acid) can damage the colonic lining creating increased permeability problems leading to numerous problems including immune imbalances which can have total body effects.

The researchers also found a decrease in levels of Bifidobacteria and Bacteroides in the people on a vegan diet. This is in contrast to other studies that have found increases in Bifidobacteria, and seems an anomalous finding, since high-fiber diets support the growth of Bifidobacteria, while suppressing the growth of potential pathogens. Perhaps a closer look at the diets would be in order. Many vegetarians and vegans eat high amounts of refined carbohydrates, and too much fats and oils which do not promote healthy Bifidobacteria levels.

The researchers state, “In addition to age, gender and diet, factors such as microbial interaction, food transit through different intestinal compartments with different bacterial colonization density, availability of nutrients, colonic supply, sulphate and bile acids, and bacterial adaptation may all be involved in the composition and activity of colonic microflora. This may help in understanding the lower abundance of Bifidobacteria and Bacteroides species in vegans and vegetarians, which was not linked to stool pH.”

At any rate, all diets—vegan, vegetarian, and omnivore—will benefit by adding probiotic-rich foods along with supplements to help replenish levels of the beneficial Bifidobacteria and Lactobacilli. These bacteria, along with a high-fiber diet high in vegetables and fruits, help to lower the pH in the intestines by producing the nourishing SCFAs.

Incidentally, this topic can confuse the message of the benefits of a high-alkaline diet. You may have heard that a diet high in animal protein, sugar, and refined carbohydrates creates acidity in the body. Yes, these foods do lower urine and salivary pH levels, which are thought to be associated with bone mineralization, a process that helps neutralize acidity by pulling alkaline minerals from bone.  Chronic low grade acidity (metabolic acidosis) also causes excess loss of calcium, magnesium and potassium in the urine. Diets high in vegetables and fruits, on the other hand, produce more alkaline urine and saliva levels, which is associated with reduced bone loss and reduced loss of minerals in the urine.⁴ These variabilities in optimum pH in different areas show the body’s ability to change based on local environment and physiologic and biochemical requirements.

The bottom line is, healthy pH levels, whether in the colon or systemic, are found when you eat a high-fiber diet, high in vegetables and fruits, healthy proteins, and healthy fats. Complement this with foods and supplements high in beneficial bacteria, omega-3 fatty acids, and digestive enzymes, and you will be supporting optimal health (which begins in the digestive system).

References

1.  J. Zimmer, et al., “A vegan or vegetarian diet substantially alters the human colonic faecal microbiota.” Eur J Clin Nutr. 2012 Jan;66(1):53-60.
2. J. Adler, “A method for measuring chemotaxis and use of the method to determine optimum conditions for chemotaxis by Escherichia coli.” J Gen Microbiol. 1973 Jan;74(1):77-91.
3. G.R. Gibson, et al., “Prebiotics and resistance to gastrointestinal infections.” Br J Nutr. 2005 Apr;93 Suppl 1:S31-4.
4. B. Dawson-Hughes, et al., “Treatment with potassium bicarbonate lowers calcium excretion and bone resorption in older men and women.” J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2009 Jan;94(1):96-102.

Leonard Smith, M.D.

Dr. Leonard Smith is a prominent Board-Certified, general, gastrointestinal and vascular surgeon who had a successful private practice for 25 years. In addition to his active surgery practice, he also incorporated lifestyle, diet, supplementation, exercise, detoxification, and stress management into many of the therapies he would prescribe. Many of his patients with cancer, cardiovascular disease, and other serious illnesses did so well under his treatment regimes that he began to devote most of his career to foundational health care and preventive medicine.

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The gut-brain axis involves the connection of the gut to the brain. This connection goes in both directions—from the brain to the gut and from the gut to the brain. In one way, the gut-brain axis is connected by the vagus nerve—a large nerve connecting the brain to the intestines and other organs. The vagus nerve both sends messages to various organs, and also receives messages from these organs—including the gut—to send to the brain. A new study has established the vagus nerve as a main form of communication from the gut bacteria to the brain.

