Last month, you saw how taking the wrong probiotics can cause major health problems. Now, I'd like to show you how taking the right probiotics can save your life!
The doctor told Joan that her 95-year-old mother, Bernice, was unlikely to survive the night. The massive doses of antibiotics she had been given for her severe bacterial infection were not working. Her doctor advised against giving her any probiotics because he didn't know what they were.
But Joan felt there was nothing to lose. She knew that probiotics were beneficial bacteria that fight harmful ones, so she gave Bernice the strongest probiotic formula I'd ever found. The next morning, her mother was sitting up in bed and eating!
"I saw a tunnel," she told Joan. "At the end of it was a white light and lots and lots of white clouds." She had also seen her parents and long-dead husband. Bernice had certainly been close to death. Now she was back for awhile, thanks to a probiotic so strong it's been shown in university-based studies to kill antibiotic-resistant superbugs.
Don't expect results like this from just any probiotic. Many have very little activity. They may help your digestion or reduce your candida symptoms, but they won't turn your health around like the best formulas can. Unfortunately, you can't judge probiotics by the company that sells them. Some good supplement companies sell friendly bacteria that don't do much. Let me tell you how to identify the best.
The right strain
Most probiotics list the species of bacteria used, but not the strain. Saying a product contains Lactobacillus acidophilus is not enough. The strain appears after the type of probiotic (Lactobacillus) and species (acidophilus), like Lactobacillus acidophilus R0052 or L. acidophilus NAS.
There are more than 400 species of protective and harmful bacteria in your digestive tract and hundreds of strains within each species. Some strains are harmful and some are ineffective. Others may be safe with little activity, or both safe and potent. There's no way to know unless the strains are identified. Every strain of probiotics you take should be listed and tested for safety and effectiveness. Testimonials alone just won't do. If the label doesn't list the strain, ask the manufacturer.
Survival and the fittest
Bacteria need to stay alive after passing through your stomach. But live bacteria often don't survive the trip to your intestines because stomach acid (HCl) kills both good and bad bugs.
For better survival, you can take probiotics after meals when your stomach contains less acid. Or on an empty stomach the first thing in the morning and before going to bed at night. But there's a better, simpler way. Take only probiotics that have been coated to survive stomach acids, not those in ordinary capsules.
Probiotics don't necessarily contain the amount of bacteria listed on their labels. They may have when they were manufactured, but many may have died off in the bottle. Look for a guarantee of potency after the bottle has been opened. Here are the best probiotic formulas I've ever found.
#1 – Dr. Ohhira's Probiotics 12 Plus
The strongest, most effective probiotic product I've ever found is Dr. Ohhira's Probiotics 12 Plus, which is distributed in the U.S. by Essential Formulas. It's an enteric-coated product that contains 12 strains of lactic acid bacteria as well as micronutrient by-products such as vitamins, minerals, amino acids, FOS (probiotic food), and bacteriocins (nature's own antibiotic).
Ninety-two plant products are fermented together for five years to produce this product, which also contains organic acids. These acids help the probiotics stick to the intestinal walls and colonize. No other company I know of has done research on the adhesion ability of its particular formula like Dr. Ohhira.
He also developed a special strain of bacteria, Enterococcus faecalis TH10, from a fermented soy food (tempeh). This strain is more than six times stronger than any other naturally occurring lactic acid bacteria. It's the formula I gave Joan for her mother. I also used it with patients whose intestinal problems did not respond to other strong probiotics. In every case it worked, and it worked quickly.
Studies show Dr. Ohhira's is effective against H. pylori (a source of ulcers and migraines), E. coli (food poisoning), and even the superbug that causes staph infections (methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus). It helps regulate the bowels like no other formula I've heard of. And an added bonus is its ability to help increase bone density in women over 40.
