Spread your magic around....
This Universe is a shapeable Universe, it responds to our thoughts, imaginations and emotion. We, 'the subject,' are a powerful creative center, the mental energy that emanets from our thoughts and emotions creates the physical reality that we desire. We are the creator of our own reality..

We are the self expression of our subconscious mind. We are a cluster of energy, so is everything else. The energy cluster that is constantly in motion, moving and changing to form new configuration and intelligently maintaining its form. This is the consciosness that keeps the energy in that particular form.

Consciousness is the mind, the mind is reality, this mind is the creator. This Universe is the collective consciousness of its people. By learning how to guide and focus our thought patterns we all can become an effective co-creator and live successfully with the matter and events of our outer physical world. We all participate in creating the exterior world that we live and this is essential for our growth. The better our abilities at creating reality, the better we are at solving problems, creating abundance and able to live in perfect harmony with this Universe. There is nothing paranormal in this Universe except our limited understanding of the Universe around us...

Psycophysics views all matters including human body as a bio-electro magnectic that vibrates in waves with specific oscillation frequencies. Electro- myograth, a devise that measures electrical activities of muscles, was discovered by Dr. Hunt. The science of Kirlian Photography is designed to detect human body's electro-magnetic field also known as human Aura. This devise is able to detect minute electrical, magnetic and optical changes in an object's environment. The color of human aura enable scientist to analyse a person's current physical, mental and emotional health.

The cosmo has certain forms of wave energy and all living things have their own unique wave energy. When this wave rythm is damaged by various factors of environment, polutions, stress and worries, the cells of our body sends out signals called disease. Human brain emitts certain electro-magnetic impulse, the brain waves alfa, beta, theta and delta waves. Human brain has two main parts the pelio cortex, which controls vital body fuctions and the neo cortex, which control thinking and cognition.

Mind and body are two parts of our being, one physical the other non physical, and they are completely dependent on each other. All illness are psychosomatic because we are not just body but mind and body.

Hippocrates (father of the modern medicine) said that everyone is a doctor within. However, our bodys ability to fuction at its optimum has been suppressed by various environmental factors, pollution, strain and stress of everyday life. We are constantly being exposed to pollutants, virus and bacteria and electromagnetic radiation. While there are inumerable new disease on the rise today, and with all these modern medical marvels, yet the answer can be found within the subconcious self. Self healing begins when mind, body and spirit regains balance with each other. Healing is a process of bringing together all parts of our being, physical, mental, emotional and spiritual self, in the symphony of life creating wholesome.

Human being has the natural abilities to heal itself. Good health is a state of mind, a state of emotional, mental, spiritual and physical balance. Human brain has the ability to manifest healing naturally. All we need to do is learn how to control our mind and unleash this ability that we were all born with. Overwhelming scientific evidence has proven it that human mind is the most potent tool in our quest for healing the body and soul.

Psychotherapy, a form of alternative practice that help eliminate traumatic experience, underlying causes of anxiety and fear from within deep subconscious. Reframing and affirmation is the methods of chanting our mind's perceptions into a perception that positively benifit the current reality. It allows one to overcome emotional blockages and hindering spirit and leads one toward the pathway of health and wellness...































































