Recommended Probiotic Supplement
Kristina Amelong, CCT, CNC
If you take regular enemas, you should also take a probiotic on a regular basis. In fact, most people should regularly take probiotics, due to the numerous health benefits they provide. Our modern world is full of stressors and toxins that decimate our gut flora: antibiotics, the constant pressures of work and adult life, processed foods, birth control and other hormonal or steroidal drugs, coffee, pesticides... The list goes on and on.
Choosing the right probiotic can be a challenging task. After conducting extensive research and observing patient results, I choose
Ortho Biotic as the primary probiotic for my practice and for my customers who count on me to assist them with their in-home enema programs.
Yes, frequent colon cleansings can be an excellent healing and preventative health tool, and probiotics are vital to good health. They boost your immune system, help you maintain a healthy GI environment, and promote digestion. That is why this product is at the top of my supplement recommendations list, and why I find
Ortho Biotic probiotic and prebiotic capsules to be the most effective probiotic for my patients.
One of the most compelling reasons I selected this product was because
Ortho Molecular, the company that manufactures Ortho Biotic, was able to provide me with the background information to satisfy my key "must haves" in a probiotic.
Why I recommend
Ortho Biotic (or, overall strict criteria to follow for choosing your probiotic):
- Formulated with broad-spectrum organisms that integrate well with the human GI ecosystem.
- Contains specific probiotic streams with researched survival attributes for transit through the stomach and intestines.
- Includes a super-strain called Saccharomyces boulardii. This unique organism is considered a "prebiotic" organism because it makes probiotics work better. It does this by binding bad bacteria such as Clostridium difficile, crowding them out, and making room for the probiotic organisms to work and thrive. One of the main benefits I've seen in my patients is reduced gas and bloating that can commonly occur when taking probiotics.
- People getting medical care can catch serious infections called healthcare-associated infections (HAIs). While most types of HAIs are declining, one -- caused by the C. difficile bacteria -- remains at historically high levels. C. difficile causes diarrhea linked to 14,000 American deaths each year. Those most at risk are people, especially older adults, who take antibiotics and also get medical care.
- Demonstrated adherence to the GI track.
- Through a unique new technology, Ortho Biotic probiotic blend is stabilized and verified for room temperature storage.
- This probiotic is free of dairy, soy, corn, wheat, and gluten, imperative for the numerous patients I see with GI sensitivities.
- Available in a powder or Bioshield technology capsules, delivering more active probiotics to the GI tract.
Next to
vitamin D, probiotics are at the top of my supplement recommendations list. That's why you'll find this probiotic for sale in our online store, along with information on maximizing your healthy gut flora.
Doctors and researchers have been paying more attention to the health benefits of probiotics in recent years. This study outlines the myriad benefits of probiotics such as supporting prevention of bowel diseases, improving the immune system, supporting lactose intolerance and intestinal microbial balance, having antihypertensive effects, helping alleviate postmenopausal disorders, and reducing traveler's diarrhea. In addition to that, modulation of the gut-brain axis by probiotics has been suggested as a novel therapeutic solution for anxiety and depression.
▶︎ Read Study: Beneficial Properties of Probiotics
No matter what probiotic formula you choose, make sure to use the strict criteria I've mapped out above.
For intensive support, to be used when you are dealing with significant GI and/or immune distress, use
PRObiotic 225. With 225 billion CFUs (colony-forming units) at the time of expiration, it is one of the most potent bio-therapeutic agents available.
If you'd rather only take a probiotic after an enema series, PRObiotic 225 is an excellent choice. If you're looking to buy top probiotics with proven effectiveness, these are both effective options.
Probiotic Foods List
Probiotic capsules are great for daily use, recovering from reduced stomach biodiversity, and generally ensuring a consistent, easy means for keeping up microflora levels. However, we cannot overlook the most natural and traditional means of maintaining these helpful bacteria: fermented foods and drinks. Used in tandem with a probiotic like Ortho Biotic or PRObiotic 225, fermented foods can help ensure maximum delivery of healthy, active microbiota.
That's why we've compiled a probiotic foods list. Take your supplemental probiotics with a meal containing fermented foods to provide these good bacteria with their own fuel as they make their way through your inhospitable digestive tract. The breakdown of nutrients in these foods also makes them more bioavailable, so you're getting a burst of healthy micronutrients along with your probiotic.
If you plan to buy fermented vegetables at the store, such as pickles or sauerkraut, keep in mind that those stored on shelves at room temperature have no bacteria. Look for options that are labeled “live and active cultures” and are sold refrigerated. You can also buy culture starter kits and make your own fermented foods at home.
Here's my list of top probiotic foods and drinks:
Vegetables (most vegetables can be fermented):
- Cucumbers (pickles)
- Cabbage (kimchi, sauerkraut)
- Beets
- Turnips (sauerrüben)
- Diced or crushed veggie mixes (salsas, chutneys)
Drinks/Liquids:
- Kombucha (tea)
- Vinegar
- Kvass (beets or rye bread)
- Fermented ginger ale
Dairy:
- Yogurt
- Kefir
- Cultured buttermilk
- Viili
The Importance of Probiotics
Kristina Amelong, CCT, CNC, discusses the importance of probiotics, explains the benefits of rotating probiotics frequently, and shares some of her favorite probiotics.
