The Benefit of the Probiotic Supplement

The Benefit of the Probiotic Supplement
First of all, what the heck is a 'probiotic' anything, much
less a probiotic supplement? What does it do and why would
you need to even consider adding it to a health regimen?

I'll try to give you an answer, but I need to explain a
couple of things about our bodies first.

THE DIGESTIVE SYSTEM AND THE BACTERIA LIVING IN IT

Our bodies, including really healthy ones, have trillions
of friendly microorganisms living in them, with the vast
majority being found in the large intestine, or colon. In
fact, their actions in the colon are of prime importance to
our health. One of their most important jobs is helping to
keep other, less desirable organisms, under control. When
these other organisms go out of control, we can experience
all kinds of problems. These friendly microorganisms, by
the way, are often referred to as 'intestinal microflora'.

The digestive tract of a fetus is sterile. However, the
passage through the birth canal exposes the newborn to
bacteria, and, once in the world, this exposure will
continue for all the days of its life. Billions of
bacteria will colonize the oral cavity and billions more
will set up housekeeping in the small intestine. The
biggest lot, however, will form the largest concentration
in the large intestine, where as many as one hundred
trillion will settle down and raise their own families. It
has been estimated that the microorganisms in the colon
will number more than the cells in the body itself!

The life of these bacteria is a bit like a Clint Eastwood
movie, only here, they are "The Good, The Bad, And The
Indifferent". Oddly enough, even though there are 400 to
500 types of these bacteria living in our colons, most have
little or no effect on our overall health.

Like a spaghetti western, however, the bad guys can wreak
havoc if they get out of control. Their escapades can
cause illnesses, or set us up for takeover by other,
usually long-term and opportunistic, health problems. All
opportunistic means, by the way, is that a healthy body
might normally be able to fight off certain infections,
but, if the immune system has been in some way weakened by
the production of toxic substances in the colon, the
infection might be able to establish a beachhead in the
body.

I think I drifted into a John Wayne war movie metaphor with
the beachhead thing. Oh, well. Sorry, Clint.

THE FRIENDLY MICROORGANISMS

Among all these countless microorganisms, there are two
major players whose presence acts as the town marshal and
deputy (back to the western again) who keep the rowdies
under control and help the body stay healthy.

The two really important friendly microorganisms are the
lactobacilli, who tend to hang out at the "Small Intestine
Saloon", and the bifidobacteria who keep watch out on the
range in the large intestine, or colon. Large healthy
colonies of these two bacteria tend to protect us from the
invasion of the bad microorganism body-snatchers.

Oops! I drifted into a horror movie genre for a second
didn't I? I'll try to pay more attention.

Anyway, the interesting thing, at least to me, is that the
good guys beat the bad guys pretty much by outnumbering
them! They don't really get into brawls with one another,
it's just that if there are enough friendly microorganisms,
they just take over the territory and don't leave enough
room for the bad guys. Now, if you still want to think of
it as some kind of battle, here's what lactobacilli and
bifidobacteria do to win.

1. When there is a high enough concentration of
lactobacilli and bifidobacteria, they seem to enhance
immune system function and help boost the natural abilities
of the white blood cells, which are crucial to proper
immune system functioning.

2. Friendly microorganisms help maintain the naturally low
acid pH balance normally found in the healthy intestine.
The metabolic byproducts of friendly microflora, help
maintain this low acid pH balance and this discourages the
growth of other, less desirable, microflora.

3. When it comes to getting to nutrients, a healthy
population of lactobacilli and bifidobacteria can beat out
the bad guys at the lunch counter, if not in the saloon, in
effect starving the bad guys into submission.

DETOXIFICATION AND HEALTHY COLON SUPPORT

Toxins from foods and environmental pollutants are
processed in the liver, they are released into the small
intestine. However, they have been placed into 'jail
cells' made up of bile and exist as detoxified elements
which can no longer harm the intestinal community, and, by
extension, your body. The bad microflora, unfortunately,
have a habit of breaking these guys out of jail, allowing
them to shoot up the town...metaphorically speaking, of
course. A large enough dietary level of lactobacilli can
put a damper on these 'jail breaks'.