Dr. Ohhira's formula does not need to be refrigerated and has a three-year shelf life. If you have a serious problem, or a condition that isn't responding to other probiotics, try it for at least one or two months. Then take one capsule a day or switch to a good, less-potent formula. Dr. Ohhira's formula normally costs $53.95 for 60 capsules, a one-month supply. I've arranged for Healthy by Nature (877-262-7843) to send you this formula for $45.86 if you mention Women's Health Letter. If you order online (www.probiotics12.com) and enter the code: DrNan, you'll get this 15 percent discount on all of their products.
#2 — Natren's Healthy Trinity
Natren has always produced excellent probiotic products. I've used them for nearly 20 years. Of these products, Healthy Trinity is my favorite. It's Natren's strongest formula and contains three well-studied super strains, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus bulgaricus, and Bifidobacterium bifidum.
One of them, Lactobacillus acidophilus NAS, sticks well to the intestinal lining. A special oil matrix separates each of the three probiotics in this formula to keep them from competing with one another. Its gelatin capsule dissolves in the stomach, but stomach acid can't break down the oil and destroy the bacteria. So the friendly bacteria in this formula easily pass through your stomach untouched until they get to your intestines.
Healthy Trinity is particularly helpful for people with acid reflux (heartburn), H. pylori, diarrhea caused by Clostridium difficile (from taking antibiotics), and chronic candida. If you have any persistent diarrhea, or if you've had diarrhea for a week or more, you may want to take Healthy Trinity for two weeks to a month.
Natren guarantees the potency of Healthy Trinity through the expiration date on its label. It costs $59.95 for a one-month supply of 30 capsules (877-962-8736) and needs to be refrigerated. Mention Women's Health Letter and your price drops to $47.96 for as long as you order this product from them.
#3 — Advanced Probiotic Formula
There are dozens of probiotic formulas that are less expensive, and less potent, than Dr. Ohhira's and Healthy Trinity. But they may still be fine for most people if they contain effective strains, are coated, and are guaranteed to be strong. Unfortunately, few fall into this category.
The formula I use most often is Advanced Probiotic Formula (800-728-2288). It contains six strains of friendly bacteria normally found throughout the intestines. Each strain works alone and with the others to stick well to the intestines. They fight infections, such as food poisoning or candida, help regulate bowel movements, and support your immune system. If you have a serious or long-standing problem, you may want a stronger formula. Other-wise, this one should work well.
One hundred percent of the coated bacteria in Advanced Probiotic Formula survives an hour's exposure to stomach acid. That's impressive! Capsules that are not coated have only a five percent survival rate. Since you don't have to refrigerate this product like most others, pack a bottle in your suitcase when you travel and keep some in your purse. It's very affordable. A one-month supply of 30 capsules is just $19.99. Buy half a dozen bottles and you get two free. So the price drops to just $15 each.
Interested in knowing more about other probiotics? Then pick up a copy of The Probiotic Solution by naturopath Mark Brudnak (Dragon Door Publications, Inc., 2003). He explains the differences between many other popular formulas.
Kawakami, Masayuki, et al. "The influence of lactic acid bacteria (OM-X) on bone structure," Journal of Applied Nutrition, vol. 53, no. 1, 2003.
Ohhira, I. "Studies on Lactic Acid Bacteria Enterococcus faecalis TH10," Biobank Co, Ltd, Okayama, Japan, 2003.
5 Ways to End Sudden Bouts of Depression
Depression is the "down" side of life's ups and downs. All of us get depressed at times, such as when a good friend moves away or dies, or during the holidays when we're alone. I'm talking about the depression that visits us during dark winter months or when we listen to the news.
I used to sit around reading escape novels and watching TV when I would get depressed. And eat anything with chocolate. Now I know that's a sure-fire way of turning temporary blahs into chronic depression. I've consolidated a lot of information on depression into a five-step program, because when you're depressed, you need something that's simple. If five steps are too many, just do the first one. It will help you move on to the rest.
Put a copy of these five steps on your refrigerator. Then you'll know where to look when you or your friends are feeling down and can't get up.
Step 1 – Move It!