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Monday, October 24, 2016

Tuesday, July 26, 2016

By Dr. Mercola Magnesium is the fourth most abundant mineral in your body. Researchers have detected more than 3,750 magnesium-binding sites on human proteins1 giving an indication of its wide-ranging health effects. More than 300 different enzymes also rely on magnesium for proper function. A common estimate is that 50 to 80 percent of Americans are deficient in magnesium, and the health consequences are significant. Magnesium plays an important role in your body's biochemical processes, many of which are crucial for proper metabolic function. This includes but is not limited to: •Creation of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), the energy currency of your body2,3 •Relaxation of blood vessels •Muscle and nerve function, including the action of your heart muscle •Proper formation of bones and teeth •Regulation of blood sugar and insulin sensitivity, which is important for the prevention of type 2 diabetes.4,5,6,7,8 For example, magnesium is essential for insulin release by pancreatic β-cells, and acts as a messenger for insulin action9 Magnesium and Heart Health If you're lacking in cellular magnesium, it can lead to the deterioration of your cellular metabolic function and mitochondrial function, which in turn can lead to more serious health problems. The scientific evidence suggests magnesium is particularly important for your heart health. Moreover, it's very important to have a proper balance between magnesium and calcium, but few people get enough magnesium in their diet these days, while calcium tends to be overused and taken in high quantities. Insufficient magnesium tends to trigger muscle spasms, and this has consequences for your heart in particular. This is especially true if you also have excessive calcium, as calcium causes muscle contractions. Magnesium also functions as an electrolyte, which is crucial for all electrical activity in your body.10 Without electrolytes such as magnesium, potassium and sodium, electrical signals cannot be sent or received, and without these signals, your heart cannot pump blood and your brain cannot function properly. As explained by Dr. Carolyn Dean, author of the seminal paper "Death by Medicine" in 2003 (identifying modern medicine as a leading cause of death in the U.S.) and the book, "The Magnesium Miracle," your heart has the highest magnesium requirement of any organ, specifically your left ventricle. With insufficient amounts of magnesium, your heart simply cannot function properly. Hypertension (high blood pressure), cardiac arrhythmia,11 cardiovascular disease (CVD) and sudden cardiac death are all potential effects of magnesium deficiency and/or a lopsided magnesium to calcium ratio. Magnesium Associated With Lower Cardiovascular Disease Risk According to a systematic review and meta-analysis12 published in 2013, "circulating and dietary magnesium are inversely associated with CVD risk." This means the lower your magnesium intake (and the lower the circulating magnesium in your body), the higher your risk for CVD. • Each 0.2 millimole per liter (mmol/L) of circulating magnesium was associated with a 30 percent lower risk of CVD • A 200 milligram per day (mg/d) increase in dietary magnesium was associated with a 22 percent lower risk of fatal ischemic heart disease (IHD), but had no significant impact on CVD risk. The inverse association between dietary magnesium intake and IHD also leveled out above 250 mg/d The authors noted their finding "supports the need for clinical trials to evaluate the potential role of magnesium in the prevention of CVD and IHD." The Weston A. Price Foundation has also noted that:13 "[M]agnesium shines brightest in cardiovascular health. It alone can fulfill the role of many common cardiac medications: magnesium inhibits blood clots (like aspirin), thins the blood (like Coumadin), blocks calcium uptake (like calcium channel-blocking drugs such as Procardia) and relaxes blood vessels (like ACE inhibitors such as Vasotec)" Magnesium May Be Key for Blood Pressure Control Recent research14,15 also suggests magnesium may be a key component of blood pressure management. Addressing your high blood pressure is important, as it is a risk factor for both heart disease and stroke. As mentioned, magnesium helps relax and dilate your blood vessels, thereby reducing your blood pressure. In this review, data from 34 clinical trials involving more than 2,000 participants was evaluated. The studies used dosages of magnesium supplements ranging from 240 mg/d to 960 mg/d. Although the association was mild, they did find that higher magnesium intake was associated with "healthy reductions" in blood pressure. Key findings include: • A daily dose of 368 mg of magnesium, taken for three months, lowered systolic blood pressure (the upper number in the blood pressure reading) by 2 millimeters of mercury (mm/Hg) and diastolic blood pressure (the lower number) by 1.78 mm/Hg • Those who took 300 mg of magnesium per day were able to elevate their circulating magnesium levels and lower their blood pressure in as little as four weeks • Higher magnesium intake was associated with improved blood flow • Benefits of magnesium appeared to be restricted to those who had insufficiency or deficiency in magnesium to begin with, meaning those whose blood pressure might have been caused by lack of magnesium. According to lead author Dr. Yiqing Song, "Such suggestive evidence indicates that maintenance of optimal magnesium status in the human body may help prevent or treat hypertension."16 To Optimize Your Magnesium, Eat Magnesium-Rich Foods According to the authors, 368 mg of magnesium can be obtained from a healthy diet, so you do not necessarily need to take a supplement. Dr. Suzanne Steinbaum, a New York City cardiologist, told Medicinenet.com:17 "As clinicians, we need to stress the importance of a well-balanced meal, not only for all the cholesterol lowering and sugar-modulating benefits, but for ensuring an adequate amount of magnesium in the blood," adding that "checking magnesium levels as part of a screening for heart health may become an essential part of prevention and for treatment of blood pressure." Indeed, a useful way to maintain healthy magnesium levels is to make sure you eat plenty of dark-green leafy vegetables. Juicing your greens is an excellent way to increase your