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Detoxify Your Body for Better Health

by Dr. Julian Whitaker

Published 04/30/09

Protect Your Health Through Your Intestines

When you swallow a mouthful of food, you might think it goes into your body. Well, it doesn't. It actually goes into your gastrointestinal tract, and the inside of this tract is still "outside" of your body-and it needs to stay that way. You see, as the food in your intestinal tract is broken down, beneficial nutrients are carefully taken into your bloodstream. All the unnecessary or unabsorbed particles stay in your intestines and are eventually passed out of your body. If your gastrointestinal tract is punctured, allowing its contents to leak into the body, it can be a life-threatening emergency.

Fortunately your intestines are home to billions of bacteria-hundreds of different species that outnumber the cells of your body 100:1. In fact, one-third of your waste is composed of millions of these bacteria. Your body puts up no immune defense against them-through evolution they've become an important part of you. In fact, these friendly bacteria in your intestines are the frontline of your immune defense-Bifidobacterium, Lactobacillus acidophilus, and Lactobacillus bulgaricus.

These "Good Guys" Protect Your Health

These friendly bacteria help digest and absorb food, produce B vitamins, and control cholesterol levels. They support your immune system by preventing the growth of harmful bacteria like Salmonella, Clostridium and Staphylococcus aureus, and against fungi like Candida albicans in your intestines that produce toxic and carcinogenic substances that cause constipation and diarrhea, and may injure your intestines. Friendly bacteria not only prevent harmful ones from multiplying, they also neutralize carcinogenic substances and help suppress the growth of tumors in your intestine.

The bacterial flora of your intestinal tract change as you age-the population of Bifidobacteria declines, and intestinal pathogens increase. Stress, prescription medications, and poor diet reduce their numbers further, leaving you vulnerable to infection and diseases that attack an overworked immune system. However, the most common culprits are antibiotics.

Antibiotics wipe out all bacteria. Then the race is on as to which microorganisms-the good or the bad-set up shop in that empty real estate in your intestines. Even if you don't take antibiotics, you probably ingest them in animal products. Over 35 million pounds of antibiotics are produced in the U.S. each year, and animals are given the vast bulk of them.

Replenish Your Friendly Bacteria With Fiber

Because these delicate bacteria are constantly subjected to a barrage of assaults, you need to take an active role in assuring you have a healthy number of them in your intestines to protect you. You can replenish and stabilize your body's supply of friendly bacteria with proper diet and "probiotics," substances that contribute to a healthy balance of microbes in your intestine.

Your diet should be high in fiber-rich complex carbohydrates. The main "food" of intestinal bacteria is dietary fiber, the undigested part of plant foods that passes into the intestines. Intestinal flora break down the fiber and convert it to fatty acids that help keep the lining of your colon healthy. Other byproducts of this breakdown process are organic acids that inhibit the growth of pathogenic bacteria. A diet that consists of a lot of meat has the opposite effect, and encourages the growth of harmful bacteria.

Also be sure you have yogurt in your diet. It increases your body's levels of interferon, a powerful immune-enhancing hormone. Yogurt also contains Lactobacillus acidophilus, which has been demonstrated to significantly decrease the incidence of vaginal infections in women who are prone to them. Look for yogurt "made with live and active cultures."

Get Additional Insurance With Probiotics

The best way of guaranteeing healthy intestinal flora is to take supplemental probiotics. Probiotics contain populations of friendly bacteria. Even healthy people will benefit from taking them, as probiotics give tremendous support to your immune system.

Probiotics come in capsules, liquid, or powder forms. Be sure to check the date on the bottle, as you are dealing with live organisms. They are best refrigerated after opening.

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