Hundreds of studies show that regular exercise improves your mood as much as medication. It releases endorphins, "feel good" chemicals made in your brain, such as serotonin. The more you sit around and stew in your depression, the lower your endorphins are likely to be.
I know. The last thing you want to do when you're depressed is exercise. But it's the most important step you can take. Force yourself to get out and walk. In fact, if it's still daylight, get up right now and walk for just 20 minutes. Then check off each day you exercise on your calendar. You need to exercise four or five times a week to beat depression. Daily is even better.
Both exercise and exposure to bright lights reduce depression. You can make your exercise doubly effective by exercising outdoors or in a well-lit room. This will give better results than walking on a treadmill in a dim room. Walk around your neighborhood. Drive to a lake, river, the ocean, or the mountains once a week. Being in nature and experiencing its vastness is healing, says psychotherapist Sara Harris who often combines counseling with walks. She's right. When I feel "down," I go to the river and kayak. It always lifts me out of my blahs.
Step 2 — Reach Out
Don't isolate yourself. It's easier to get stuck in a depression when you're alone than when you're around people. Pick up the phone and make a date with a friend or friends to get together. Invite them over if you can't get out. Keep it simple. Invite someone over for a cup of tea. No excuses.
Arrange to go for a walk and exercise with a friend. Ask someone to help you pick out a new pair of shoes. Reach out, even if you don't feel like it. If no one you know is available to get together, volunteer your services at a church, hospital, senior center, or non-profit organization. Offer to help out one time for just a few hours. If you like it, do it regularly. You'll meet new people and feel better being around others.
Step 3 – Eat Healthy Foods
Pay attention to what you eat instead of grabbing fast foods. Some of them will add to your depression. Others have the opposite effect. Make sure you're getting enough protein — as much as 15-20 grams with each meal. You need protein to help make those mood-regulating chemicals. Protein also helps keep your blood sugar from dropping. Low blood sugar can cause fatigue and depression.
Avoid foods that trigger a low-blood-sugar response, such as sugar (honey, pure cane sugar juice, etc.), alcohol, fruit juices, and high quantities of refined carbohydrates (bread, crackers, white rice). Get junk foods out of the house today, or put them in tins if they must be around for family members. When you want something sweet, eat a piece of fruit. Often, your craving for other sweets will lessen.
Eat small amounts of unrefined carbohydrates such as beans, fresh fruit, and brown rice. They help your brain release serotonin. Half a cup of a starch, such as brown rice or potatoes, or one piece of fruit, is a reasonably small amount.
Make eating good foods easy by planning in advance. Buy healthy frozen meals like those from Amy's. They're organic, made from whole grains, and delicious. Get pre-washed, pre-cut salad greens and vegetables to eat raw or to sauteed with your entrees. Have some bean dip on hand to eat for a meal or as a snack with carrots and celery. Buy healthy prepared soups, either dried, frozen, or in boxes (like those from Imagine Foods).
Step 4 – Take Supplements
There are many nutrients that can help lift your depression. Here are a few basic ones. Begin with a good quality multivitamin/mineral formula such as Vitality Plus (800-728-2288). Take it at least twice a day to keep nutrient levels in your bloodstream high. Next, take an additional 100-200 mg of vitamin B6 and 100-300 mg of magnesium to help increase serotonin.
Consider taking St. John's wort (Hypericum perforatum), the most popular and well-studied herb for minor and moderate depression. It's been tested head-to-head with Prozac and often works just as well with fewer side effects. One reason it works is that St. John's wort causes photosensitivity (a sensitivity to sunlight) and bright light therapy helps depression. By making you more sensitive to light, St. John's wort magnifies the effects of normal light just like you would get if you were exposed to continuous light therapy.
The daily dosage of St. John's wort varies from 300-900 mg a day. Try it for at least a month. For a more thorough explanation of its actions, you'll want to read St. John's Wort: Nature's Blues Buster by Hyla Cass, MD (Avery Publishing, 1998). One warning: St. John's wort can reduce the effectiveness of some medications. If you take any drugs at all, consult with your doctor or pharmacist before taking this herb.