magnesium, along with many other important plant-based nutrients. That said, if the mineral is lacking in the soil, it's also going to be low in the food, and mineral depleted soils are commonplace these days unless the farmer is using regenerative methods. If you eat organic whole foods and show no signs of deficiency, you're probably getting sufficient amounts from your food. If you eat well but still exhibit deficiency signs (discussed below), you may want to consider taking a supplement as well. When it comes to leafy greens, those highest in magnesium include: Spinach Swiss chard Turnip greens Beet greens Collard greens Broccoli Brussels sprouts Kale Bok Choy Romaine lettuce Other foods that are particularly rich in magnesium include:18,19,20,21 Raw cacao nibs and/or unsweetened cocoa powder One ounce or 28 grams (g) or raw cacao nibs contain about 64 mg of magnesium, plus many other valuable antioxidants, iron and prebiotic fiber that help feed healthy bacteria in your gut. Avocados One medium avocado contains about 58 mg of magnesium, plus healthy fats and fiber and other vitamins. They're also a good source of potassium, which helps offset the hypertensive effects of sodium. Seeds and nuts Pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds and sunflower seeds score among the highest, with one-quarter cup providing an estimated 48 percent, 32 percent and 28 percent of the recommended dietary allowance (RDA) of magnesium respectively. Cashews, almonds and Brazil nuts are also good sources; 1 ounce (28 g) of cashews contains 82 mg of magnesium, which equates to about 20 percent of the RDA. Fatty fish Interestingly, fatty fish such as wild caught Alaskan salmon and mackerel are also high in magnesium. A half fillet or 178 g (about 6.3 ounces) of salmon can provide about 53 mg of magnesium, equal to about 13 percent of the RDA. Squash One cup of winter squash provides close to 27 g of magnesium; about 7 percent of your RDA. Herbs and spices Herbs and spices pack lots of nutrients in small packages, and this includes magnesium. Some of the most magnesium-rich varieties are coriander, chives, cumin seed, parsley, mustard seeds, fennel, basil and cloves. Fruits and berries Ranking high for magnesium are papaya, raspberries, tomato, cantaloupe, strawberries and watermelon. For example, one medium sized papaya can provide nearly 58 g of magnesium. Magnesium Level Inversely Associated With Arterial Calcification In related news, your blood level of magnesium has also been shown to be inversely associated with coronary artery calcification (CAC).22 Previous studies have noted this association among patients with chronic kidney disease, but this study found the same correlation exists among general, otherwise healthy populations. Among people who did not have any signs of symptomatic cardiovascular disease, and compared to those with the lowest serum levels, those who had the highest serum level of magnesium had a: •48 percent lower risk of high blood pressure •69 percent lower risk of type 2 diabetes •42 percent lower risk of an elevated CAC score A 0.17 milligram per deciliter (mg/dL) increase in serum magnesium was associated with a 16 percent reduction in CAC score. The authors concluded that: "[L]ow serum magnesium was independently associated to higher prevalence not only of hypertension and DM2 [diabetes mellitus 2], but also to coronary artery calcification, which is a marker of atherosclerosis and a predictor of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality." Magnesium Intake Is Also Inversely Associated With Inflammation Marker Research published in 2014 also found that higher magnesium intake is inversely associated with serum C-reactive protein (CRP) levels.23 CRP is a marker for inflammation and rises when you have inflammation brewing in your body. Here, data collected from seven cross-sectional studies of more than 32,900 people showed that people who had higher magnesium intake had lower CRP levels. According to the authors: "This meta-analysis and systematic review indicates that dietary Mg [magnesium] intake is significantly and inversely associated with serum CRP levels. The potential beneficial effect of Mg intake on chronic diseases may be, at least in part, explained by inhibiting inflammation." Risk Factors, Signs and Symptoms of Magnesium Deficiency A primary risk factor for magnesium deficiency is eating a processed food diet, and the reason for this is because magnesium resides at the center of the chlorophyll molecule. If you rarely eat leafy greens and other magnesium-rich whole foods (listed above), you may not get enough magnesium from your diet alone. Magnesium is also lost through stress, sweating from heavy exertion, lack of sleep, alcohol consumption and use of certain prescription drugs (especially diuretics, statins, fluoride and fluoride-containing drugs such as fluoroquinolone antibiotics), and tend to decline in the presence of elevated insulin levels.24 These are all factors that affect a large majority of people in the Western world. Unfortunately, unlike sodium or potassium, there is no easily available commercial lab test that will give you a truly accurate reading of your magnesium status. The reason for this is because the vast majority of the magnesium in your body is found in bones and soft tissues. Only 1 percent of it shows up in your blood. That said, some specialty labs do provide an RBC magnesium test that can give you a reasonable estimate. Perhaps the best way to ascertain your status is to carefully evaluate and track your symptoms. Early signs of magnesium deficiency include "Charlie horses" (the muscle spasm that occurs when you stretch your legs), headaches/migraines, loss of appetite, nausea and vomiting, fatigue or weakness. These are all warning signs indicating you probably need to boost your magnesium intake. More chronic magnesium deficiency can lead to far more serious symptoms such as abnormal heart rhythms and coronary spasms, seizures, numbness and tingling, as well as changes in personality and behavior. Dean's book, "The Magnesium Miracle," contains an extensive list of signs and symptoms, which can be helpful for evaluating your magnesium status. You can also follow the instructions in her blog post, "Gauging Magnesium Deficiency Symptoms,"25 which will give you a check list to go through every few weeks. This will also help you gauge how much magnesium you need to resolve

