Reprinted with permission from World Health News:
Why Probiotics?
By John M. Burgstiner
President/CEO - Preventive Therapeutics, Inc.

Probiotic simply means "for life", and refers to the beneficial bacteria that normally make up the majority of the ecosystem living within our intestinal tract. This internal ecosystem, which is comprised of literally hundreds of trillions of microorganisms (over 400 different species), typically accounts for about four pounds of our body weight. The intimate relationship between our internal ecosystem and our external environment has a profound influence on our health and longevity. "Travelers diarrhea" is the natural consequence of our body trying to adapt to the introduction of foreign microorganisms into the intestinal tract.

Our flora population consists of permanent members (resident strains) and some that are just passing through (transient strains). Resident strains are the primary colonizers whose sheer numbers keep the pathogenic strains from taking over by competing for space on the intestinal surface. Other strains produce enzymes that normalize cholesterol metabolism, manufacture stress fighting B vitamins, maintain the pH or the lining of the intestinal tract, and help digest nutrients from food. We need both the resident and transient beneficial flora as well as some pathogenic species, all of which normally coexist in a symbiotic relationship.


If probiotics means "for life", guess what antibiotics means!
Unfortunately, antibiotics do not generally target only the pathogenic species, but take out much of the beneficial flora as well. The result can be an imbalance of intestinal flora that can lead to a myriad of health problems, ranging from depression or skin problems to food allergies or leaky gut syndrome. Many pharmaceutical drugs can have a dramatic impact on the balance of power in the gut, as can other factors like drinking chlorinated water, sodas or other carbonated beverages, excessive stress or a diet high in refined sugars and preservatives. Fermented foods like kefir or yogurt (not commercially prepared - it is full of sugar and contains very little beneficial flora) are good sources of probiotics, but the easiest way to get large numbers of the right strains of flora is through a dietary supplement approach.


Man’s Wisdom?
We were designed by our creator to eat fresh foods from soil that is rich in nutrients and probiotics. In our wisdom we eat foods grown in nutrient depleted soils that are picked before they are ripened, gassed or irradiated, canned or frozen and transported from across the globe. Then we cook them until there is little nutritional value left, much less beneficial microorganisms. It is no wonder that our bodies are left with an enzyme deficit and a malfunctioning digestive system, which leads inevitably to compromised immune function.

Connection to depression and allergies
There is a huge (largely ignored) connection between digestive health, immune function and mental health. We were designed to derive energy from food by converting nutrients into fuel through a highly efficient process that takes place in a healthy digestive tract. The very foundation of our immune health is found in the health of the intestinal lining and the presence in sufficient numbers of beneficial microorganisms.
B vitamins, which are essential to maintaining energy levels and normal brain chemistry, are manufactured in the gut by beneficial bacteria. So it is not uncommon to find that a person with malabsorption suffers from depression, anxiety and a host of other health issues.

Most food allergies can be traced back to the the mucosal surfaces of the digestive tract. Disturbances of the intestinal flora can cause an environment that favors an overgrowth of harmful microorganisms, resulting in malabsorption and inappropriate inflammatory responses. Left unchecked, these imbalances can set the stage for many types of autoimmune diseases. Inadequate digestive enzyme levels complicate the problem by allowing partially digested food to accumulate in the colon, providing a growing medium for the wrong kinds of bacteria. This is why so much of our wellness protocol is aimed at normalizing the physiology of the digestive system.

Digestive enzymes are critical to breaking down foods to the point where we can use them for fuel. They also play a crucial housekeeping role, cleaning up cellular debris left behind by the billions of cells that die and are replaced in our bodies every day. They are often used to counteract the inflammatory responses typical of autoimmune diseases. Enzymes are literally the sparks of life, and their declining levels over the decades of life accelerate the aging process.

Our health is dependent on many factors, but the three most important ones are the integrity of the immune system, our ability to absorb nutrients and our ability to download toxins. Preventive Therapeutics has developed a small but potent line of cutting edge supplements that are designed to address these critical areas. Each of our all natural, synergy based formulas stand on their own merit, but together they form the foundation of a comprehensive wellness protocol and a powerful deterrent to chronic illness. Learn more about them here at www.thymic.com or call us (800)556-5530 to find your nearest PTI retailer.


