Thinking back twenty years ago, did you know what a probiotic was? In 1999 AIM introduced FloraFood capsules, each containing 1 billion colony-forming units from a combination of Lactobacillus gasseri, Bifidobacterium bifidum and Bifidobacterium longum. The belief in probiotics has changed dramatically over the past five years, and there has been an explosion of new ideas about the role that gut bacteria and the microbiome play in our health with the supplementation of probiotics.
There are hundreds of bacterial species living with our bodies with around 100 trillion microbial cells, which outnumber our own cells by 10 : 1. Microbiome live all over our bodies (inside and out), with the gut microbiota being the largest reservoir of microbiota in the body which specifically impacts the following aspects of our biology:
- Digestion
- Metabolism and body weight
- Neurological health
- Cognition
- Emotional well-being
- Immune response
- Reproductive health
That’s the reason why we need to protect our gut by taking a daily probiotic. This month, AIM will release a new and improved FloraFood, guaranteeing you 3 billion CFU (colony-forming units) per capsule of the three bacteria in the original formula. The larger dose of these three species will provide you more gut protection and improved digestive functioning.
I love getting more friendly bacteria into my body, especially for the same price. Three times the amount of probiotics at no extra cost!
—Rica Gerhardt, Ashton, ON
Many analogize the gut as being like an inner garden with bacteria living in it, so like any good ecosystem, we need to feed it the right nutrients to keep it thriving and flourishing. Prebiotics are one such nutrient that feed and ensure the gut bacteria proliferate in that inner garden. Prebiotics are found in fermented vegetables, green bananas, sweet potatoes, onions, asparagus, leeks, plus good sources of fiber such as AIM Herbal Fiberblend and AIM fit ’n fiber that contain dandelion root extract and artichoke leaf extract.
Probiotics exist in two primary forms: Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium. There are many other varieties and strains available, but these are the two main ones.
Before industrialization when no refrigeration existed and there was little food processing, people were able to obtain plenty of foods that boost immune system and maintain healthy gut flora by eating pickled, cured and fermented foods.
Nowadays with refrigeration and the overuse of antibiotics, coupled with antibacterial products, stress, poor sleep and no time for exercise, people are experiencing imbalances between beneficial and undesirable bacteria in the digestive tract, leading to a host of health problems.
I trust the quality of FloraFood and take it daily. It keeps my immune system strong, so I stay healthy even when I’m surrounded by people who are ill.
—Diane Vezina, Ottawa, ON
Specifically, gut inflammation can lead to autoimmune diseases and illnesses such as irritable bowel syndrome, celiac disease, food sensitivities and allergies. The well accepted gut-brain axis concept is now termed by the medical profession as the microbiota-gut-brain axis. Researchers have found that probiotic therapy appears to be an interesting adjuvant in the dietetic management of celiac disease, since sufferers have lower levels of bifidobacteria and lactobacilli.1
The future of probiotics continues to excite with Harvard researchers recently announcing that certain strains of bacteria may affect the microbiome makeup to aid athletic performance. Other researchers propose that our gut bacteria should be viewed as an epigenetic entity. That is, the gut bacteria makeup regulates how your genes are expressed (positively or negatively). 2
References
1 Fernando de Sousa Moraes, L et al. Intestinal Microbiota and Probiotics in Celiac Disease, Clinical Microbiology Reviews, July 2014, Vol 27, Number 3, p. 482-489.
2 Stilling, R.M, Dinan T.G, Cryan, J.F. Microbial genes, brain and behaviour – epigenetic regulation of the gut-brain axis. Genes, Brain and Behavior Journal. Vol 13, Jan 2014, p. 69-84.
Testimonials should not be construed as representing results that everyone can achieve.
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