Thursday, July 7, 2016

Risk Factors to Watch Out for: What Causes Fibromyalgia? The exact cause of fibromyalgia is still undetermined; however, research suggests that a combination of physical, neurological, and psychological factors can lead to the onset of this illness. Your emotions and moods can affect the pain you feel, and being depressed or anxious can further compound it. Here are some factors1 that may lead to fibromyalgia: Chemical Imbalances One of the potential causes of fibromyalgia is how your body processes pain. People with fibromyalgia process pain differently, as their levels of substance P, a chemical found in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) that is responsible for transmitting pain impulses to the brain, are significantly higher — at least three times more compared to people without fibromyalgia. Having higher levels of substance P makes the pain more intense.2 Research also found that having low levels of the hormones noradrenaline, serotonin, and dopamine in the brain is common among fibromyalgia sufferers. These hormones are essential in regulating mood, appetite, sleep, behavior, and stress response. Changes in the levels of stress hormones like cortisol may contribute to fibromyalgia, too. Genetics A combination of inherited genetic mutations may play a role in developing fibromyalgia, which is why people who have a close relative (a sibling or a parent) who had this illness are at a higher risk of acquiring it, compared to people who have no relatives diagnosed with this disease. Sleep Problems Having disturbed sleep patterns or lacking deep sleep, may be a cause of fibromyalgia, and not just a symptom. It is in stage 4 sleep when the body refreshes itself, allowing the muscles to recover from the day’s activity. According to studies, people with fibromyalgia become more aroused when they enter stage 4 sleep, resulting in a lighter form of sleep. When researchers took volunteers and stopped them from entering stage 4 sleep, symptoms similar to fibromyalgia manifested as well.3 Other Possible Triggers Some physical conditions may exacerbate your risk of fibromyalgia. These include getting an injury (or repetitive injuries), a viral infection, surgery, or giving birth. Emotional or stressful events, such as losing a loved one, being in an accident or being physically abused (leading to posttraumatic stress disorder or PTSD), and relationship problems (breaking up with your significant other) may also put you in danger of fibromyalgia. Health Ailments Painful rheumatic conditions that affect the muscles, joints, or bones can put you in danger of fibromyalgia. These include: • Rheumatoid arthritis • Osteoarthritis • Lupus • Ankylosing spondylitis • Temporomandibular disorder (TMD)

