gut flora Archives - Priority One Vitamins Blog

May Specials! 20% off our Building Blocks for Immunity!

Take care of gut with our May specials! 3 products are included:

Pre-ProBiotic, Gastri-Gest, & Biofilm!

Pre+Probiotic offers support for healthy gut microflora.*

Pre+Probiotic is a combination of PreticXTM XOS prebiotic fiber and the shelf-stable probiotic LactoSpore® Bacillus coagulans.
PreticXTM is an advanced non-GMO xylooligosaccharides (XOS) prebiotic. In clinically validated research, it has been shown to significantly improve the beneficial gut flora.

Research shows that XOS strongly fosters bifidobacteria, one of the beneficial bacteria in the human gut. It provides a unique profile of beneficial bacterial that other prebiotics lack. With no refrigeration needed, Pre+Probiotic can be used in small doses and has low gastrointestinal side effects, differentiating it from other prebiotic ingredients.*

Gastri-Gest is a powerful combination of plant-based digestive enzymes, designed to support healthy digestion and intestinal enzyme activity.
Plant-based digestive enzymes are active in a broad range of pH levels within the gastrointestinal tract, providing support for all stages of digestion. These herbal enzymes support the body’s natural breakdown of proteins, carbohydrates, dairy products, sugars, fats, and fiber.

With additions to the proprietary blend such as slipperly elm and marshmallow root to aid in calming acute digestive discomfort, the enzymes within this vegetarian formula promote absorption in a healthy gastrointestinal tract.

Finally, Biofilm is a vegetarian capsule exclusively formulated from Dr. Paul Anderson and is designed to disrupt advanced biofilms (Phase 2) and support the immune system, allowing for the body to redirect focus where needed.

Dr. Paul Anderson is well-known in the naturopathic community, specializing in complex clinical medicine, intravenous and injection medicine, oncology and geonomics.

Biofilm contains Bismuth Subnitrate, Alpha Lipotic Acid, and Black Cumin (seed). Bismuth Subnitrate is a compound that is generally used to help eliminate bacteria that can cause stomach discomfort. Alpha Lipoic Acid is a fatty acid made by your body, playing a key role in metabolism and energy production and functions as an antioxidant. It is also key in balancing temporary inflammation and can help the immune system in both direct and indirect ways. Black Cumin has many benefits, including aiding in healthy cholesterol metabolism, balancing a body’s natural inflammation responses in the body and playing a role in optimal blood pressure.

As a special offer to our loyal customers, we are offering 20% off of Pre+Probiotic, Gastri Gest, Biofilm Phase-2 Advanced in the month of May. Please use code “PGB20” to receive this offer on your website or phone order.

Guest Blog: SIBO – “Gut Health, Real Estate, and Too Much of a Good Thing”

Gut Health, Real Estate, and Too Much of a Good Thing

Dr. Autumn W. Farr, M.S., N.D.

Our body has a natural symbiotic relationship with our environment. We eat food and absorb nutrients, we drink water and hydrate our cells, and we interact with people and develop relationships. A change in any of these determinants of health can shift our body into a physical, chemical, or emotional imbalance.

We also have a unique relationship with the microscopic bacteria that naturally inhabit our intestinal tract. An imbalance in this bacteria can also cause us to experience a shift in mental-emotional-physical health. One example of bacterial imbalance includes Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO). This overgrowth of bacteria in the small intestine crowds out the healthy gut flora and interferes with natural digestive processes such as nutrient absorption, waste elimination, and energy metabolism. As a result, SIBO can lead to nutrient deficiencies, toxin overload, low energy, and a variety of physical, mental, and emotional symptoms. Bacteria can be beneficial to healthy digestion, but only under the parameters of the right type, the right amount, and the right location.

SYMPTOMS

SIBO symptoms can present in a variety of ways. The overpopulation of intestinal bacteria can cause digestive complaints such as abdominal pain, gas, bloating, nausea, constipation, or diarrhea. The shift in energy metabolism and the depletion of nutrients can contribute to headaches, fatigue, depression, anxiety, and a generalized thought that you don’t quite feel like “yourself.” Weight changes, skin breakouts, and musculoskeletal pain are also part of the SIBO symptom profile. Due to the broad range of symptoms, other diagnoses are often pursued before arriving at the correct diagnosis of SIBO.

DIAGNOSIS

The bacteria in the digestive tract produce hydrogen gas and methane gas. Breath tests are used to measure and analyze the gases that are produced by the bacteria. These breath tests can be used to diagnose SIBO as well as to guide treatment plans and to monitor outcomes. Stool tests can show the profile of organisms in the digestive tract, allowing for targeted treatment of the specific bacteria that contribute to the imbalance.

