If there is one thing in your life that you should pay attention to is the link between gut bacteria and health, that is your health.

Nothing in your life will change your life so much in so many different ways. 

I did consider other activities such as smoking and drinking but although they are not great for your health they generally have a limited, although deadly, effect on your health.

Changing one thing, no addiction, no special diet, no fuss will have a massive influence on your life for the better.

Giving up smoking and drinking requires commitment and dedication, taking a probiotic, Noster Probiotic, takes absolutely no effort at all.

Let me give you a list of the benefits. Be aware that this is a pretty long list and it is continually growing as more research is done.

One overriding fact is that most of these benefits are due to the reduction of inflammation of the tissue. This is the second half of the immune system coming into play.

The Benefits

• Asthma and Allergies. These autoimmune diseases depend on gut bacteria to stop their inflammation. These bacteria need to be provided early in the child’s life. I’m talking about C-Section births and natural birth. During a natural birth, the baby travels down the birth canal and gets the mom’s bacteria. This is the start of the baby’s immune system.
• Autism Spectrum. There has been a lot of research linking gut bacteria composition to autism. It is often associated with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
• Cancers. The most obvious is colorectal cancer, in the colon and rectum. One of the main effects of good bacteria is the anti-inflammatory effect they have, this is especially true in the large intestine. The lower gut is a very hostile area and inflammation is common, lowering the inflammation prevents the underlying tissue from being damaged by toxins which would slip through the inflamed tissue. Cancers are an autoimmune disease again.
• Cancer of the Liver. This can also be linked to obesity as the liver has to deal with fatty deposits on it. Fats release toxins that cause inflammation with the usual consequences. We will look into obesity in more detail shortly.
• Cardiovascular disease. This is one of the biggest killers in our modern society. High red meat intake can cause some bacteria to convert L-carnitine into TMAO (Trimethylamine-N-oxide) which is believed to be associated with cholesterol.
• Diabetes. This is both Type 1 and Type 2, but for different reasons. For Type 1, as is usually the underlying problem is the immune system is not working in sync. The inflammatory portion of the system is working but the regulatory part is not. The gut bacteria fix the imbalance. Type 2 is due to the sufferer being overweight. Reduce the weight and the problem goes away. Weight problems are many and varied from emotional to poor parenting to financial. Probiotics do, however, help with weight loss.
• Inflammatory Bowel Diseases. This includes Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), Chrohn’s Disease and Ulcerative Colitis. These autoimmune diseases are due to the wrong bacteria in the wrong quantities. They all increase the inflammation and do not turn it off. The correct bacteria and we are good to go.
• Mood enhancement. Serotonin, the “happy hormone”, is a neurotransmitter, and is manufactured in the gut, around 70%. If the correct bacteria are not present then depression and anxiety can easily occur.
• Multiple Sclerosis. Another autoimmune disease that has had great success with probiotic supplements and diets.
• Obesity. We have a fantastic video on this subject Follow Your Gut Microbiomes and Ageing with Rob Knight. Certain gut microbes affect the pathways of the gut. These result in an imbalance in inflammation and energy being deposited as fat.
• Obsessive Compulsive Disorder is linked to bacterial imbalance in the gut. Possibly the low serotonin levels may be a factor.
• Parkinson’s Disease. The gut bacteria of sufferers have a very different microbiome from non-sufferers. This show a definite cause and effect.
• Schizophrenia. Premature babies and C-Section babies have low levels of gut bacteria, and biodiversity, due to not going down the birth canal. It is speculated that they are more prone to this behaviour.

These are just some of the benefits. If I continued it would take a lot more of your time reading this. Already over 900 words.

Conclusion

There are 2 conclusions we can draw from the link between gut bacteria and health.

1. Have natural birth whenever possible. The young immune system gets the best start it can as it moves down the birth canal. My son was born C-Section after his mother was in labour for 48 hours. We were all exhausted, so there are times when trying as you want you cannot do it. That’s OK, but an elective C-Section and one pushed by your doctor will end up with a lifetime, literally, of problems for the child. Always do what is best for your child and not the doctor or your medical aid. Luckily my son takes Noster ProBiotics daily and I’m not a hygiene fanatic, and so he has a normal life.
2. Always take a Noster ProBiotic daily. Our environment no longer enables us to get the required probiotics we need naturally. We mostly live in concrete jungles, with an excessive amount of soap and sanitiser. We need to relax about the excessive cleanliness we have become obsessed with.

Finally, do not expect to have an instant cure as soon as you take your probiotics. This is a long-term solution. It is not a quick fix.

I and my entire family, from my gran down, take a Noster ProBiotic daily.