In an animal model, researchers were able to show that mice fed the probiotic Lactobacillus rhamnosus JB-1 showed less stress-, anxiety-, and depression-related behaviors than did mice not fed the bacteria. Further, the probiotic mice had lower levels of the stress hormone corticosterone, and they also experienced changes in the expression of receptors of the neurotransmitter GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid) in the brain—highlighting the ability of probiotics to directly affect brain chemistry under normal conditions.

This is an early study that will need to be replicated in humans, but studies like these pave the way for our understanding of the complexities of the gut connection. Did you ever think your gut could have such an effect on your health? If you read my blog regularly, I sure hope so!

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Probiotic use for digestive conditions has seen a gradual increase in dosage over the past couple decades. Doses of 7 billion were thought to be very high just ten years ago, while average doses were about 250 million. Today, an average probiotic dose is around 1–5 billion with high-dose probiotics ranging from 30 to 450 billion or more. This increase comes with improvements in the development of probiotics and increased interest in studying high-dose probiotics, as is reflected in the literature.

The gut is home to about 100 trillion bacteria cells—10 times the amount of cells that make up the entire human body. For this reason, high-dose probiotic therapy may have a greater impact on the beneficial modulation of the gut flora, or microbiota. Here I’ll review a few studies on high-dose probiotics for gastrointestinal conditions.

In a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study published in 2010 in the Journal of American Gastroenterology, 225 patients were randomized to one of three groups: two probiotic capsules per day providing 100 billion CFU (colony forming units) of live organisms, one probiotic capsule and one placebo capsule per day providing 50 billion CFU of live organisms, or two placebo capsules.¹ A dose-ranging effect was shown in which the group receiving the 100 billion CFUs had lower incidence of antibiotic-associated diarrhea (AAD) than the 50 billion group, and both probiotic groups had lower incidence versus placebo. In those patients who did acquire AAD, Clostridium difficile-associated diarrhea (CDAD) incidence was lower than the 500 billion CFU group, and both probiotic groups had lower CDAD incidence than placebo.

A previous dose-response study published in 1991 in the journal Microbial Ecology in Health and Disease investigated fecal recovery of the probiotic Lactobacillus casei strain GG (LGG).² In this study, healthy volunteers were assigned to six different groups: 1.5 million, 15 million, 150 million, 1.5 billion, 15 billion and 150 billion CFU per day of the probiotic. LGG could not be recovered from the feces of groups taking up to 150 million CFU per day. In the group taking 1.5 billion, LGG was occasionally recovered at low levels in two of the seven volunteers. In the group taking 15 billion CFU per day, all volunteers were colonized. LGG was recovered at the highest level with the highest dose—150 billion. This study showed a dose-response effect at higher dosage levels of 15 to 150 billion CFU per day required for fecal probiotic recovery.

A high-dose multistrain probiotic formula containing eight strains (three bifidobacteria, four lactobacilli and one Streptococcus) has also been shown to colonize the gut and maintain remission of ulcerative colitis (UC) in children and adults.^3-5 In children, 900 billion CFU per day of an eight-strain probiotic formula induced remission.³ In adults, 500 billion CFU per day of that same formula colonized the gut and maintained remission in UC patients.⁴ In another trial, a daily dose of 3.6 trillion CFU per day of the multistrain formula induced remission in adult patients not responding to conventional therapies.⁵

This same preparation (dosages ranging from 450 billion to 1.8 trillion CFU per day, based on weight of patient) was also found to induce and maintain remission of ulcerative colitis in children.⁶ In a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of 29 children with UC, probiotics or placebo were added to standard treatment. In the probiotic group, 92.8 percent achieved remission compared to only 36.4 percent in the placebo group. Further, there were no biochemical or clinical adverse events related to the probiotic treatment in these children.