Step 5 – Use Essential Oils
Fragrances help heal the emotions, and particular fragrances have specific effects. Essential oils are highly concentrated fragrances made from plants. They're usually used topically. You can rub a few drops on your wrist or add them to oil and give your hands or feet an aromatherapy massage.
Aromatherapy massage has been the subject of several studies. Perhaps the most impressive one was conducted in a hospice. All depressed patients who were given massages with added lavender oil had dramatically improved moods. If it worked for their depression, essential oils should work for yours. You can find them in all health food stores. Put a few drops in a little oil and apply to your skin, or add to a bath. Use only pure oils. Synthetic ones won't work as well. Here are a few to try.
Lavender: Known for its ability to lift depression. It relaxes and stimulates, calms and invigorates.
Ravensera: Energizing and uplifting. It helps relieve chronic depression and promotes energy and mental clarity.
Orange blossom (Citrus aurantium, or Neroli): Helps lift anxiety, depression, nervousness, and insomnia.
Patchouli: Calms the nerves, improves concentration, lifts depression.
A Final Note: Remember that everything changes. Today's depression will turn into tomorrow's peacefulness and joy if you'll allow it. Concentrate on everything you have rather than what you don't have. Appreciate each little blessing.
Harer, G. "Hypericum and phototherapy," Schweiz Rundsch Med Prax, December 14, 2000.
Manber, R., et al. "Alternative treatments for depression: empirical support and relevance to women," J Clin Psychiatry, July 2002.
Zand, Janet, Lac, OMD, et al. Smart Medicine for Healthier Living, Avery Publishing, 1999.
How to Get a Good Night's Sleep
There's nothing quite so refreshing as waking up after a good night's sleep. Yet, as we get older, hormonal changes often result in sleeplessness. The answer is not necessarily to take hormones. Nor are barbiturates or other medications the answer. You have another option: herbs.
Valerian root (Valeriana officinalis) is a safe herb to take for mild insomnia. The American Botanical Council (512-926-4900) reports in a recent HerbClip that 300-600 mg of valerian root extract was found to be as effective as pharmaceutical sedatives. Take valerian from half an hour to several hours before bedtime. Capsules or tinctures are easiest to take. I like tinctures the best. They work quickly.
If you can't find a tincture of valerian root at your local health food store, contact HerbPharm, one of my favorite herb companies (800-348-4372). Or steep the dried root for 10-15 minutes in hot water. But be warned that valerian root smells like dirty socks. You can mix it with other herbs, like mint and chamomile, for a more pleasant, tastier tea. But never mix valerian root with pharmaceutical barbiturates, anesthetics, or central nervous system depressants. It could increase their strength.
Not all products with valerian contain the amount of active ingredients on their labels, says Tod Cooperman of ConsumerLab.com. His company evaluates nutrients regularly and found some valerian products failed their stringent testing. You can subscribe to their service for $24/year and access all of their test information ([email protected]) or try another product if one doesn't work for you.
Henson, Shari. HerbClip, 010242-255, April 30, 2004.
Nutrition Detective
Being Active Is Not the Same as Exercising
If you believe it is, I have bad news. You're fooling yourself and not getting the protection you think you are.
A recent study of more than 3,000 healthy adults in their 70s concluded that a brisk 20-30 minute daily walk resulted in a higher degree of physical function than shopping, brief walks, and cleaning. And a regular exercise regime gave almost twice the health benefits as being a couch potato.
If you take a daily walk with a friend, increase your speed if you can. Buy some one-pound hand weights and start improving your upper body strength by swinging your arms gently as you walk. The improvements you make today will give you a higher quality of life tomorrow. Exercise makes many limitations associated with aging unnecessary. Too many seniors have difficulty just getting up out of a chair.
This is an excellent time to renew your commitment to getting daily exercise. Walking, swimming, and using either an exercise bike or treadmill for 10 minutes a day is a good beginning. Then work your way up to longer sessions. Some day you'll thank me ... and yourself. Brach, J.S., et al. "The association between physical function and lifestyle activity and exercise in the health, aging and body composition study," J Am Geriatr Soc, April 2004.
