Probiotic
Therapy

Recently a friend of mine recommended that I read Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride's book, Gut and Psychology Syndrome. I had actually read it years ago, but having decided to re-read all the great health books at least twice, I picked it up again.

The core message of Gut and Psychology Syndrome is that there is natural treatment for autism, dyspraxia, ADD, dyslexia, ADHD, depression, and schizophrenia. All of these so-called psychological syndromes start in the gut: heal the gut to heal the mind.

To learn more about the fabulous work of Dr. Campbell-McBride, watch these six YouTube videos.

There are many aspects to this natural treatment to heal the gut, and in turn to optimize one's psychological health, including vitamin A, healthy fats, digestive enzymes, and a gluten-free diet, but in re-reading the book, the information that really struck me was her thoughts on probiotic therapy.

Probiotic therapy is the use of beneficial microorganisms, or "probiotics," for the prevention and treatment of disease. As currently populates the scientific literature, and as Dr. Campbell-McBride states, "The scope of disorders where probiotics have been successfully used as part of treatment is rapidly growing."

Clinically, we do find that probiotic therapy promotes healing in most, if not all, of the people that we work with at the Optimal Health Center. Furthermore, in our work with Gastrointestinal Health Panels, we consistently find microbial imbalances even when the symptoms of ill health aren't thought to relate to a gut disorder (e.g., eczema, arthritis, and insomnia).

One health disorder that Dr. Campbell-McBride does not include in her discussion of the gut and psychology syndrome, and which I would like to address, is diabetes. You don't consider it a psychological disorder? Actually, diabetes is associated with an increased likelihood of anxiety disorders.

Is it possible that restoring a normal, healthy microflora within the gut of the diabetes sufferer could help to bring recovery? In the scientific article, The "Perfect Storm" for Type 1 Diabetes: The Complex Interplay Between Intestinal Microbiota, Gut Permeability, and Mucosal Immunity, the authors state the following:

"Studies examining the microecology of the gastrointestinal tract have identified specific microorganisms whose presence appears related (either quantitatively or qualitatively) to disease; in type 1 diabetes, a role for microflora in the pathogenesis of disease has recently been suggested. Increased intestinal permeability has also been observed in animal models of type 1 diabetes as well as in humans with or at increased risk for the disease. Finally, an altered mucosal immune system has been associated with the disease and is likely a major contributor to the failure to form tolerance, resulting in the autoimmunity that underlies type 1 diabetes. Herein, we discuss the complex interplay between these factors and raise testable hypotheses that form a fertile area for future investigations as to the role of the gut in the pathogenesis and prevention of type 1 diabetes."

Our bodies ought to be well-populated with a magnificent community of multiple types of bacteria: Lactobacilli, Bifidobacteria, Saccharomyces boulardii, E.coli, Streptococcus faecalis, and Bacillus subtilis, to name a few. Unfortunately, most of our bodies do not hold vibrantly healthy communities of the health-producing microbes. We all need to take a daily dose of probiotics. People who take a regular colon cleanse need to take a daily probiotic.

Dr. Campbell-McBride states: "A good probiotic should have multiple types of beneficial bacteria; a mixture of strains from different groups of probiotic bacteria is more beneficial than just one group; a good probiotic should have a concentrated amount of bacteria; and, the manufacturer of the probiotic should test every batch for strength and bacterial composition."

At the Optimal Health Center, we recommend Ortho Biotic as a daily probiotic supplement.
The therapeutic dose level of a probiotic depends on the individual, but here are some general guidelines:

• An adult should take in about 15-20 billion bacterial cells per day.
  
  
• Children also benefit from probiotics, but the dosage varies depending on the size and age of the child.
  
  
• Daily maintenance dosages of probiotics are lower than a therapeutic dosage, but vary based on the health history of the individual.

Please contact the Optimal Health Center for more support with your optimal therapeutic and maintenance dosages of probiotics.