Two more randomized, controlled trials evaluated the effects of this probiotic preparation in twenty-five patients with diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome (IBS-D). In the first study, patients were assigned to receive either the probiotic mixture (450 billion CFU per day) or placebo for eight weeks. The multistrain probiotic relieved abdominal bloating when compared to placebo. In the second study, 48 IBS patients were randomized, double-blind, to receive either the probiotic mixture (450 billion CFU per day) or placebo for 4 or 8 weeks. The multistrain probiotic mixture reduced flatulence and slowed colonic transit without altering bowel function in patients with IBS and bloating.

In another double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, sixty patients with functional bowel disorders—non-constipation IBS, functional diarrhea and functional bloating—received a probiotic mixture of two strains, Lactobacillus acidophilus and Bifidobacterium lactis, at 200 billion CFU daily for eight weeks.⁷ Abdominal bloating improved in the probiotics group at four and eight weeks when compared to placebo. A subgroup of patients with IBS was analyzed and also found to have reduced bloating when compared to placebo.

Studies evaluating high-dose probiotics are most common for inflammatory bowel diseases, though as we see from the studies cited above, other conditions are also benefitted from a high-potency probiotic therapy. The trend toward increasing dosage of probiotics is influenced and supported by studies using doses ranging from 50 billion up to 3.6 trillion or more.

References

1. Gao XW, et al., “Dose-response efficacy of a proprietary probiotic formula of Lactobacillus acidophilus CL1285 and Lactobacillus casei LBC80R for antibiotic-associated diarrhea and Clostridium difficile-associated diarrhea prophylaxis in adult patients.” Am J Gastroenterol. 2010 Jul;105(7):1636-41.
2. Saxelin M, et al., “Dose-response colonization of faeces after oral administration of Lactobacillus casei strain GG.” MicroEcol Health Dis. 1991 Jan;4:209-14.
3. Miele E, et al., “Effect of a probiotic preparation (VSL#3) on induction and maintenance of remission in children with ulcerative colitis.” Am J Gastroenterol. 2009 Feb;104(2):437-43.
4. Ringel Y, et al., “Probiotic bacteria Lactobacillus NCFM and Bifidobacterium lactis Bi-07 versus placebo for the symptoms of bloating in patients with functional bowel disorders—a double-blind study.” J Clin Gastroenterol. 2011 Jul;45(6):518-25.

1. Miele E, et al., “Effect of a probiotic preparation (VSL#3) on induction and maintenance of remission in children with ulcerative colitis.” Am J Gastroenterol. 2009 Feb;104(2):437-43.
2. Venturi A, et al., “Impact on the composition of the faecal flora by a new probiotic preparation: preliminary data on maintenance treatment of patients with ulcerative colitis.” Aliment Pharmacol Ther. 1999 Aug;13(8):1103-8.
3. Bibiloni R, et al., “VSL#3 probiotic-mixture induces remission in patients with active ulcerative colitis.” Am J Gastroenterol. 2005 Jul;100(7):1539-46.

1. H.J. Kim, et al., “A randomized controlled trial of a probiotic combination VSL# 3 and placebo in irritable bowel syndrome with bloating.” Neurogastroenterol Motil. 2005 Oct;17(5):687-96.
2. H.J. Kim, et al., “A randomized controlled trial of a probiotic, VSL#3, on gut transit and symptoms in diarrhoea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome.” Aliment Pharmacol Ther. 2003 Apr 1;17(7):895-904.

Leonard Smith, M.D.
Dr. Leonard Smith is a prominent Board-Certified, general, gastrointestinal and vascular surgeon who had a successful private practice for 25 years. In addition to his active surgery practice, he also incorporated lifestyle, diet, supplementation, exercise, detoxification, and stress management into many of the therapies he would prescribe. Many of his patients with cancer, cardiovascular disease, and other serious illnesses did so well under his treatment regimes that he began to devote most of his career to foundational health care and preventive medicine.