I'm going to skip a long, involved explanation about the
effects of 'short chain fatty acids', and cut to the chase
on the healthy colon thing. Let's just leave it that much
research indicates that lactobacilli and bifidobacteria,
can help maintain a healthy condition of the colon cells
and sustain the proper functioning of the gastrointestinal
system.

THE PROBLEM...OR PROBLEMS

A lot of attention these days is devoted to such
'unfriendly microorganisms' such as Candida albicans, which
currently the poster child for the bad things that can
happen when we neglect our 'friendly microorganisms'.

Candida albicans is one of those bad guys we have been
talking about which can take over the town when the marshal
and his deputy are weak and without the power to stop them.
Candida overgrowth, which occurs in such a situation, can
be the direct or indirect cause of all kinds of problems
ranging from gas and bloating to chronic fatigue. In the
presence of an overgrowth, the body may demand extra food,
usually in the form of carbs, or simply fall prey to a
myriad of 'opportunistic' infections mentioned earlier.
The really terrible part is that most people are walking
around with a mass of these problems either present or
waiting offstage and do not even know it. They just think
that the way they feel and the way their body behaves is
natural.

Several factors, some related to our modern lives, some
simply a part of life, can contribute to a reduction of the
friendly microorganisms, or impact their efficiency, thus
allowing the growth of Candida albicans and other
unfriendly microorganisms.

The three most important of these factors are:

*Antibiotics - These wonder drugs, which can be so
beneficial to health, usually don't know the bad guys from
the good guys. They are the Gatling Gun at the gunfight.
Everybody gets mowed down, including lactobacilli and
bifidobacteria. Even worse, many doctors will prescribe
antibiotics even when they are not needed 'just to be sure'.

*Age - Like so many other things, our two friends tend to
die off with age.

*Diet - Particularly in the western world, but also in
countries adopting the western diet, food tends to be high
in animal fat and low in fiber. Lactobacilli and
bifidobacteria feed on undigested dietary fiber, but suffer
when animal fat, sugar (very common), and alcohol are
introduced. The typical western diet, particularly when
ordered at the local fast food establishment, can deliver a
nearly lethal one-two punch.

THE SOLUTION

Fortunately, there ARE things that can be done to protect
and support the friendly microorganisms. The last item we
mentioned in the section on problems was 'diet' so let's
start with that.

*Diet - Simply change over to a diet low in fat and high in
fiber. Make sure you include plenty of fresh fruits,
vegetables, grains, and legumes.

*Exercise - Study after study has shown the link between
exercise and a broad range of benefits to the health of the
body. In addition to strengthening the immune system so
that it might not be so badly affected by Candida albicans
or other bad microorganisms, exercise seems to improve the
overall functioning of all the body's systems, including
the digestive system.

*The Probiotic Supplement - There are many good probiotic
supplements available from many sources today. The benefit
of the probiotic supplement rests in the fact that it
returns lactobacilli and bifidobacteria to the intestinal
tract, thus restoring the balance of power in the digestive
system.

----------------------------------------------------
Donovan Baldwin is a 62 years young freelance writer,
amateur bodybuilder, and mild-mannered health nut currently
residing in the wilds of central Texas. He is University
of West Florida alumnus, a member of Mensa, and is retired
from the U. S. Army. He and his wife are distributors of a
line of natural products for home and health. You may view
their website at http://www.shaklee.net/natural_health .

3 Things You Need to Know About Fibromyalgia

3 Things You Need to Know About Fibromyalgia
Fibromyalgia is an age old problem that dates back many
centuries. It is a condition that has muslce and joint pain
that seems to persist without any identifiable reason.
There are three specific things you should know about
fibromyalgia. They are: what is fibromyalgia, what causes
fibromyalgia, and what can I do about fibromyalgia.

