Post: #1

Just a little background- I've been taking a probiotic called acidophilus for around 4 years now (I'm 20). Of all the supplements my parents gave me (they were smart- a multivitamin, cal-mag-zinc, vitamin E, A, C and D, Fish Oil and Cod Liver Oil for most of the time), I'd have to say acidophilus is the only one which I can directly feel.

Ever had a hot cup of coffee on an empty stomach and have your stomach feel like it's on fire? Take an acidophilus. It's gone.

Ever been on antibiotics and feel like shit? Take an acidophilus, and I guarantee you'll feel better (what I'm doing right now).

The best thing about it is is the post hangover remedy. I've successfully never thrown up in the morning because it lowers the acidity from drinking in your stomach, thus preventing you from getting nauseous.

These little bacteria have done me so well that I've felt the need to post this. I've been supplementing many things (ACV, ZMA, Fish Oil, literally almost everything you can think of, I've taken) and this is the one which has benefited me the most.

Some more benefits:

More regular shits
Less gas
Never (I mean ever) get stomachaches
Combats high acidity in your body (like ACV)
Promotes high bacteria levels which increases overall health
Immune system function is higher

You can also get it in kefir, which I also suggest.

If anyone has any experiences with probiotics, feel free to post. These are my experiences with them, maybe they'll work for you as well as they did for me, maybe they won't. Who knows.

Post: #2

(11-13-2012 02:29 PM)Aer Wrote:  Just a little background- I've been taking a probiotic called acidophilus for around 4 years now (I'm 20). Of all the supplements my parents gave me (they were smart- a multivitamin, cal-mag-zinc, vitamin E, A, C and D, Fish Oil and Cod Liver Oil for most of the time), I'd have to say acidophilus is the only one which I can directly feel.

Ever had a hot cup of coffee on an empty stomach and have your stomach feel like it's on fire? Take an acidophilus. It's gone.

Ever been on antibiotics and feel like shit? Take an acidophilus, and I guarantee you'll feel better (what I'm doing right now).

The best thing about it is is the post hangover remedy. I've successfully never thrown up in the morning because it lowers the acidity from drinking in your stomach, thus preventing you from getting nauseous.

These little bacteria have done me so well that I've felt the need to post this. I've been supplementing many things (ACV, ZMA, Fish Oil, literally almost everything you can think of, I've taken) and this is the one which has benefited me the most.

Some more benefits:

More regular shits
Less gas
Never (I mean ever) get stomachaches
Combats high acidity in your body (like ACV)
Promotes high bacteria levels which increases overall health
Immune system function is higher

You can also get it in kefir, which I also suggest.

If anyone has any experiences with probiotics, feel free to post. These are my experiences with them, maybe they'll work for you as well as they did for me, maybe they won't. Who knows.

Interesting. I was in Trader Joe's the other day and I considered buying a bottle of plain Kefir. I'm not in the habit of drinking dairy. Might give it a go.

There's a theory out there that most Westerners are perpetually acidic because of diet.

Post: #3

I get my probiotics from a having a couple fork fulls of sauerkraut everyday. The strongest probiotic supplement pales in comparison to the real deal. The supplement will contain up to a few billion of the healthy bacteria, where real food itself such a sauerkraut will contain upto a trillion of the healthy bacteria.

Not all probiotic supplements are created equal and many are lacking the most important components. But you don't have to worry about that with sauerkraut or kefir because it contains the whole spectrum. Also its one less handful of pills that need to be swallowed everyday.

You also mentioned that you are currently taking antibiotics. Anyone who takes antibiotics needs to be taking a probiotic. Antibiotics decimate the gut flora and it needs to be replaced immediately.

Post: #4

Plain Greek yogurt my friend. That's all you need. My parents eat so much of it they actually make their own.
Boil a pot of whole milk and add a few spoons of yogurt to it. The bacteria will multiply and turn the whole thing
into a big pot of yogurt. Let it cool then put it in the fridge and you're good to go. Eat a cup or two a week.