TREATMENT

Treatment of SIBO often involves a strict nutrition plan and appropriate supplementation as well as promotion of healthy bowel elimination patterns and prevention of SIBO recurrence. The beauty of naturopathic medicine is the commitment to discovering the cause of an imbalance in health. The cause of SIBO may be an underlying imbalance in gut chemistry, nutrition, lifestyle patterns, and environmental factors. Structuring an appropriate treatment plan with therapeutic nutrition, supplementation, and elimination patterns may help to relieve symptoms. Determination of the original cause of SIBO overgrowth in each individual will be vital to preventing recurrence.

BALANCE

The intestinal lining of our gut is valuable real estate. Ideally, we want to fill that space with organisms that are beneficial for our body as a whole. Imbalance or overcrowding can compromise the structure, the function, and the integrity of that area. This is an excellent reminder for us to be mindful of our own personal “real estate” of body, mind, and spirit. True health begins when we make a conscious decision to fill our time, our space, and our mind with meaningful relationships, healthy nutrition, and mindful lifestyle practices.

PREVENTION of SIBO:

Work with professional medical providers to optimize your nutrition, exercise, and lifestyle choices.
Restore your digestive tract so that you can feel happy, healthy, and balanced.
Make space in your life for healthy choices, a healthy lifestyle, and healthy relationships.

Dr. Autumn W. Farr is a board-certified naturopathic physician with a medical practice in Bellingham, WA. She uses a unique combination of nutritional biochemistry, constitutional homeopathy, and naturopathic modalities to help people to feel their best.

Leave a comment below on your experience with SIBO and share this blog post on social media to be entered to win a $50 gift certificate to our site!

Biofilms role in today’s health.

What is a BioFilm?

Biofilms are little communities of organisms in your body that join forces to avoid elimination. The protective coating they form is officially called a polymer matrix, which is like a “force field” or barrier that keeps drugs like antibiotics, antivirals, antifungals or any other antimicrobial from being effective in removing them. They are a huge concern in the medical community at the moment, however, many patients and physicians don’t even know about them.

Biofilms are capable of adapting to many environments and thus can be found in all parts of the body. These areas include teeth, sinuses, tonsils, eustachian tubes of the middle ear and the intestines. Biofilms in the intestines can lead to chronic digestive and allergic responses often seen in difficult cases.

Immune Imbalance

The immune system is responsible for attacking, controlling and eliminating biofilms. In healthy individuals, this happens regularly, however, in susceptible individuals, biofilms can take hold and begin to wreak havoc on the whole body, specifically the immune system.

By launching an attack on the biofilms via immune cells (macrophages, natural killer cells, cytotoxic T cells and T lymphocytes) the body also creates a significant amount of inflammation. What happens then is the immune system shifts to what we call a TH2 dominant state with the TH1 cells in a lowered state. By shifting to TH2 dominance, the body is then unable to launch a full TH1 attack and eliminate the biofilm. It is most likely constantly battling the biofilm, but simply doesn’t have enough strength to eliminate it.

A TH2 dominant state is very common in many conditions. The TH2 dominant state is what we find in many people with traditional allergies. If you have an overactive TH2 dominant system, you will tend to have food allergies and sensitivities or airborne allergies and an increase in histamine release. This may even be confused with histamine intolerance. Some things that may push someone towards TH2 dominance include genetic predisposition, toxic substances and heavy metal exposure.

Biofilms and the Gut

One of the reasons you may have biofilms in the first place is due to early exposure to antibiotics. There are actually good biofilms that can be destroyed by antibiotics. These good biofilms and healthy gut flora provide a natural type of defense to foreign invaders. Without the good biofilms as a defense mechanism, bad biofilms can proliferate and destroy the gut lining and increase permeability, a term commonly coined as “leaky gut”. With leaky gut, the intestinal barrier is compromised and allows substances to move into the bloodstream. By allowing different substances into the bloodstream, inflammation begins and things such as food allergies and sensitivities eventually alter the health of the immune system. The leaky gut will lead us to a TH2 dominant state as I mentioned above. Leaky gut also can slow down digestion, decrease toxin clearance and initiate proinflammatory chemicals.

Research in gut health and immune system responses to permeable gut linings are revealing significantly new understandings into how these natural defenses work. This new research also helps us learn how to support the body’s ability to maintain a balanced and healthy gut flora.

Dr. Paul S. Anderson is on the leading forefront of biofilm research and education.

We are excited to announce that we have received exclusive access to Dr. Paul Anderson’s webinar on BioFilms, worth $59.00 – and are offering it to you for FREE!

Visit this page for more information.

Good health to you!

Priority One Nutritional Supplements Inc.