So what is fibromyalgia? Fibro is a word that refers to
connective tissue that cushions your joints. Myalgia is a
word that is used to refer to pain in the muscles. So,
fibromyalgia is a condition that causes pain in your
connective tissue and muscles.

However, fibromyalgia is more than just pain in the muscle
and joints. It causes many other symptoms as well. The
primary symptoms are stiff aching muscles and pain,
however, fatigue is a big problem as well. Fibromyalgia can
cause certain distinct areas or points on the body to being
tender to the touch. These are cleverly named tender points.

Some people who suffer from fibromyalgia also complain of
heart palpitations, headaches, sleeping problems, fatigue,
anxiety, depression, and more. The range of severity with
fibromyalgia often fluctuates between flares and between
different people. Some people are only mildly affected
while others have their lives severely altered due to the
severity of the symptoms.

Although fibromyalgia involves joint pain, doctors do not
believe that this condition is a form of arthritis. It
falls more in the category of inflammatory conditions.

The cause of fibromyalgia is not conclusive, yet there are
many advances and studies being done that are getting
closer to finding the cause or causes. Some believe that it
can come from a past trauma to the body, others may think a
certain type of virus may be responsible. Some think that a
pervasive candida may be to blame, while others say that it
could be from toxin build up. No matter the cause, there
are some great studies being done to push fibromyalgia to
the forefront of medicines eyes.

Although there isn't a conclusive cause to fibromyalgia,
treatment courses are available to help sufferers deal with
their symptoms. Treatments that are natural and targeted at
the symptoms have been shown to provide significant relief.
This along with the progression of medicine and studies
targeted toward fibromyalgia, provide needed hope for
solutions and relief of fibromyalgia symptoms.

There is hope out there. Treatment can work for you and
there is pain and fatigue relief that will help you in your
battle to stomp out fibromyalgia symptoms.

----------------------------------------------------
Hailey Harris is an expert in dealing with Fibromyalgia
after suffering for more than 8 years with health problems.
She is now symptom free and living a pain free life. She
developed Ridfibromyalgia.com found at
http://www.ridfibromyalgia.com to help others learn to do
the same. To receive tons of info, tips, and healing
strategies for free visit
http://www.ridfibromyalgia.com/how.html .

How To Get Faster Fat Burning Results: The Secret Tool To Achieving The Body You Want

How To Get Faster Fat Burning Results: The Secret Tool To Achieving The Body You Want
Every woman wants to know how to lose stubborn belly fat,
lose weight and inches in the surest and fastest way. One
of secrets tools I recommend for women a body fat tester.
By using this for tool women can easily measure their
progress in a better way than the scale.

Some women ask if the scales that detect your body fat
work. The answer is "No".

These types of scales don't account for dehydration. For
example you could step on it in the morning and be 28%
body fat then later in the day you step on it again it says
33%. Your body will fluctuate constantly throughout the day
and even from day to day. Depending on how much water you
have in your body, if you are having your monthly cycle and
any other hormonal changes. It can be very discouraging
too. Another device is the electrical hand held device,
which again is often inaccurate for the same reason stated
earlier. This is not to be confused with the digital
calipers which can also measure your body fat.

If you are working with a professional that can track your
body fat, most likely they will take it with caliper, which
is a body fat tester. How does body fat tester work? It
works by a simply pinching skin in designated sites on the
body. The product comes along with a guide and sites for
you to measure.

Can I use a body fat tester on myself? Yes you can.

Keeping track of your body fat by testing it will actually
get you results quicker. Why? Think of it this way, if were
in sales and you had a monthly quota to reach you figure
out how many sales you would have to make in a day or week
in order to get to your goal. Additionally, by tracking it
you would also figure out after each sale what you did that
worked as well as the sales that you didn't get to keep you
on track of your monthly goal. This is how your brain
works..when it is given a set of instructions in this case
your body fat goal. It will find a way to keep on top on
your goal and if you need to tweak your program it will
make adjustments or in this case you would simply post your
question on the forum.

