Do you suffer from GERD (Gastro- Esophageal Reflux Disease)? Do you frequently have gas, bloating or acid stomach? Are you suffering from food allergies? Do you easily catch a cold or flu? Do you keep getting infections?
Your microflora may be insufficient or imbalanced. Microflora is the term describing the trillions of beneficial bacteria inhabiting a healthy gastrointestinal tract (GI). These “good bugs” are your friends! Microflora help produce some of the B-vitamins that you need. They help protect against serious disease causing bacteria such as:
- Vibrio cholera (cholera)
- Helicobacter pylori (stomach ulcer and stomach cancer)
- Klebsiella pneumoniae (pneumonia and ankylosing spondylitis)
Without microflora, too little microflora, or microflora in the wrong concentrations in the small and large intestines causes gastrointestinal problems, such as GERD, gas, acid stomach and bloating. Imbalanced or insufficient microflora also causes food allergies and chronic fatigue. This condition also causes the following upper respiratory infections:
- frequent throat infections
- ear infections
- runny nose
- watery-dark circles under our eyes
- chronic cough
- frequent sneezing
- frequent colds or flu
Consequently, this produces a very poor quality of life. You will feel, and look, about as vibrant as the zombies in that old classic horror movie “Night of the Living Dead”.
The most common causes of inadequate levels, depletion, or imbalances of microflora are:
- antibiotic use
- corticosteroid drugs, creams and inhalors
- frequent aspirin use
- antacid use
- high sugar intake
- low vegetable, fruit, beans and lentils consumption
- acute or chronic stress overload
- birth by C-section, premature birth, formula-fed baby
When a person shows signs of insufficient or imbalanced microflora, I typically order a laboratory test to determine that state of microflora in the person’s GI tract. The treatment for insufficient or imbalanced microflora is repopulating with probiotics.
In my next blog post, I will discuss What Are Probiotics, What Do They Do, Where Do you Get Them, Where Should They Be and In What Amounts.