(spec. assignment)
To keep your immune system . . .
Your digestive system . . .
Your whole body – strong
And Here’s - Without A Doubt - The Best Way To Do It. . .
Dear Mercola Reader,
I’m writing to you because I know you share my understanding that healing and good health starts from the core.
Our bodies have an amazing capacity to heal if we only create the right environment for it to do its job.
As you well know, I’ve built my practice of 22 years on finding the best ways to support the body’s miraculous ability. Each article I write, each patient I speak with, each product I review, I bring the same focus to it – what simple, nourishing shift can we make to bring our body back to optimum health.
How can we regain control and bring our bodies back to what they are supposed to be doing – what our body wants to be doing – to keep itself healthy?
And I have to say, the most intriguing development of the last 50 years of medical research is the discovery that we are more than just one organism – that we in fact harbor an entire rich ecosystem. Right in our guts.
Inside of us live trillions of microorganisms – an entire ecosystem just as complex as the Amazon rain forest. In fact, there are more of these microbial cells than human cells in our body!
(Even with all my research on this subject, I still can’t get over it.)
Now just like the Amazon rain forest, these microorganisms cover a range of species and even kingdoms. Fungi, yeasts, protists and bacteria live inside us, mostly in our intestines. Some estimate that there are as many as 400 species of bacteria inside of us alone. Four pounds of us is made up of these internal neighbors.
And researchers are discovering that these little bacteria have profound effects on our digestive health, our immune system, and our nervous system. They impact our blood pressure, our liver, our colon, our weight, our teeth, our heart, our skin – our whole body.
They’re so important for our health that scientists call them “probiotics” which means “for life”. It’s a term I bet you’re already familiar with.
Even the Food and Drug Administration can’t deny the implications. The FDA’s Richard Walker acknowledged that
“Probiotics could conceivably be put to use in preventing disease or thwarting autoimmune disorders. A number of these possibilities are being explored in research labs and hospitals around the world.”
Usually I’m automatically suspicious of what they promote with regards to health and nutrition, but this time we’re on the same page.
In fact, these microbes inside of us are so essential to how our bodies work that researchers from the Imperial College of London used the term “super-organism” to describe the combination of these microorganisms and our bodies. In a recently published study in Nature Biotechnology that examines the interaction of these microbes’ genes and our genes, they described these microbes as the second largest metabolic “organ” in our body.
Wow! Not only is our health connected to the health of ecosystems outside of us – organic farms, less pollution, clean water - we’re now learning how our basic metabolism is determined by this ecosystem inside of us.
Undeniably, these bacteria are essential partners in our good health.
Essential.
Some of these bacteria perform tasks that no other cell in your body can do. Tasks that your body depends on.
Now, you may be already aware of these bacteria and doing what you can to take care of them. But be warned:
There are a lot of foods and supplements claiming to provide you with probiotic bacteria – but many of them don’t work. And not only are you wasting your money with these, but your gut, your whole body misses out.
I consider it my job to help you steer clear of things that don’t help your body and help you find the things that do work. Based on my clinical observations and research, I’m going to tell you about the best way to take care of this internal ecosystem – how to keep these good-for-you bacteria and you flourishing . . .
But it’s important that you first understand their role in our bodies and a little about how they live with us.
If you’re like me, you’ll be amazed at what’s going on inside of you:
So said pioneering immune-system researcher and 1908 Nobel laureate, Ilya Mechnikov, the first scientist to identify the immune system’s phagocytic (cell-eating) white blood cells.
While his research on white blood cells won him a Nobel prize, his later theory about the role that colon plays in our overall health may have even more far-reaching effects.
Mechnikov, convinced that bad bacteria in the gut could be controlled by lactic acid, drank soured milk daily. He lived to a ripe old age of 71 – an extraordinary feat for 1916, the year of his death.
What Mechnikov did not know is that it was not only the lactic acid in the soured milk, but also the bacteria in the milk that kept him healthy – in fact lactic-acid producing bacteria.