For example: "I have been tracking my body fat using the
calipers and for the past 3 weeks nothing is changing what
can I do to get my body fat moving in the right direction?"

From there you will be able to get the answers quickly with
this question along with explaining what your are doing
with your nutrition and training. When women realize the
beauty of this powerful tool they are hooked and no longer
a slave to the scale.

What about weighing myself, why do so many programs focus
on weight loss rather than fat loss?

Because weighing yourself is only a small portion of the
picture to measuring results. Remember muscle weighs more
than fat. So many women will get discouraged when weighing
themselves right after they implement a fat loss program,
as they tend to see the scale go up. What you need to
realize is that your body will fluctuate when you start
working out, especially with weights you tend to retain
what is called inter cellular fluid (water weight).

How accurate is a body fat test? The secret is really the
same method and the same tester when using a body fat test.
I like to use a 9 site reading but to get more information
about the body fat and it's sums. However, don't be
concerned about that, as I mentioned the key is the same
method and the same tester. You could even have a friend,
husband, or boyfriend perform the testing if you want as
well. Make sure they understand that it must be consistent.

----------------------------------------------------
Heather Picken, Female Fat Loss Expert, and Co-Founder Of
Fat Loss For Women online community. Learn the secrets to
losing unwanted belly fat and inches. Sign up for the
latest fat burning secrets and receive your FREE copy of
"Blast Cellulite Now"
http://www.fatlossforwomen.com

Several Internal Causes of Acne and How to Deal With Them

Several Internal Causes of Acne and How to Deal With Them
First, I'm going to tell you about a little bug called
candida, commonly known as yeast. This is the first part to
understanding one of the internal causes of acne.

This nasty little bug loves to thrive in our intestines,
especially pockets of old feces that are trapped inside the
colon. The problem comes when candida gets out of control.
To survive, the candida eats sugars but gives off nasty
toxic waste in exchange which your body has to get rid of.

When there are too many of these toxins in the body they
can cause all sorts of allergic reactions, and infections
including acne. Are you addicted to sweet foods? That's
probably because candida needs sugar to grow and live, so
lots of sugars in your body and a bowel that's out of
balance is the perfect breeding ground for candida.

Did you know that your colon can contain up to 25 pounds of
undigested food, slime, foul and putrefied fecal matter
trapped in your intestinal tract? This is definitely not
good. Can you imagine what all the toxins in all this "dead
yuck" is doing to your health?

Now you've learnt about candida and how it can cause acne.
You also know that candida finds it's home in small pockets
of feces in the colon (disgusting I know, but it's true!)
Did you know that a 'dirty' colon can cause problems other
than acne? Some health experts say that 90% of all sickness
and diseases are related to an unclean colon!

If you have had for many years a diet with regular helpings
of some of the following: Animal food (including dairy),
fried food, coffee or tea, sugar, white flower, microwaved
food, hydrogenated fats and drugs (such as aspirin or
alcohol) then, you most likely have mucoid plaque in your
colon.

One of the best ways to clean out mucoid plaque is by colon
cleansing. There are many different ways to perform a colon
cleanse but there are some foods that you can start eating
today to promote good intestinal health.

Eating lots of fibre-rich foods such as fruits, vegetables,
wholegrain breads and cereals are a good start. The fibres
in apples and psyllium husks act likes a sponge by cleaning
the walls of the colon. They also absorb toxins and other
junk and help push waste through the colon.

There is only one small problem. If these wonderful
cleansing foods don't exit your body fast enough, the body
can actually re-absorb the toxins from them and create more
problems!

So how do we get rid of food quickly from our colon? There
are several ways which we'll look at below.

