Costco Connection - June 2012

for your health

endearment Germs of

viable in your digestive tract after you’ve swallowed the supplement.

Cautions and care

Are there any side effects or risks attached to probiotic use? Beneficial bacteria occur naturally and are generally well tolerated. However, individuals with immunodeficiency (e.g., those with AIDS) or who are taking immunosuppressive drugs, or receiving chemotherapy or radiation treatment or treatment for any serious medical condition, should follow the advice of their doctor or health professional. As with all medications and supplements, read the label and follow the directions for dosage and frequency.

Some brands advise refrigeration and others claim it is not necessary. Most health professionals recommend the former, but some supplement manufacturers assert that improvements in encapsulation technology maintain shelf stability well past the expiry date, which certainly helps when traveling.

Another divisive issue is whether a probiotic should be taken with food or on an empty stomach. Again, follow the directions on the label or the advice of your health professional.

Your gut is a battleground: dark angels of pathogens battling bright angels of well-being. You may be able to help the latter with a daily supplement of probiotics. C

Costco member Bruce Burnett is a chartered herbalist and author of Herb Wise: Growing, Cooking, Wellbeing (Herbwise, 2002).

The pros of probiotics

By Bruce Burnett

THE HUMAN BODY contains an estimated 100 trillion bacterial cells from at least 500 species, not including viruses and fungi. These bacteria are known as “friendly” bacteria, or probiotics, and are vital for many important biological functions, including digestion; combating harmful bacteria, fungal and yeast infections; manufacturing vitamins B and K; producing hormones to store excess nutrients; and stimulating the immune system.

The website GreenMedInfo.com has
assembled a list of more than 200 studies,
investigating more than 170 diseases allevi-
ated or treated with probiotics. These include
irritable bowel syndrome, atopic dermatitis,
diarrhea, allergic rhinitis and the common
cold. One of the studies linked on the site
says, “The ability of the gut microbiota and
oral probiotics to influence systemic inflam-
mation, oxidative stress, glycemic control,
tissue lipid content and even mood itself,
may have important implications.”

tant in medical research, not just for
problems pertaining to the digestive system
but also problems pertaining to the rest of
the body,” says Pankaj J. Pasricha, chief of
gastroenterology and hepatology at Stanford
University School of Medicine.
As Candace Pert, an internationally rec-
ognized pharmacologist, explains in her book
Molecules of Emotion, more than 90 percent of
serotonin, the “feel good” hormone, is found
in the digestive tract. To quote self-help guru
Deepak Chopra, who earned an M.D., “When
you say you have a ‘gut feeling’ about some-
thing, you’re not talking metaphorically.”
The remedy? Boosting your probiotic
intake.

Unfortunately, a modern fast-food diet and high-stress lifestyle can result in nutritional deficiencies and an imbalance of pathogenic bacteria versus beneficial bacteria in your gut.

Benefits beyond the gut

According to the January 17, 2012, edition of The Wall Street Journal, current research shows the gut affects bodily functions beyond digestion and immune function. Studies have shown intriguing links between the gut’s health and bone formation, learning and memory, and even conditions such as Parkinson’s disease. (For more on memory protection, see page 31.) Recent research found that imbalances in intestinal bacteria can prompt depression and anxiety—at least in lab rats. “The gut is impor-

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The Costco Connection Costco members will find many sources of probiotics at Costco, including yogurt, kefir, cheese, kimchi (select locations) as well as over-the-counter supplements.

Probiotic sources

There are natural food sources of probiotics. Historically, people used fermented foods such as yogurt, kefir (fermented milk), some cheeses, sauerkraut (fermented cabbage), kimchi (Korean spicy cabbage) and tempeh (a fermented soybean product). Some people still derive probiotics from such food sources, but it’s questionable if the bacteria can survive the pasteurization, transportation and storage of commercially prepared foods.