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The gut-brain connection is fascinating. It involves an intimate communication between the gut and the brain, and it goes in both directions—from the brain to the gut, and from the gut to the brain. I mean, isn’t it cool that what happens in your gut can affect your brain?

Yet another study looking at the gut-brain connection has found that gut bacteria are associated with anxiety. The researchers used an animal model to study this link, as it is easier to work out the details of these connections in animal models. Researchers found that antibiotic treatment altered the normal gut bacterial count, producing a change in behavior—the mice became anxious. They also experienced an increase in brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), linked to anxiety and depression. When the antibiotics were stopped, behavior returned to normal.

To take this one step further, the researchers added gut bacteria from mice genetically prone to be passive, to mice prone to be more active and exploratory, and vice versa. They found that by giving the mice a different set of bacteria, the mice began to behave as the mice from which the bacteria were originally isolated. One of the researchers stated, “these results lay the foundation for investigating the therapeutic potential of probiotic bacteria and their products in the treatment of behavioral disorders, particularly those associated with gastrointestinal conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome.”

Like I said, the gut-brain connection is fascinating.  Did you know your gut had so much power over your health?

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 Constipation is a common childhood condition, unfortunately. Even worse is the mainstream definition of constipation—less than three bowel movements per week. Say what! If you or little Johnny are only pooping three times a week, we’ve got a problem. Regular elimination helps remove toxins from the system. And the longer feces sit in the colon the more toxic it gets!

A recent study evaluated the effect of the probiotic Bifidobacterium breve in children with constipation. Twenty children between the ages of 3 and 16 took the probiotic daily for a 4-week period. Bowel movement frequency and stool consistency improved significantly in these children. That means their constipation improved. The results of this pilot trial are promising, and will lead to a larger randomized controlled trial.  

Bifidobacteria are the most prevalent probiotic bacteria in the large intestine, or colon, of children. Normal bifidobacteria colonization occurs when babies are born vaginally, and is improved during breastfeeding. Antibiotic treatment can interfere with colonization, especially during the first months and years of life. Maintaining a healthy balance of bifidobacteria is associated with intestinal health, which is the foundation of total body health.

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On May 27, 2011 a New York Times article reports that Sherwood Gorbach, a 71 year doctor, has been instrumental in the development of a new antibiotic, Dificid, also known as fidaxomicin, for treating C. difficle (C. diff) diarrhea. Dr. Gorbach spent most of his professional life as professor of medicine and public health at Tufts University. He is also well known in the natural health community as one of the co-inventors of a probiotic known as Lactobacillus GG  (GG stands for Drs. names: Sherwood Gorbach and Barry Golden).  So it is needless to say he is well versed in the use of probiotics.

The discovery and bringing to market of Dificid is no doubt a wonderful event. One reason is there are more antibiotic resistant C. diff strains due to the overuse of Flagyl and Vancocin which have been the mainstays for C. diff treatment. It is important to point out that there are many studies in the medical literature that show the concurrent use of probiotics or probiotic yogurts with antibiotics greatly reduce or prevent C. diff in the first place. ¹ Also, prolonged use of probiotics after a C. diff infection reduces the likelihood of getting recurrent C. diff infections. What a novel concept—why not use probiotics and/or fermented yogurt on a regular basis?  

It turns out that the Dificid, at this point in time being the “new kid on the block,” was shown to be much better than Vancocin in preventing recurrent C. diff. About 25 percent of the Vancocin users had a recurrence compared with only about 15 percent of the Dificid users. Why would this be?  It’s too soon and too new for resistant C. diff strains to develop! What’s more, Dificid like most prescription drugs, has its dark side—namely side effects of nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain and gastrointestinal hemorrhage. Now let’s talk about cost; the drug is likely to be at least as expensive as Vancocin, which costs $1,000 or more for a course of treatment. Optimer, the pharmaceutical company that sells Dificid, is predicted to make about $159 million per year after a few years of selling the drug.