Like cultures around the world, Mechnikov had stumbled upon an essential ingredient for good health – food fermented with lactic-acid producing bacteria. Kim chee, tempeh, miso, poi poi, sauerkraut, mead, yogurt, kefir, piima . . . the list goes on. Just about every human culture around the world has foods with live bacteria cultures. (I always loved that cross-culture connection)
Now of course, like Mechnikov, no one knew about the tiny health squad that came into their body through each bite or sip. But the results of eating this food were undeniable. Not only did these bacteria keep the food safe from bad bacteria, but the people who consumed them experienced excellent health. Legends still circulate about goatherds from the Caucasus Mountains who live to well over 100 on their diet of kefir.
I’ve written to you numerous times about the benefits of raw milk and the dangers of pasteurization. As I said in my newsletter and articles over and over again, we are losing precious nutrients through our overprocessed food.
But the biggest loss may be these good helper bacteria. I think my good friend and colleague, Sally Fallon, author of Nourishing Traditions, says it best:
“In abandoning the ancient practice of lacto-fermentation and in our insistence on a diet in which everything has been pasteurized, have we compromised the health of our intestinal flora [bacteria] and made ourselves vulnerable to legions of pathogenic microorganisms? If so, the cure for these diseases will be found not in vaccinations, drugs or antibiotics but in a restored partnership with the many varieties of lacto-bacilli [bacteria], our symbionts of the microscopic world” - Nourishing Traditions.
Let’s hear it for good partnerships!
But let’s see in detail what we’re missing out on if we don’t have these good bacteria in our guts . . .
Douglas Drossman, MD, codirector of the University of North Carolina’s Center for Functional Gastrointestinal and Motility Disorders estimates that in a given year, 8 out of 10 people will have some form of stomach pain. He estimates that 1 out of 10 people suffer from irritable bowel syndrome and 1 out of 10,000 experience more severe bowel inflammation.
Now these figures don’t even account for other diseases such as celiac disease or Crohn’s disease that are associated with digestive disorders.
But what these figures communicate is how many of us are experiencing digestive problems – from occasional gassiness to extreme pain.
And remember, not only is this an immediate concern because of the digestive discomfort, it affects our entire self since our digestive system is the source of nourishment for the entire body!
Now, what scientists have found is that probiotic bacteria form several essential functions in our digestive system:
Now this is just a beginning understanding of what these little bacteria do. As scientists dig deeper, they’re discovering that the bacteria are communicating with our cells and working together in many complex ways.
For instance, a recent article in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition explained that in the intestine, probiotic bacteria actually produce molecules that tell our mucous-producing cells what kind of mucous to produce. The kind of sugars in the mucous will influence what kind of bacteria “stick” to our intestinal walls. This is just one of many strategies that these helpful bacteria use to keep the bad bacteria off your intestinal walls.
Here’s another interesting example of how they work with your body:
Dr. Vladivel Ganapathy, a biochemist at the Medical College of Georgia, has found that these bacteria actually breakdown indigestible cellulose and turn it into short-chain fatty acids that feed your colon cells. Without this food produced by the bacteria, these colon cells get very sick.
Dr. Ganapathy is so impressed with what he’s observing . . . Despite being a self-avowed meat-lover and vegetable-shirker, he has started to eat more fruits and vegetables to give his bacteria their favorite meal - fiber. I love this kind of story.
In fact having the right bacteria in you intestine may even help you lose weight.
For years the agricultural industry fed antibiotics to animals to help them gain weight. Why? Because the good bacteria that the antibiotics kill off help the animals metabolize fat more efficiently. Without their help, the fat just glums up and sticks around. A new study just published in the Journal of Molecular Systems Biology explains that these bacteria metabolize bile acids which, in turn, effects how the liver metabolizes fats.
These bacteria influence how your liver metabolizes fats! Without them your liver doesn’t have the right equipment to manage fat. So it just sits there on your body.
In fact they’ve found that obese people do not have the same kind of bacteria that healthy-weight people do.
It’s undeniable how important these bacteria are for keeping you healthy.
But let’s not stop at your digestive health, the effects are even more far-reaching . . .