Post: #5

i take probiotics most days. its a must if you live in countries like mexico where stomach issues can be a problem due to hit or miss higene

Post: #6

I swear by probiotics. I was able to get rid of my lactose intolerance/ IBS by taking these in conjunction with a diet of only meat, fruit. brown rice and veggies for about a month with garlic pills. Some of the symptoms it cleared up included bloating, diarrhea, and nausea after eating dairy. The link for the particular probiotics I used is below. Use this with a clean diet and no dairy and any gastrointenstinal problems you have should subcide or at least improve.

http://www.renewlife.com/ultimate-flora-...c4174cbcc6

Post: #7

I read that grapefruit seed extract is what the peace corps drip in their drinks when in a fucked up place to keep from getting sick. anyone know about this stuff? I'm going to the DR tomorrow and always get sick there not so bad but slows me down compared to how I feel here.

what should I take to prevent this??

Post: #8

I have a bottle of liquid acidophilus that I keep in the fridge. I pour some everyday into my magic blender when making smoothies. Definitely a great product that is up there with ACV and the rest. Yogurt is also full of healthy bacteria cultures. I regularly had some when I spent six months traveling through South America. I believe that was a key reason I did not get sick like my gringo counterparts.

Post: #9

I have been checking a lot of information on this.

So, supposedly, we all have these huge colonies of bacteria in our bodies. So much that it can be said that we have more bacteria in our guts than cells in our entire body. (Its possible because bacteria are way smaller than the average human cell, and they reproduce faster)

These bacterial colonies are there for a reason. The composition of each individual colony is different, depending on diet, your geographical location, medical history, contact with other people, etc. These colonies could be made up of hundreds to even thousands of different types of bacteria. Some are "good" bacteria, and some could be "bad". A lack of "good" bacteria or a prevalence of "bad" can heavily affect your health, not only with stomach or intestinal issues, but overall, lowering your defenses, making you prone to colds or headaches or giving you allergies. Its so important that there are doctors experimenting with shit transplants (I am not making this up) to treat people with chronic intestinal irritation.

I would say it even has influence over intelectual capabilities. At least I have noticed that when I eat right, avoid wheat and diary, and eat plenty of greens and fiber, my mind just seems clearer and ready to go from the moment I wake up, and when I eat fast food garbage, doritos and drink coke and alcohol too often, I just wake up and remain trough the day feeling groggy and uninspired.

As this colony affects digestion, nutrient absorption, resource allocation (an unhealthy or inefficient colony composition could make you require more energy to process the same amount of food, for example) its important to keep it balanced.

What I do:

I try to regularly eat plenty of three staples that are heavy on the live bacteria side. These are:

Yogurt - (lactobacillus, thermophillus, and other types of bacteria) I make my own. You can just buy plain yogurt, but this way i think is fresher. I like mine with toasted oatmeal and raisins.

Sauerkraut - (also lactobacillus, and leuconostoc, which synthetizes a compound that helps regulate blood sugar levels) - I also make my own. Eat it with steak or roasted chicken. For some reason I like the taste of this thing and end up eating a whole jar when drunk.

Tepache - (I dont even know what this shit has) - Its a mexican fermented drink made from the skin (rinds?) of pineapples. This has to be home made, it cant be sold because it spoils easily. I should dedicate a post to the recipe, but it can be explained quickly. Buy a pineapple, rinse it under a running tap (dont wash) cut the skin, then place that in a jar with a loose fitting lid, fill up with water, and let it sit for a few days. (do not cover it tightly because fermentation produces gas which could pop the lid and make a mess) When done it should have a deep yellowish color and an acidic, cider smell. The taste is tangy and vinegary. Some people sweeten it with sugar or cane molasses (piloncillo), but I actually like it better by itself.

Post: #10

Yeah, I made my own kimchi for a while and loved it (will probably start up again now that I'm in a new house and have space). Also made my own yogurt and kefir. I didn't like the taste of the kefir as much as the yogurt, but I have to admit it was a lot easier (yogurt was easy, but kefir eliminates the "warm to a specific temp" stage completely; just pour off the kefir, add more milk, and leave it in a warm spot like the heater closet).

I'm actually not sure of the health benefits of probiotics, but they're allegedly there and it's fun to play (not to mention it's just plain cool that it's good for you and also acts as a preservative measure). Recommended.

Post: #11

people in the us should be able to find this probiotic brand Culturelle. it is a little expensive but probably the best brand out there. if you are leaving the country begin taking it (2-4 tablets a day, best time in the morning on empty stomach)2 wks before you travel and take them with you on your trip. this should help with stomach bugs that many 2nd 3rd world countries give you.