Monday, March 14, 2016

Nourishing Your Gut Bacteria Is Critical for Health and Mental Well-Being

March 13, 2016 | 229,799 views
| Available in EspañolDisponible en Español

By Dr. Mercola
Barely a day goes by without some type of media announcement noting the importance of your gut flora.
One of the best and least expensive ways to optimize your gut microbiome is to eliminate sugars and processed sugars and eat traditionally fermented foods, but probiotic supplements can also be beneficial.
Greg Leyer,1 who has a Ph.D. in Food Microbiology, is the Chief Scientific Officer of UAS Laboratories, a probiotic-dedicated manufacturer, and he's been passionate about probiotics and health for more than two decades.
"I got interested in microbiology and spent my graduate research career looking at pathogenic bacteria, those bacteria we want to avoid and that make us sick," he says.
"In the course of doing those studies, I became aware that not all bacteria are bad and became intrigued in this whole concept of probiotics ... My first post-graduate job was in the area of developing probiotics for infant nutrition. That was 21 years ago.
I've been in the probiotic research development field ever since, and have seen the clinical research and the market just explode."

Nourishing Your Microbiome Begins With Real Food

Mounting evidence reveals there's more to nutrition than previously thought — a large component of it actually revolves around nourishing the health-promoting bacteria in your body, thereby keeping harmful microbes in check.
Probiotics are supplements designed to increase your beneficial bacteria, the largest concentration of which is found in your gut. Different types of bacteria live in different locations in your gastrointestinal tract. You also have bacteria residing in other areas of your body, such as your mouth and skin.
While probiotic supplements have their benefits and their place, it's important — before taking a supplement — to optimize the conditions where these beneficial bacteria grow.
One of the reasons a healthy diet is able to influence your health is by the fact that it helps create an optimal environment for beneficial bacteria in your gut, while decreasing pathogenic or disease-causing bacteria, fungi, and yeast.
"Healthy eating" basically amounts to eating real food, which means avoiding processed foods and staying away from sugars, because few things fertilize and accelerate the growth of pathogenic microbes better than sugar. As noted by Leyer:
"In studies done in people all over the world, you'll see different microbial communities residing in people that have different dietary intakes. You want to provide foods that are going to nourish this healthy community of bacteria in your gastrointestinal tract.
Sugars aren't selective. Bacteria like sugars, but the bad bacteria lovesugars. Eating real food, complex carbohydrates, fiber, and things like that, are more selective.
Simply put, the pathogenic bacteria don't utilize non-fiber carbs as efficiently. It's more difficult for them to grow with complex carbohydrates as an energy source."

The Importance of Probiotics When Taking an Antibiotic

Unfortunately, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) restricts supplement makers from making certain health claims; for example, you cannot market a probiotic saying, "This is useful to take after an antibiotic," because that would imply that antibiotics might harm you in some way.
As a result of these restrictions, unless you spend a fair amount of time reading about the subject you may not be aware of many of the benefits of probiotics.
"There's a lot of very compelling research that we're not able to talk about on a product label," Leyer notes. "One of the exciting areas is the role of healthy bacteria when co-prescribed with an antibiotic, and the effect it has on maintaining healthy populations in your gut.
Antibiotics are selective for bacteria and not viruses, but they're not terribly selective for a particular type of bacteria.
Antibiotics — and many studies have shown this — will have a tremendously disruptive effect on the overall microbial community. They'll kill the target organism that might be causing your infection which is a good thing ... but they also do a lot of harm to the good bacterial populations that are there.
Studies have shown that when you co-administer probiotics with antibiotics and continue the probiotic administration even after stopping the antibiotic regimine, you're quickly able to restore that microbial community to the healthy state it was prior to the antibiotic treatment."