If we really had a health care system in addition to a sickness care system, probiotics would be taken as seriously (if not more so) than antibiotics in both the prevention—and yes, the treatment—of most all infections. It would be interesting for both Dr Gorbach and the New York Times to tell the more complete story of how Dificid could be avoided, but if truly needed, be complemented with probiotics that would include multiple species and strains of Lactobacillus and Bifidobacteria in a high enough dose to really matter, several hundred billion probiotic bacteria per day.

1. Hickson M, et al., “ Use of probiotic Lactobacillus preparation to prevent diarrhoea associated with antibiotics: randomised double blind placebo controlled trial.” BMJ. 2007 Jul 14;335(7610):80. Epub 2007 Jun 29.

Leonard Smith, M.D.

Dr. Leonard Smith is a prominent Board-Certified, general, gastrointestinal and vascular surgeon who had a successful private practice for 25 years. In addition to his active surgery practice, he also incorporated lifestyle, diet, supplementation, exercise, detoxification, and stress management into many of the therapies he would prescribe. Many of his patients with cancer, cardiovascular disease, and other serious illnesses did so well under his treatment regimes that he began to devote most of his career to foundational health care and preventive medicine.

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To me, a very interesting gut connection is that of microbial gut balance to obesity, a condition plaguing one-third of Americans. Studies are very new on this subject of the link between the gut and obesity. In fact, there have only been a few. But boy are they changing how the world looks at the gut—namely, they’re really starting to look!

This new study builds on previous animal studies by looking at the effect of a probiotic (Lactobacillus plantarum) on weight loss. It is already known that there is a difference in the gut flora between obese and lean individuals. This new study found that when rats fed a high-energy-dense diet (high fat, high calorie) were also given L. plantarum, they did not gain as much weight as the animals who did not receive the probiotic. Another group received the less-friendly E. coli bacteria and gained more body fat than those who didn’t.

That’s right—changing the gut bacteria influenced the amount of weight and fat these animals gained. This is an exciting study, because it is just the beginning of what will be a fascinating journey linking the gut to obesity, and all the many conditions related to obesity.  

I’ve known for a long time that in order to heal the body, you have to first heal the gut. In order to heal your gut, however, you have to understand the importance of its function. The gut is not merely a food processor—food in, poop out—but rather gut function is the very foundation upon which your health is built. With an unhealthy digestive tract—and there are many different ways the digestive tract can be unhealthy—you will be less able to heal your body. So start with your gut. What are you waiting for?

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Unnecessary antibiotic use is a common practice, especially in pediatric medicine. Children with ear infections are often prescribed antibiotics, which often aren’t necessary. A recent analysis of 135 published studies found that most kids who see a doctor for ear infection do not need an antibiotic.

The review, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) determined that 80 percent of children with ear infections will get better on their own in about three days. When antibiotics are prescribed, this number only increases to 92 percent, but comes with many side effects—three in ten will develop a rash in reaction to the medication, five in ten more will get diarrhea, and an unpredictable number will be at risk of developing antibiotic resistance. 

Experts encourage doctors to give parents a “safety-net antibiotic prescription,” which is a prescription that parents take home and only use if the child does not improve after three days. This reduces the amount of office visits necessary (which can be one reason for parents to push early prescriptions), and reduces the number of children who take antibiotics unnecessarily.

I see so many people with digestive issues that stem from repeated antibiotic use as a child, and  I know how destructive that can be first hand. The long-term consequences of unnecessary antibiotics can wreak havoc on a person’s digestive system.  They did mine, and it took a long time (and the right supplements) for me to get back to vibrant health.  The more we know about safe ways to avoid antibiotics, the better. 

So the next time one of your little ones has an ear infection, talk to your doctor about a three-day safety-net antibiotic prescription. In the meantime, a bedtime dose of ibuprofen was recommended for best relief.

As always, when taking antibiotics, a probiotic should be taken (not within the same 2 hours) during and after, to help replenish the healthy gut bacteria that are depleted with antibiotic use.