Did you know that an estimated 70% of your immune system is in your gastrointestinal tract? It’s true. Your intestine has more immune system cells than any other part of your body. Because of this many immunologists consider your intestine to be the primary immune organ of the body.
Now think about this, it seems that these little bacteria play a key role in the development and regulation of your immune system.
We already discussed how they keep the bad bacteria from settling in.
They do a whole lot more.
First, they keep your immune system alert. They secrete molecules that trigger immune system response. They even trigger the production of your defensive T-cells.
In fact one study conducted by Germany’s Federal Research Center of Nutrition and Food found that probiotic supplements may help reduce the length and severity of the common cold by nearly a quarter!
Half of 497 healthy adults were given supplements with probiotics over a 3-month period during the winter. They probiotic-takers caught colds like the control group. But their experience was very different.
They had colds on average for 2 days less than their counterparts; their symptoms were down by nearly a quarter; and the time spent with a fever was down from 24 hours to six.
How’s that for keeping you healthy from the inside out.
But the second function has me really intrigued.
You see, it seems that these good bacteria play a role in keeping your immune system calmer.
And if you suffer from an overactive immune system a.k.a. allergies, you know how important this information is.
The Lancet reported that researchers at Finland’s Turku University Central Hospital found that probiotic supplements halved the incidence of infant atopic eczema at two years of age compared to the placebo-group.
Here in the U.S., Gary Huffnagle, one of the lead researchers on probiotics and immune-system response, is trying to figure out why. He’s been doing research on mice for years to figure it out. In his research, he’s observed something very interesting:
When mice are given antibiotics to kill off all the bacteria and then exposed to allergens, they develop allergic reactions.
Yet mice you are given no antibiotics and maintain a healthy intestinal colony of bacteria display no allergic reactions.
Why does this happen, Huffnagle and his partners are still trying to sort out the exact mechanism. However, they observed a few things. It seems that a fungi takes up residence in the intestine where there are no bacteria. And this fungi secretes a molecule that seems to get an immune cell, the regulatory T cell, all riled up. Now this cell is responsible for getting the whole immune system on alert. Like a drill sergeant, when it yells, the rest of the immune system takes action. Inflammation.
But when there is a healthy colony of bacteria, this excitable cell stays calm and relaxed. Foreign proteins don’t seem to make it panic. And when this cell is relaxed, your immune system relaxes.
This means no immune system response and no inflammation.
Huffnagle and his colleagues are just moving this into clinical trials. But even before those results are in, he points out an important correlation. Asthma rates have risen sharply only in the last 40 years. This is the same time period in which antibiotics have been adopted so aggressively as a medical treatment. Remember, antibiotics kill off the bacteria in the gut.
So there’s no question – keeping that ecosystem inside of you healthy has an enormous impact on your overall health.
It just makes sense – if you keep your core healthy, the rest will follow. You know how much emphasis I put on nutrition and here you can see the partner in this equation – your probiotic colonies. Without a good healthy colony, you can’t take full advantage of what you eat.
But it’s a complete circle as well. You have to take care of your bacteria in turn. I told you I would give you tips for the best way to keep your internal bacteria - and as a consequence, you - the healthiest ever. . .
And here it is:
Now you may be thinking, like I have at one point – why take a supplement? If I eat well and eat a lot of yogurt won’t I have enough good bacteria?
The answer is yes, you can. As I mentioned above plenty of people, for generations, have nurtured their internal ecosystem through diet alone.
But the reality is, in today’s world, there are just too many factors that can contribute to disturbing our internal balance.
Too many of us, despite our diligent efforts to eat well, get sideswiped in one way or another and the result is an off-kilter bacteria count in our gut and less than optimal health.
What do I mean by sideswiped? Let me explain . . .
The first factor out of our control is our past. You see, when we are in our mother’s womb our intestinal tract is sterile – no bacteria.
It is only with birth that our gut begins to be colonized by other organisms. The primary source for our start-up colony of good bacteria is our mother’s milk. Those first weeks, months and years of nursing give us a good start in developing a good working microbial neighborhood.