Guidelines for Taking Probiotics With Antibiotics

If you're taking an antibiotic, don't simultaneously take the probiotic as the antibiotic is liable to simply kill the bacteria off. Instead, take them a few hours before or after taking the antibiotic. From the clinical research Leyer has done, this strategy appears to work quite well.
Saccharomyces yeast, a beneficial type of yeast, may also be helpful when taking a course of antibiotics, as it has also been shown to prevent antibiotic-associated diarrhea.
"Fifteen to 25 percent of people who take an antibiotic end up getting antibiotic-associated diarrhea.
Probiotics — I'll include Saccharomyces in this group — have been shown to have tremendous benefits in reducing the risk of developing that kind of secondary complication of antibiotic treatment," Leyer says.

The Hazards of Antibiotics in the Food Supply

Medical antibiotics are not the sole source of exposure. About 80 percent of all antibiotics sold in the U.S. are actually used in livestock production to fatten up the animals and prevent disease.
So, unless you're buying organic grass-fed meats, you're likely ingesting minute doses of antibiotics with each hamburger and steak you eat.
This continuous low-dose exposure has the added downside of promoting antibiotic resistance. The role of antibiotics in promoting (rather than treating) disease is slowly gaining ground.
There's no question that antibiotics have saved lives. But if you were to carefully analyze and objectively determine their true impact, you just might find they've done more harm than good. Leyer cites the book "Missing Microbes: How the Overuse of Antibiotics Is Fueling Our Modern Plagues," written by Dr. Martin Blaser, which presents the theory that many of our modern disease epidemics may be rooted in the disruptive effect modern foods have on our microbiota.
"Keeping your intestinal microflora healthy, consuming healthy, active, probiotic bacteria is a key component to maintaining, in my opinion, your overall health," Leyer says.

Probiotics for the Prevention of Leaky Gut, and More

Leaky gut results when there's a disruption in the interconnections between the cells in your intestines. Little holes or tears can develop, allowing food particles to enter your blood stream, which can cause an autoimmune response.
It's a serious problem, and I've known a number of people who nearly died from it. There are a number of causes for leaky gut, but whatever the cause, one of the most powerful remedies is to consume homemade organic bone broth and fermented vegetables. Certain probiotic supplements can also be helpful.
According to Leyer:
"I am familiar with the evidence behind certain probiotics and their ability to prevent or lessen leaky gut. The issue with leaky gut is that you're getting things into the circulation system that aren't supposed to be there. Lipopolysaccharides (LPS) ... are inflammatory components from gram-negative bacteria ... [LPS] is a diagnostic test to look for leaky gut.
What we're finding is that subchronic levels of LPS circulating in the blood causes this chronic inflammation cascade. Chronic inflammation seems to be at the root of a lot of disease states ... One that is front and center is type 2 diabetes and insulin resistance. There's been some really intriguing work with probiotics maintaining tight-junction barrier, reducing leaky gut, reducing circulating LPS, and affecting insulin sensitivity through downplaying this inflammation."
Probiotics have also been extensively tested for their immunological functions. For example, in the elderly, probiotics can help boost activity of immune cells that fight off cancer cells. The mechanism involved here is an orchestration of immune chemical messengers called cytokines. But there's still much to be learned about the exact mechanisms by which probiotics influence health.
"There are some areas in the probiotic science where the mechanisms are becoming better understood. And there are some areas in probiotic science that is more theory than really causal right now.
But the more layers of the onion you peel back, the more you understand this is an incredibly complicated web of information from gut to human, to nervous system to immune system. This complex interplay is at the heart of probiotic mechanisms and one reason it is not so simple to clearly identify." Leyer explains.