One way is to drink a quart of water mixed with 2 teaspoons
of non-iodized salt. I have tried this and it is not very
pleasant! Although, you will experience a total elimination
within about 30 minutes from drinking the solution. This
technique is known as the "Salt Water Flush".

Another way is to use a substance known as magnesium oxide.
This powder, when mixed with fresh lemon juice liquifies
the stool and also produces fast elimination.

The last way is by using a gentle laxative such as a herbal
laxative tea. They can be bought cheap, but their effect
can be questionable due to different quality and different
ingredients.

The above colon "flushing" methods are only to be used for
a few days at a time and not every day otherwise your body
may get used to them and even become dependent on them.

----------------------------------------------------
Learn about the "Acne Free in 3 Days" program and sign up
for my FREE 30 day acne ecourse at my website:
http://www.americanchronicle.com/articles/viewArticle.asp?ar
ticleID=39160 or
http://www.manilasites.com/kazoone/acne-free-in-3-days-revie
w

Coping With a Sweet Tooth

Coping With a Sweet Tooth
One of the hardest parts to overcome in a "clean eating"
nutrition plan can be the issues that arise if someone has
what is commonly known as a "sweet tooth". If you have
one... you know it. The chocolate calls you from across the
room. You probably take carmel, whipped cream, AND syrup in
your morning latte. I'm right there with you in this
category. I LOVE SWEETS! I've come to the conclusion that
cutting them out completely only drives me to binge when I
can finally get my hands on them. There are ways to cope
with your sweet tooth in your clean eating plan.

Sugar: This is all natural. Some nutritionists (and your
LIVE personal trainer) are of the opinion that if you are
going to have sweetener of any kind, have the real thing!
They feel that while it impacts your blood sugar the most,
this is the safest choice as you can get it in the natural
form. Many feel that knowing you are using the real thing
will help you curb the quantity you chose to use.

Stevia: Also a naturally occurring option. More and more it
can be found in mainstream grocery stores in the baking
isle right next to Splenda! Give it a chance. Some people
really love it and find it to be an excellent alternative
to other sweeteners. You can even buy it in convenient
packets to carry with you!

Agave Nectar: This can usually be found in the section with
honey of a natural foods grocery store. It is a thick
liquid similar to honey and can easily be added to many
foods where you might normally use sugar to sweeten.

Aspartame (Nutrasweet... the blue stuff): This is a
chemical compound touted as being 180 times sweeter than
regular sugar. But don't kid yourself! It has calories!!! 4
calories per gram to be exact. Phenylketonuria is also of
concern. This is a genetic disorder in which the body
cannot process some of the enzymes in the aspartame. Don't
start running to the doctor just yet. Chances are, if you
have it, you already know it. All products containing
aspartame must also carry the warning "Phenylketonurics:
Contains Phenylalanine" on the label so that they are
easily identified.

Sucralose (Splenda): This sugar derivative is 320 - 1000
times sweeter than sugar itself. It is manufactured through
selective chloronation of sucrose. Since it is stable under
heat, it can even be used in baking! Note that although
the nutritional label on Splenda's packaging states that a
single serving (1 teaspoon = 5 g) contains zero calories,
Splenda actually contains two Calories per teaspoon.

Saccharin (Sweet-N-Low... the pink stuff): This sugar
substitute is 300 times sweeter that sugar. However, some
don't care for it because of an "aftertaste". Some soft
drinks are sweetened with saccharin. Some studies have
linked it to the development of cancer. Therefore,
saccharin products are required to carry the warning "Use
of these products may be hazardous to your health. This
product contains saccharin which has been determined to
cause cancer in laboratory animals."

Fruit: If fruit seems to satisfy your sweet tooth, try
incorporating lower glycemic choices into your diet!
Strawberries are my personal favorite. Other choices might
include, blue berries, razberries, or plums. Apples,
oranges, and grapefruit are also excellent options since
they are accompanied by high fiber content. This slows the
glycemic reaction to the fructose in the body.