Post: #12

Middle Eastern markets have dirt cheap buckets of kefir.

Any of you drink Kombucha? Like acv, I just feel better when I drink it.

Post: #13

(11-17-2012 01:30 PM)el mechanico Wrote:  I read that grapefruit seed extract is what the peace corps drip in their drinks when in a fucked up place to keep from getting sick. anyone know about this stuff? I'm going to the DR tomorrow and always get sick there not so bad but slows me down compared to how I feel here.

what should I take to prevent this??

I hope you aren't taking any statins for cholesterol with that grapefruit juice.... Grapefruit juice + some meds = a very bad time

Post: #14

Also, I realize most of you guys take Zinc also. Acidophilus taken before Zinc (especially those rough 50mg Zinc tabs) can prevent that unsettled stomach. This also works to prevent the upset stomach that occurs when dealing with ACV.

Those seem to be the main complaints about the two main supps that RVF uses, and this may be the answer. Also, I just feel better when I take acidophilus.

Post: #15

interesting information. I bought some Kefir milk at Whole Foods today and a few other things. I'll be looking out for cheaper alternatives, although this Kefir yogurt drink is pretty damned tasty.. http://www.nancysyogurt.com

I tried some Good Belly fruit drinks but it had a weird aftertaste to it.

I'll get more kim chee and saurkraut. love those with cooked proteins.

Post: #16

Was going to start a new thread but this one's fairly similar. I have a few questions regarding gut health.

1. Do fermented milk drinks (eg. Yakult) have anything on pharmacy/ drug store bought probiotics? What should I look for in regards to a probiotic?
I've been drinking a fermented milk drink daily for gut health to supplement my diet. Not sure on it's effectiveness after a couple of months. I feel better since taking it... but I've also improved my diet and started supplementing with another 3 or so different vitamins also.

2. Is regular plain greek yoghurt enough alone?
I'm trying to put on some size in the gym at the moment, so I've been downing a fair bit of natural plain greek yoghurt with my oats since the macros are pretty good. I'd say around 200g a day. Is this enough to promote healthy gut bacteria alone without supplementation?

3. Does kombucha actually do anything?
I used to have one every couple of days with my lunch about a year ago. It made me feel very energised after consumption. Not sure if placebo or the real deal though.

4. Is diet soda really that bad for gut health?
I drink around 3-5 black coffees a day. I've recently changed lines of work and we don't have a coffee machine. How bad is a can of Pepsi Max or Coke Zero for your gut bacteria? It would be pretty stupid to do all this other shit to optimise my health just to drink diet sodas that fuck it up. Leave criticising my caffeine addiction for another thread...

Post: #17

You have to be cautious with "pro-biotics" because you are messing with the flora throughout your digestive system.

If you grew up in the USA it is more important to dissemble everything you ever knew about eating and health and start over from the beginning.

One thing I highly recommend is learning proper food combinations. It is a food science called trophology. Your meals should be very simple. There are rules such as only consuming one form of protein at a time (example do not combine fish with beef and eggs together). There are rules for not combining starchs and acids, and to avoid combining proteins and sugars at the same meal. Another example is with raw milk you combine that with nothing else because it is a full meal in itself.

Good luck

Post: #18

Bumping this old thread as I am learning more about gut flora these days, and I wanted to see if any of you guys have some n=1 experiments to share.

Also, have you any of you heard of L. (Lactobacillus) reuteri?

It is a bacteria that grows naturally in humans and is found in breast milk.

The research is pretty positive for certain strains. Check it out:

1. It increased testicular size and testosterone in mice, as well as improving sperm quality and counter-acting age-related testicular atrophy. (source)
2. It induced radiant skin and hair in mice and was associated with anti-inflammatory effects. (source)
3. In "double-blind, randomized studies in child care centers have found L. reuteri-fed infants fall sick less often, require fewer doctor visits and are absent fewer days from the center compared to placebo." (wikipedia entry)

I did some googling around and couldn't find a lot of anecdotal stories of experiments with it.

Note the strain in the first two experiments was ATCC PTA 6475. You need to take the specific strain to test for the effects. And it seems the only product that has this strain is Gastrus by BioGaia.

I'm thinking about trying it out.