Probiotics and the Gut-Brain Axis

It's become quite clear that the benefits of probiotics transcend the gut. More recent studies have delved into the role of gut bacteria in the workings of the gut-brain axis, and how they benefit your mental and psychological health. Anxiety, depression and other mood disorders are increasingly recognized as being, in part, related to an unbalanced microbiome.
Probiotics appear to have the ability to make compounds called neuropeptides that interact directly with your brain. Probiotics certainly influence your immune system by way of modulating inflamation, which has interactions with and can cross the blood-brain barrier.
"There's an interesting study where people gave infants probiotic bacteria for the first two years of their life," Dr. Leyer says. "They were really looking at the ability of this probiotic to ward off the incidence of atopic eczema or skin rashes. When the kids were 13 years old, they went back and said, 'Okay. Let's look at autistic spectrum disorder, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and [other] psychological kind of issues and ask if there is a relationship between those children who were administered the probiotic early in life, and incidence.'
Of the kids that took the probiotic, none had developed any kind of autistic spectrum disorders; 17 percent of those that did not get probiotics developed autistic spectrum disorders. The study wasn't designed to look at ADHD or autism, but it's an interesting way to look back in time and say:
Here's a population of people that were essentially imprinted with probiotic bacteria at a very young age. We now understand better that there's this developmental window in young people that's critically important for longer term health."

Beware of 'Probiotic' Junk Food

As a general rule, I believe most people would be able to obtain most of their nutritional support from real food. This is certainly the case with beneficial bacteria, because there are a lot of good fermented foods that provide them.
One of my biggest pet peeves when it comes to probiotic foods is yogurt, because most of them are nothing more than creamy junk food. The Cornucopia Institute has published a Yogurt Buyer's Guide and Scorecard2,3 where you can learn more about your favorite brands.
Many who seek to improve their health buy commercial yogurt from the grocery store, thinking they're doing something good for themselves when in reality they're not. They'd be far better off taking a probiotic supplement, as then they'd avoid added sugars and other unhealthy additives. The exception to that rule is traditionally cultured yogurt made from organic raw milk.
Commercial yogurts often contain upwards of 25 to 30 grams of sugar per serving, which meets or exceeds the daily recommended amount of sugar for the whole day!
The amount of probiotics you'll get from commercial yogurt is also far lower than what you'd get from a high-quality probiotic supplement. A commercial yogurt might give you a million probiotic cells, which sounds like a lot, but if you take a quality-made supplement you're getting tens of billions of probiotics — three orders of magnitude greater amounts. So in that respect, a supplement is clearly easier and more cost-effective.
"The other thing you have to consider is that in a yogurt, you've got a very acidic condition that's degrading the quality of the probiotics over the course of the shelf life of that yogurt. In a quality-made dietary supplement, these probiotics are essentially in suspended animation or dormant until you consume them; they come back to life when you swallow the capsule." Leyer notes.

Probiotic Guidelines

Many tend to imagine that taking probiotics is like planting seeds in your garden. They grow, reproduce, and all you basically have to do is "seed and feed" them. But that's actually not the case. Your intestinal tract contains thousands of different bacterial types, not to mention fungi and viruses. It's a challenging environment with lots of competition.
Probiotics have developed the ability to withstand normal concentrations of stomach acid and bile in the small intestine, and live there, but they don't live and thrive there forever.
As noted by Leyer:
"When you stop taking the probiotics, studies show that you start seeing less and less of that probiotic residing there. It will decline to this baseline level similar to where it was before you started taking a probiotic supplement. On the immune side, there are studies that show that immune benefits decline within a few days after stopping taking the probiotics. So it's really important to maintain a continual onslaught of these healthy bacteria."
Factors to look for when trying to identify a high-quality probiotic supplement include the following:
Make sure it's a reputable brand. If you trust the products made by a company, perhaps they're doing a great job making their probiotics as well.
Look for a potency count (colony forming units or CFUs) of 50 billion or higher. That's the number of bacteria being delivered per dose.
Declaration of shelf life, i.e. the shelf life of the CFUs. Avoid capsules that only declare the CFUs at time of manufacture. Food products should be in resealable packaging and stored as directed
Look for a product containing multiple species of bacteria, as high diversity tends to be associated with better health. That said, products containing species of Lactobacillus and Bifidobacteria are generally recommended. 