Yet, how many of us were breastfed? Fortunately breastfeeding is on the increase, but unfortunately too many of us were deprived of the best raw milk available – our mother’s.
So already we’re off to a bad start.
Now, the interesting thing is that the bacteria that first set up shop in our intestines influence who gets to move in. You see, the first bacterial colonies actually signal to our intestine what kind of mucous to produce which determines who sticks around.
So you can see how this initial colony is very important in building a healthy neighborhood inside of us.
As we grow older, diet continues to be a huge factor – as I mentioned above – in how these colonies thrive. Every day I’m learning better ways of eating and I have to admit, I haven’t always eaten what’s best for me.
If you’re like me, there are times in our past where our diet has been not so healthy.
Add on top of this, the heavy use of antibiotics in our medical care – antibiotics which wipe out everything in your gut.
You can see how rough it’s been on your internal micro-ecosystem.
Other factors, such as stress and age can also influence what happens to these colonies.
So all in all, most of us are starting with a deficit in our probiotic colonies.
The other important factor to consider is how these bacteria get to our intestine.
Remember, before they get into our small intestine or even our colon, they have to survive the strongly acidic environment of the stomach. With a pH between 1 and 4, not much can survive our stomach.
The genius behind many of these fermented foods, like yogurt, is that the dairy helps buffer the bacteria from the stomach acid.
But still, not much gets through. In fact, in most traditional cultures, cultured food is eaten at least three times a day. And this is on top of a very healthy unprocessed menu.
Admit it, not many of us eat that way. So the best way to insure that you are getting enough bacteria into your intestine, is to take a supplement.
Go ahead, eat lots of yogurt. There’s no harm in eating more probiotic-rich food. And of course yogurt provides a wealth of other nutrients.
But if you are concerned about restoring your intestinal health to optimum levels, a supplement is crucial.
In fact, over the last 15 years, a probiotic supplement is the one recommendation I consistently make for every patient I see. And as for myself – I take a probiotic supplement as well. It’s the one supplement I take regularly, too.
Now it gets a little tricky. See, each of us is unique and each of us reacts differently to different foods and supplements. Our intestinal bacteria are no different.
As I’ve found through the years of watching patients take probiotic supplements, different supplements work differently for different people.
But 15 years of watching, researching and trying new products has yielded some pretty solid information.
In all my 15 years and thousands of patients, one form of probiotics has really stood out performance-wise. This supplement has made a significant difference for more people than any other one I’ve tried.
It’s called Complete Probiotics. And I’ll tell you why this one is so good.
Remember, the pH of the stomach? Well, this supplement is made up of a bacteria called Lactobacillus sporogenes also known as Bacillus coagulans. Now the first name I mentioned contains a clue for why this bacteria is unique.
You see, this bacteria forms a protective spore coat while it’s in a dormant state. This spore protects the bacteria from all kinds of unhealthy conditions: heat, dryness, acidity, etc.
So this spore coat protects the bacteria as it passes through your stomach.
The acid and churning of the stomach begins to wear down the spore coating, but only when it reaches the friendly environment of the intestine does the bacteria actually spring to life. There, in the moist and more neutral pH of the intestine, the bacteria comes out of its dormancy and multiplies.
Now, this spore is great. It not only protects the bacteria in the stomach, it also protects it before it even leaves the store. If you’ve looked at other probiotic products, you’ll notice that many of them require refrigeration and have short expiration dates. That’s because most bacteria cannot survive very long in a bottle on a shelf.
But L. sporogenes is different. I love it because I can take a bottle of Complete Probiotics while I’m traveling and not always be looking for a refrigerator. I know I’ll still get my full dosage in each capsule.
And if I decide to hold off using the supplement for a bit – which is rare – I don’t have to worry about it expiring. It’s great for stocking up.
And just to give you a context for how exceptional this is let me tell you about a few eye-opening studies on probiotic supplements. Many of them do not live up to their claims for the simple reason that bacteria are hard to track down and hold in a bottle for an extended period.
One Belgian study looked at 25 dairy products and 30 powdered probiotic products used as nutritional supplements.