In the end, none of these options are without impact to
your clean eating diet. However, they are ways to address
and manage your nutrition plan in a way that sets you up
for success. Ultimately, only you can decide what is right
for you and your body. This is just a short list of some
options to help you make an educated decision.

----------------------------------------------------
About The Author: Everything Pills has been in the
professional fitness and nutrition business for over 10
years. http://www.everythingpills.com/ - visit the website
for more information on weight loss, core fitness programs,
optimal diets, and all discount prices on nutritional
supplements.

Dental Implants Open Mouths for Toothless Patients

Dental Implants Open Mouths for Toothless Patients
Dentistry has come a long way in the last century, and
specifically, dental implants and oral rehabilitation has
opened the doors and mouths with increased treatment
possibilities for many patients. Let's face it - we need
our teeth for chewing functionality and to eat, not just
for looks. Tooth loss can result in shrinkage of gums and
jawbones, and up until recently there were many folks with
partial tooth loss who could not live normally.

Thanks to the field of oral implantology, or dental
implants, a new standard of care has emerged and teeth can
now be restored for both functionality and aesthetics.
Dental implants can also help people with increased chewing
capacity, and improved speech in addition to their
appearance.

Many a periodontist and dental professionals have branched
off and are now specializing in this field, and continuing
research spawns new developments on a daily basis. However
dental implants are not for people seeking new teeth in an
hour; they take time.

Dental implants rely on the bone for support and are
substitutes for natural tooth roots. Today oral implants
are widely accepted even though failures do occur. The
chance for implants to integrate can for example be
jeopardized by the presence of intra-oral bacteria and
inflammatory reactions. People with adequate bone level and
density who are not prone to infection and can maintain the
best oral hygiene would be good candidates for dental
implants.

There are varying types of implants that are available but
the basic definition is that it is a device, or fixture,
that is surgically placed into the jaw bone to replace one
or several lost roots of teeth. Dental implants are
designed to replace the root of a tooth. Implants are the
surgically placed part which goes either into, or sits on
top of the jawbone, while the actual tooth or teeth that go
on top of the implant(s) are referred to as the prosthesis.

Anesthesia techniques today make it easier to perform
surgery in the dental office without discomfort to
patients. Typically, local anesthesia blocks pain.

Many oral surgeons are equipped with a computerized
tomography (CT) program called SIMPLANT, which analyzes the
three dimensional images of a CT scan for implant patients.
The analysis allows them to measure bone density, height,
and width and select the most suitable implant for each
case.

According to one Los Angeles oral surgeon, Dr. Bijan Afar,
"If you are thinking about having a dental implant, you
need to know that there are several parts to this process:
1) the device or fixture; 2) an attachment (abutment) with
a screw; and 3) the crown (tooth) or prosthesis. Patients
need to be aware of several different sequences of events
that take place during the implant process, or
reconstruction as it's often called.

There are basically two distinct phases including a
surgical phase, and a prosthetic phase. The surgical phase
includes all that's concerned with getting the implant into
or onto the bone and getting it ready for the prosthetic
phase. The prosthetic phase includes doing all that is
required to put a single tooth or teeth on top of the
implant(s). After the implant is placed into the jaw bone,
a process that is called "osseointegration" allows the bone
to grow and tighten around it. This process takes a few
months, but after it has integrated with the bone
successfully, the next phase can begin.

The second procedure is where a metal attachment is placed
to the implant onto which the final restoration is
fabricated to replace the missing tooth. Once the third
part or the crown is screwed onto the abutment, the dental
implant is complete.

No matter what your age, if you are missing one or more of
your natural teeth, dental implants may be the right
solution for you. They are a long-lasting and pleasing
alternative to missing teeth.

----------------------------------------------------
Kristin Gabriel is a Los Angeles-based writer and PR
professional. One of her clients, Dr. Bijan Afar, an oral
surgeon, is also based in Los Angeles, and owns five dental
clinics. For more information, visit
http://www.oralimplants.com .