John M. Burgstiner serves as President/CEO of Preventive Therapeutics, Inc., an Atlanta based nutrition company founded in 1996 by nutritional pioneer, Carson B. Burgstiner, M.D.. Mr. Burgstiner earned a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Georgia (pre-med curriculum) in 1983 and is now a candidate for a dual doctorate (Doctor of Naturopathy/PHD in Natural Health) from the Clayton College of Natural Health. He is a contributing writer for the World Health News, and is currently writing his first book, entitled “Natural Health Strategies for Every Home”. He is married to Jahn Mayer Burgstiner of Savannah, GA. They have three children. John serves as an active member and Deacon at Mt. Zion Baptist Church in Snellville, GA

Reprinted with permission from World Health News:
You Are What You Digest!
By John M. Burgstiner
President/CEO - Preventive Therapeutics, Inc.

Americans spend many billion dollars per year on food. Our diet consumes more of our budget than any other living expense, except for the medical care that we occasionally seek as a result of our dietary indiscretions. Not only do we overeat, but the foods that we eat have been largely stripped of their nutritional value- processed and preserved for a longer shelf life. These food trends, coupled with the stress of our modern lifestyle, wreak havoc on our ability to efficiently digest foods. This in turn compromises our immune system, making us susceptible to chronic infection and disease.

It is no wonder that the best selling prescription drugs in America are those which mask the symptoms of poor digestion. Over the counter remedies abound, and certain household names have capitalized for years on our ignorance and self-destructive behavior. Prolonged use of antacids has been shown to rob your body of essential vitamins and minerals. Instead of masking our symptoms for temporary relief, we must learn to attack the underlying cause of our diminished health.

Many chronic “syndrome” complaints and auto-immune disorders are increasingly being traced back to digestive disorders like irritable bowel syndrome, leaky gut, parasites, and candida overgrowth. Candida albicans is a yeast microbe that lives in our intestinal tract in delicate balance with other more friendly bacteria. The normal balance of intestinal flora may be disturbed by many things such as antibiotics, bad eating habits, drinking chlorinated water, or even stress. Candida overgrowth is often associated with yeast infections, skin problems, bloating and lethargy. Left to flourish untreated, candida can invade the intestinal walls, breaking them down until they begin to leak harmful bacteria and larger proteins into the blood stream. The resulting long term “leaky gut” toxicity can have devastating consequences to your health.

Such conditions demonstrate how poor digestion can slowly sabotage your health and rob you of your quality of life. Many leading health experts estimate that up to 80 percent of all diseases start in the intestinal tract! Growing up the son of a nutrition pioneer, Carson B. Burgstiner, M.D., I was often told that “the quality of your life depends in large measure upon the quality of your choices”. Nowhere is this advice truer than in digestive health. We all need to exercise regularly and limit our intake of fat, alcohol, caffeine, and refined sugar. We need adequate amounts of fiber, rest, and pure, clean water. These are excellent choices for promoting vitality and longevity, but having such foresight and discipline is only half the battle.

The benefits of our dedication can only be realized to the extent that our bodies can absorb and assimilate the nutrients that we eat. In other words, we are not what we eat, but what we digest. One of the most important factors in our digestive efficiency is the level of enzymes present to act as catalysts in converting food into energy. Enzymes enable your body to break down vitamins, minerals, proteins, fats and carbohydrates into the basic building blocks that it needs to function, grow and rejuvenate itself.


Enzymes, the Sparks of Life

Enzymes are found in all living things, plant and animal. Without them, seeds would not sprout, fruit would not ripen, and you would not exist. All enzymes can be divided into several different groups. Food enzymes are contained naturally in raw foods, and play an important role in facilitating digestion. Metabolic enzymes control every biochemical function in your body, providing energy, fighting disease and ensuring the smooth functioning of your cells. Digestive enzymes help turn food into fuel.

The typical American diet is drastically lacking in enzymes, while loaded with noxious elements that challenge our every cell. If our meals are not processed, preserved, canned, frozen, or irradiated, they are most certainly cooked. Cooking any food at temperatures above 116 degrees Fahrenheit kills the natural enzymes. Even raw fruits and vegetables contain little or no enzymes if they are picked “green” (often the case in supermarkets because they have to be transported over long distances). Significant enzymes are produced only when they ripen on the plant.

A diet low in food enzymes forces your body to “borrow” from its own metabolic and digestive enzymes in order to digest food. This enzyme deficit places an unnecessary burden on your vital organs that can manifest in a multitude of illnesses. As we age, it becomes harder and harder for our bodies to keep up. To make matters worse, as we become enzyme-deficient, we age faster! A newborn baby has a hundred times the enzyme levels of an elderly person.