Examples would be Lactobacillus acidophilus and Lactobacillus plantarum. These organisms predominantly reside in the small intestine or the upper gastrointestinal tract (GI) where a vast majority of your immune cells reside. Bifidobacteria, on the other hand, reside in the large intestine or the lower bowel, which is another critical location associated with health. Bifidobacterium lactis, Bifidobacterium longum, and Bifidobacterium bifidum are important ones.
Look for non-GMO brands.
Confirm that they're manufactured according to current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMP).4

Optimizing Your Microbiome Is a Potent Disease Prevention Strategy

As noted by Leyer, "probiotic consumption for health and wellness is here to stay." A tremendous amount of research shows that the microbial community in your body has a wide ranging influence over your health. "The days of 'all bacteria are bad' are long gone," Leyer says. "Eating clean and natural foods, nourishing your gut, and having a healthy intestinal community are really at the core of wellness."
I also firmly believe that applying this knowledge can make a distinct and positive difference in your health, boosting not only your immune function, but also your neurological function and mood. Best of all, supporting your microbiome isn't very complicated. You do need to take proactive steps to implement certain key strategies while actively avoiding other factors though. So to optimize your microbiome, consider the following recommendations:
DoAvoid
Eat plenty of fermented foods. Healthy choices include lassi, fermented grass-fed organic milk such as kefir, natto (fermented soy), and fermented vegetables.Antibiotics, unless absolutely necessary, and when you do, make sure to reseed your gut with fermented foods and/or a high quality probiotic supplement.5,6
Take a probiotic supplement. Although I'm not a major proponent of taking many supplements (as I believe the majority of your nutrients need to come from food), probiotics is an exception if you don't eat fermented foodson a regular basisConventionally-raised meats and other animal products, as CAFO animals are routinely fed low-dose antibiotics, plus genetically engineered grains loaded with glyphosate, which is widely known to kill many bacteria.
Boost your soluble and insoluble fiber intake, focusing on vegetables, nuts, and seeds, including sprouted seeds.Chlorinated and/or fluoridated water. Especially in your bathing such as showers, which are worse than drinking it.
Get your hands dirty in the garden. Exposure to bacteria and viruses can serve as "natural vaccines" that strengthen your immune system and provide long-lasting immunity against disease. 

Getting your hands dirty in the garden can help reacquaint your immune system with beneficialmicroorganisms on the plants and in the soil

According to a recent report,7 lack of exposure to the outdoors can in and of itself cause your microbiome to become "deficient."
Processed foods. Excessive sugars, along with otherwise "dead" nutrients, feed pathogenic bacteria.

Food emulsifiers such as polysorbate 80, lecithin, carrageenan, polyglycerols, and xanthan gum also appear to have an adverse effect on your gut flora.8

Unless 100 percent organic, they may also contain GMOsthat tend to be heavily contaminated with pesticides such as glyphosate. Artificial sweeteners have also been found to alter gut bacteria in adverse ways.9
Open your windows. For the vast majority of human history the outside was always part of the inside, and at no moment during our day were we ever really separated from nature.

Today, we spend 90 percent of our lives indoors. And, although keeping the outside out does have its advantages it has also changed the microbiome of your home. 

Research10 shows that opening a window and increasing natural airflow can improve the diversity and health of the microbes in your home, which in turn benefit you.
Agricultural chemicals, glyphosate (Roundup) in particular is a known antibiotic and will actively kill many of your beneficial gut microbes if you eat and foods contaminated with Roundup
Wash your dishes by hand instead of in the dishwasher. Research has shown that washing your dishes by hand leaves more bacteria on the dishes than dishwashers do, and that eating off these less-than-sterile dishes may actually decrease your risk of allergies by stimulating your immune system.Antibacterial soap, as they too kill off both good and bad bacteria, and contribute to the development of antibiotic resistance.
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