Groundbreaking Bacteria: The Power of Probiotics by Dr. Brenda Watson

Research into :: probiotics :: the friendly bacteria that live in your intestines, has produced big breakthroughs in our understanding of health. These bacteria help support the immune system and help protect us against invasion by undesirable organisms.

Researchers are proving that among the many benefits of probiotics, one of the most significant is their ability to help lower the risk of cancer. When good bacteria (flora) flourish, they crowd out harmful pathogens. Researchers on aging are only recently beginning to understand how a decrease in these bacteria may be one reason for increased cancer and other illnesses as we age. Protecting your flora with probiotic supplements and the right nutrients may be the key to optimal well-being and disease prevention.

The term probiotic means “for life.” These busy bacteria don’t passively sit in the digestive tract feeding on undigested food. Instead, they perform a complicated job (still being unraveled by scientists) that cooperatively interacts with the immune system to prevent outbreaks of disease-causing organisms and keep immune cells functioning at full capacity.

Cancer Fighters? As we age, our susceptibility to cancer increases. According to the National Cancer Institute, your chances of developing colon cancer at age 75 is one hundred times greater than it was at age 25. Similarly, your chances of developing bladder cancer increase as you grow older. During the past fifty years, the incidence of bladder cancer among Americans has ballooned by more than fifty percent.

Some of these cases may be linked to a drop in the body’s probiotics. Japanese studies found that giving high doses of probiotics to people with bladder cancer doubled the average time that elapsed before they were susceptible to the return of more tumors. In a follow-up study, when those with bladder cancer were given stronger and more varied doses of probiotics, the time during which they were tumor-free doubled. In addition, the tumors that did return were less aggressive and took longer to grow (European Urology, 27(2):104-109).

Research into other cancers also gives scientists a reason to believe that probiotics may help lower the risk of malignancies. A study of people who had had been treated for colon cancer or had intestinal polyps removed showed that taking probiotics along with prebiotics (special fibers called oligosaccharides that nourish beneficial bacteria) decreased their cancer risk. In a review of two dozen studies that examined how probiotics and prebiotics affected colon cancer in the laboratory (Br J Nutr. 2005 Apr;93 Suppl 1:S73-90), researchers found strong evidence that when probiotic bacteria fed on prebioitics in the digestive tract, the byproducts had the potential to “inhibit (cancer) cell growth, modulate differentiation and reduce metastasis activities.”

Aging and Probiotics ~ Researchers are finding that to promote health in our intestinal tract, especially as we grow older, we require concentrated doses of probiotics. As we age, along with a vulnerability to cancer, we grow more prone to a host of other diseases, including heart disease, digestive difficulties, parasites and illnesses linked to spoiled food. British researchers who have measured the probiotic bacteria of people of various ages note that, “The absence of bifidobacteria, or their low numbers in the elderly, may have metabolic and health con-sequences, because they play an important role in the body affecting immune system reactivity and a multiplicity of other physiological functions.” (Gut 2001;48:198-205).

Naturopathic Doctor (ND) and a Certified Nutritional Consultant (CNC) Brenda Watson is a New York Times best-selling author and among the foremost authorities in America today on optimum nutrition and digestion; natural detoxification methods; and herbal internal cleansing. For more than 20 years, Brenda has dedicated her career to helping people achieve vibrant, lasting health through improved digestive function. Brenda has studied countless philosophies of health and natural healing with some of the great teachers of our time. Dr. Bernard Jensen’s work provided the foundation in healing that propelled her to establish five natural healthcare clinics in the state of Florida that specialize in cleansing and detoxification. Growing awareness of the link between digestive health and total-body wellness motivated Brenda to write her first book, Renew Your Life, in 2002. The book, which has since sold over 100,000 copies, focuses on supporting the body’s natural detoxification processes, as well as improving digestion through healthy nutrition. Check out :: Dr. Brenda Watson’s latest book :: including reading the first chapter!