Diabetes Affects Your Mind
If you suffer from diabetes, it's quite possible it could affect your memory. A recent study reported in the British Medical Journal links diabetes with greatly decreased brain function. It found that a group of women with type-2 diabetes who were not on anti-diabetic medications had poorer brain function than women without diabetes or women on medications. The two-year study tested nearly 19,000 former nurses aged 70-81 for memory, verbal fluency, and counting numbers. The results were startling.
Diabetic women had 25-35 percent greater odds of a poor score than women without diabetes. And the longer they had diabetes, the worse their memory. Women with diabetes for 15 years had a whopping 50 percent chance of decreased brain function. This is a substantial decline. The message is clear.
It's not smart to ignore diabetes. You may be able to control it with diet, weight loss, and supplements. Or you may need medications. But if you have diabetes — or any other disease — deal with it and avoid other complications.
Logroscino, G., et al. "Prospective study of type-2 diabetes and cognitive decline in women aged 70-81 years," British Medical Journal, 23 February 2004.
Ask Dr. Nan
Q: My 40-year-old son has a problem swallowing. An endoscopy revealed scar tissue on the stomach side of the esophagus' opening. His doctor gave him a trial of Nexium and said he'd give him more if it helped. I'm concerned that Nexium treats the symptom of his acid reflux and not its cause. What causes acid reflux? — J.G., via e-mail
A: I wrote an article on acid reflux in the June 2003 issue called "Take Acid – Not Antacids — To End Your Heartburn." You can read this article by doing a search on heartburn on my website (the current user name and password are on page 6).
Acid reflux is not necessarily caused by too much acid, but by a malfunctioning valve between the stomach and esophagus called the lower esophageal sphincter (LES). When this valve isn't working properly, acid can back up into the esophagus and cause an irritation.
Nexium, and other medications that neutralize stomach acid, just reduce the amount of acid that can back up. As you suspected, they treat the symptom, not the underlying cause.
After you read my article, please get Dr. Jonathan Wright's book, Why Stomach Acid is Good For You (M. Evans and Company, 2001). It explains in detail why too little stomach acid can cause more problems than too much. It also lists foods that irritate the esophagus as well as foods that weaken the LES.
By avoiding certain foods and taking natural supplements that repair the stomach lining (such as DGL – deglycyrrhizinated licorice), your son may be able to correct the cause of his discomfort naturally. Just be aware that he may even need to take hydrochloric acid (HCl) under the direction of a knowledgeable doctor.
Q: I heard that there are several double-blind, placebo-controlled studies reporting a significant reduction in new fractures for women who took a calcium and strontium combination compared with women who took calcium and a placebo. There's a formula that combines strontium with other minerals and vitamins. Have you heard of it, and do the people who make Vitality Plus, a supplement I like and take, plan to add strontium to it? — L.B., Greeley, CO
A: There are, indeed, a few articles touting the benefits of strontium on bone health. Some companies are jumping on the strontium bandwagon with products they claim will protect your bones. However, the studies were done with strontium ranelate, a patented drug. The strontium in the product you mentioned, and in many others, is strontium carbonate, strontium chloride, or strontium citrate. There's no evidence that any of these particular forms of strontium will work as well. Once again, we need good studies.
I hope we will have studies on these non-patented forms of strontium. If, and when, they have been sufficiently studied and proven to improve bone density, you can be sure strontium will be added to Vitality Plus.
In fact, two weeks before your letter arrived, I had asked the vitamin formulators I work with about this very subject. Strontium sounds intriguing and promising. Which non-patented form of strontium will work? No one knows for sure – yet. You can be sure I'm following this one closely.
Meunier, P.J., et al. "The effects of strontium ranelate on the risk of vertebral fracture in women with postmenopausal osteoporosis," N Engl J Med, 2004; 350.