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The title of this article has been taken directly from the journal Gut Pathogens January 2011, and can be accessed for free at www.gutpathogens.com. This article tells the story of the gut connection. As we have been preaching for years, there is good evidence of a connection between gut bacteria and most (if not all) of the body organs, including the skin and brain.  What’s more, the above article presents much new, refined information, but the basic information is included from published references from 80-90 years ago!

Read, and be informed of the following concepts presented:

1.  The regular consumption of fat, sugar and simple carbs low in fiber, will decrease the beneficial bifidobacteria and other probiotic species in the colon and terminal small intestine (the end of the small intestine).

2.  Low  bifidobacteria allows increases of other bacteria that may promote colonic lining (epithelium) inflammation, with increased free radical damage and oxidative stress that leads to increased intestinal permeability (IP), or leaky gut.

3.  Increased IP leads to the passage (or translocation) of partially digested food particles, bacterial toxins, and other bacterial byproducts including fat (or lipids) from dead bacterial cell walls. 

4.  Bacterial cell wall lipids known as lipopolysaccarides (LPS), or also bacterial toxins, are easily measured in the blood, and are important indicators of how much overactivity will occur in the immune system.  Elevated LPS is very likely to occur after eating your favorite ice cream, or even too much bacon and eggs with toast and jelly (high fat, high sugar, and low fiber).

5.  Elevated blood levels of LPS cause the immune system to increase production of inflammatory markers (pro-inflammatory cytokines). These markers can cause many negative reactions, including decreased insulin receptor sensitivity, and thereby elevate blood sugar and insulin levels.

6.  Chronically elevated blood sugar and insulin promote increase in blood lipids, and  increase in inflammation which can contribute to acne, anxiety and depression, among other conditions.

Here is the good news,  a  high-fiber diet found in vegetables, whole grains, legumes, seeds and nuts, with some low glycemic fruits (especially berries) will promote high-normal levels of bifidobacteria. Taking prebiotic fibers was also shown in this article to increase bifidobacteria, and supplementing with bifidobacteria probiotics or fermented foods will definitely have overall beneficial effects on the body, including the skin and the brain. 

Leonard Smith, M.D.
Dr. Leonard Smith is a prominent Board-Certified, general, gastrointestinal and vascular surgeon who had a successful private practice for 25 years.  In addition to his active surgery practice, he also incorporated lifestyle, diet, supplementation, exercise, detoxification, and stress management into many of the therapies he would prescribe.  Many of his patients with cancer, cardiovascular disease, and other serious illnesses did so well under his treatment regimes that he began to devote most of his career to foundational health care and preventive medicine.   

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I like to call the proper balance of gut bacteria your “GPS”—your Gut Protection System. Your GPS works to: protect your intestinal lining; “crowd out” and neutralize the harmful bacteria; and influence the immune system so that it responds in the proper way to harmful invaders like bacteria, toxins, and even undigested food particles.

Your GPS might not be properly balanced—and you may not even know it. Sure, some people experience obvious digestive symptoms like gas and bloating, or heartburn, but some people don’t exhibit digestive symptoms, yet still have a gut imbalance. A malfunctioning GPS can have far-reaching health consequences. For example, many mood disorders, like depression and anxiety, are closely linked to gut health. Rheumatoid arthritis—how much further from the gut could you get?—is also known to be associated with gut imbalances. The list goes on and on. Read about it in my new book, The Road to Perfect Health, available exclusively through my PBS special of the same title. (Check your local PBS listings for show times.)

So, how does your GPS malfunction? Well, there are a number of ways. I’ll highlight some here:

Exposure to chemicals

• Certain medications (like antibiotics and acid-suppressing medications)
• Over processed and refined foods (I call them Dead Foods)
• Low stomach acid

In today’s world, it can be hard to avoid some of these triggers. That’s why it’s best to balance your gut with beneficial probiotic bacteria to get your GPS up and running. As I say: Balance your gut, heal your body.

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