Good Bugs

WARNING: BRAINY TRACY AHEAD!

I read today on the Vaccine Awakening blog that Glaxo (a drug company), has just gotten their version of the rotovirus vaccine approved today by the FDA. Barbara Loe Fisher did an outstanding job of discussing this vaccine, I won't rehash what she had to say here..

BUT, it got my random thoughts spinning! Good bugs or friendly bacteria, or flora, that make up our digestive tract and how they have changed our home and I thought I'd give a little information that people ask me on a regular basis...now I can just point people to this post.

A little background info first... a few years ago I was having a recurring infection, I was chatting with my midwife about this and asked her how I could prevent it, not just treat it once it was here. She suggested I head to the health food store and get some probiotics. I had heard of these and knew the basic concept but really did not know much.

Once I got to the health food store, my head started spinning trying to sort through all the bottles of probiotics. I asked for help, the lady that helped me asked if I was having recurring sinus issues. I had been for years. I picked up a bottle that day and started on them immediately. The infection that I had been having has not returned, and my sinus issues have significantly subsided as well.

Now, when someone in our house feels a bit under the weather for any reason I up their dose of daily probiotics. If anyone has a stomach bug I really up their dose of it as well.

A basic primer, from me about probiotics... They are the friendly bacteria that populate our digestive system. They are responsible for helping digestion, which I've read holds a huge percentage of our immune functioning. Think of it, antibiotics kill off ALL bacteria, even the good stuff, leaving our immune system more vulnerable to a future more severe infection if it is not replaced quickly.

What I look for in a probiotic:
1. Lot of bugs (cell count in the billions)
2. Lots of Strains: We are said to have thousands of strains of good bacteria in our digestive tracts, they have isolated just a few of them to put in probiotics, so I try to capitalize on the number of strains we are getting. Bifidus or bifidum is said to be good for babies.

You don't have go buy the most expensive one. Something about the ones that say they don't have to be refrigerated, not sure how that all works... but I avoid those.

I also change it up from time to time buy a different brand every few bottles.

Yogurt and other "cultured" foods have the good bugs in them, most don't have near as much as you can get in a "probiotic" Kefir is the exception. It's a yogurt type food, found in the natural section of the grocery store, or at a health food store. It's often flavored, great to add it to a smoothie. You have to really watch the sugar content of these items as well... you can think that you are eating something healthy when it is loaded with sugar. Also, not all yogurt actually has live bacteria cultures in it. And personally I ponder if the weird colors they add to the "kiddie" yogurts don't do something to any remaining live cultures...

Most kids will eat and LOVE good quality yogurt, it does not have to be loaded with extra sugar, or wild colors, or cartoon characters. I mean, buy this stuff if you want, but don't be fooled on it being at all healthy for your child... (if your doing it just for the calcium and they won't eat yogurt any other way, offer them a Viactiv and they probably won't turn you down!)

So talk to your doctor, do some research on all the benefits of probiotics and see about getting yourself some good bugs.... I wonder if the drug companies that offer the vaccines for rotovirus ever tested probiotic usage in small children to prevent rotovirus?