The study found that more than 1/3 of the powdered products contained no living bacteria whatsoever. Even worse, only 13% contained all the bacteria listed on the label.
Similar results were documented by Consumer Lab, a non-profit that monitors supplement safety and effectiveness. In their review of 24 products, Consumer Lab found that 7 products contained fewer viable organisms than claimed or necessary to be effective. And one was even contaminated with mold!
Now I understand how difficult it is to corral these little microorganisms and keep them vital until they get to your gut. That’s why I was so excited to find this product.
With Complete Probiotics you can be sure that:
Even better, these bacteria are compatible with human enzymes, vitamins, proteins, amino acids, minerals and medications. This means they are perfectly safe and will get along well with your internal environment.
Also, interestingly enough, they produce a unique lactic acid – one that is known as “right-spinning” lactic acid. You can metabolize this lactic acid more easily. It is also more effective in staving off pathogenic bacteria.
My esteemed colleague, Victor Marcial Vega, MD, author of Rejuvenation Protocol says he has used this product with remarkable results on his patients. In fact, in one study he conducted on 450 patients struggling with various intestinal disorders, he found that after one month of taking this supplement, symptoms had disappeared for 50% of his patients and markedly improved for an additional 40%.
90% of his patients experienced significant improvement when taking this L. sporogenes probiotic supplement.
Because I understand how important a healthy probiotic colony is and how difficult it is to maintain in today’s world, I was so thankful to find this supplement. As you can see, it can be a tremendous challenge to find something that really works.
But this one leaves no doubt in my mind that it is a truly superior product.
But let me take just a second to let you hear what other Complete Probiotic supplement users have to say about their experience with this product:
It’s really worth trying.
Usually this product sells for $39.95 per bottle. About a month’s worth of probiotics for the same cost of a good dinner out. Consider how much more enjoyable that night out will be with some good helpers in your gut.
But this month, the holidays and flu season approaching, I’m offering it for only $29.95 – a savings of $10.00 or 25%.
Now, when times are hectic I go through this supplement quickly – especially when I travel or get diarrhea. In fact, I’ll take a full bottle in one day and it helps clear up the runs quickly. No safety concerns at all.
So I highly recommend you take advantage of my even better offer to save $42 by purchasing 3 bottles at once for $77.85 – a 35% savings.
These supplements have a great shelf-life. That’s why I love them. So there’s no harm in having extra around – at such a great bargain - especially during this health-challenging season.
And like everything I recommend, we offer an iron-clad guarantee that’s hard to find anywhere else. Try the product and if for any reason, at any time you decide it’s not for you, we’ll give you all your money back.
That’s right – at any time – we offer a lifetime guarantee! If the product doesn’t meet your expectations, return it and we will give you 100% refund.
Why do I offer this kind of guarantee? I know how reliable this product is. As you well know, I don’t recommend anything without thorough research and testing in my own clinic.
But you are the best judge of what works for your health. I’d like you to feel comfortable trying this product, testing it out for yourself – risk-free.
My goal is to help you take control of your health. If this product doesn’t work for you, please, send it back.
Nurture Your Inner Ecosystem – Nurture Yourself
As usual, it’s the simple, time-honored means of healing ourselves that really works. Heal yourself from the inside out. Give these supplements a try and experience what many of my patients and I experience . . .
Because your digestive system and this fascinating internal ecosystem are so fundamental to your good health this list could go on and on. I urge you to see what changes it brings to your day.
- And, please, let me know about it. I’m always looking for more information on how these products work for people.
Order now. Call XXX or order online at XXX and take advantage of this offer while it lasts. Your whole body – starting with your internal ecosystem - will appreciate you did.
Let’s take control!
Yours,
Dr. Joseph Mercola
P.S. I can’t think of a better time to experience the effects of keeping yourself healthy from the core. As the holiday and flu season approaches it’s even more important to 1.) Reduce your sugar intake; 2.) Eat less processed foods and more nutrient-rich, cultured products; and 3.) Try a good probiotic supplement.
Do it now and let me know how it makes a difference.