What to do?

Fortunately there is a safe and effective deterrent to this vicious cycle of enzyme depletion. In addition to making quality life choices like enjoying organically grown, naturally ripened produce, you can and should supplement your diet with a comprehensive array of digestive enzymes. It seems so simple and obvious, but by the regular addition of digestive enzymes to your diet, you can transform your gut from a toxic dump to a fuel-burning machine!

When selecting an enzyme supplement, remember that quality is more important than quantity. Choose a product with a wide range of plant and animal enzymes from a company that demonstrates a commitment to quality. Certain enzymes are more vulnerable to the acidic environment of the stomach than others. Look for products with delivery systems designed to recognize these differences, maximizing absorption and assimilation by the body. Products of superior quality will have an unconditional satisfaction guarantee.

Individuals with gastric or duodenal ulcers are often sensitive to animal proteases and may respond better to plant proteases, which are biologically active over a much wider pH range. These people may be best served using a plant based or vegetarian enzyme supplement, or perhaps even none at all. There has been much debate over the efficacy of enzyme supplementation for ulcer patients, but there is no shortage of enthusiastic patients who swear by them. In any event, ulcer patients should use caution with any enzyme supplement, taking them under the supervision of their health care practitioner.

The Unseen World Within Us

In the pursuit of optimum physical and mental health, maintaining the proper balance of intestinal flora is just as important as curbing enzyme depletion. Inside each of us is a vast ecosystem made up of billions of microorganisms that coexist, sometimes harmoniously but often in conflict. This unseen world is largely responsible for maintaining the body’s vital chemical and hormonal balance. Like armies in a war, as long as the good bacteria outnumber the bad, peace will prevail. However, there are many obstacles to peace. For example, antibiotics do not discriminate between good or bad bacteria, but wipe out much of the entire population. This gives harmful bacteria and fungi the chance to dominate, which can lead to serious long term health consequences for you. Likewise, a diet consisting chiefly of processed foods can dramatically alter the acid/alkaline balance of the intestine, giving rise to large colonies of putrefactive bacteria that can discharge highly toxic by-products while reacting with foods in the digestive tract.

Supplementing your diet with “probiotics”, or good bacteria, helps to ensure a healthy balance of intestinal flora and opposes the harmful effects of pathogenic species. The actual battlefield for the “flora wars” lies along the mucosal surfaces of the intestinal wall. The beneficial bacteria prevent invasion and colonization by harmful microorganisms by physical displacement, literally competing for nutrients and space on the epithelial surface. Probiotics also produce hydrogen peroxide and lower the pH, both of which produce a hostile environment for pathogenic bacteria and yeasts. Some strains even produce natural antibiotic compounds, called bacteriocins. Probiotics have been widely and successfully used for years in Europe to treat conditions such as diarrhea, irritable bowel, allergies, chronic fatigue, chronic yeast infections, dairy product sensitivities, skin conditions, and even high cholesterol levels. The most commonly available probiotics are Lactobacillus acidophilus, Bifidobacterium bifidam, and Bifidobacterium longum.

In addition to digestive enzymes and probiotics, certain herbs and other plants are known to have beneficial properties in supporting healthy digestion. Among others, ginger, fennel seed, slippery elm bark, burdock root, lemon, cloves, and peppermint all enjoy excellent reputations among natural healers. These plants have long been used to stimulate the digestive organs into action, reduce gas and cramps, and detoxify the by-products of fermentation.

Dietary fiber is important not only for healthy digestion, but is critical to maintaining overall health. It is no coincidence that people from underdeveloped nations that eat high fiber diets enjoy a much lower incidence of digestive cancers. Flax and psyllium are mucilage types of fiber, responsible for cleaning the digestive tract and promoting elimination. Bran from wheat, rice, or oats is an excellent source of fiber, and remains in high demand due to its effectiveness in preventing colon cancer.

Living in these modern times presents us with unique opportunities and challenges. One of the most important challenges we face every day is an age old one: making decisions that impact our longevity and quality of life. In His infinite wisdom, God has given us all of the nutritional resources that we need to thrive, but our diet has been perverted in the name of progress and profit. Our country leads the world in medical technology and resources, but also in degenerative diseases. It really doesn’t have to be that way. We are responsible for the decisions that we make, and it is up to us to reap the benefits of available knowledge. As we have seen, there are some wonderful products available to help us along the way. Take advantage of them and enjoy a longer, healthier life. Here’s to good health for you and your family!