BACTERIA CAN BE HEALTHY
By Debbie Markel, CH, CNHP
Americans have become anti-bacteria fanatics. We see advertisements for antibacterial soaps, shampoos, sponges, wipes, sprays, cleansers, tissues, plastic containers, and toothpastes, to name just a few. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), over 700 antibacterial products were in the marketplace in the year 2000. There is a downside to all this cleanliness, however, because despite our best intentions, killing off all types of harmless bacteria may not always be the best way to stay healthy. In a presentation before the CDC's Emerging Infectious Diseases Conference in Atlanta, Georgia in 2000, Dr. Stuart Levy from Tufts University Medical School reported that scientists and medical professionals have serious concerns about the proliferation and use of antibacterial agents in our daily lives. Dr. Levy stated, "Like antibiotics, these products can select resistant strains and, therefore, overuse in the home can be expected to propagate resistant microbial variants… No current data demonstrate any health benefits from having antibacterial-containing cleansers in a healthy household" (http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/eid/vol7no3_supp/levy.htm). In fact, regular use of antibacterial products has already backfired by allowing antibacterial-resistant microorganisms to thrive. A report in the Annals of Internal Medicine stated that antibacterial household products have no effect against viruses in households of healthy persons (those who aren't immune-compromised), so they don't even prevent the transmission of colds and flu (http://www.annals.org/cgi/content/full/140/5/321).
Dr. Stuart's report before the CDC conference also presented evidence that researchers have found a correlation between too much hygiene and increased allergy. Studies have shown an increased frequency of allergies, cases of asthma, and eczema in persons who have been raised in environments that are actually too clean. In one rural community studied, children who grew up on farms had fewer allergies than did other children who did not live on farms. The reason is that as we grow, we need to develop a balance in our immune systems that comes from naturally fighting invading organisms on a daily basis. Over time, our bodies build up immunities to those organisms and prevent us from being allergic to them or becoming sick from them.
Another issue is the overuse of antibiotics to treat diseases that would normally be cured on their own if left to run their course. In fact, one of the most prevalent nutritional deficiencies in the U.S. today is lack of "good" intestinal bacteria due to overuse of antibiotics. These bacteria are called "probiotics" and they fight the bad types of bacteria that invade our bodies and cause diseases. Probiotics, according to Dr. Decker Weiss, NMD, AACVPR, are live bacteria that are non-toxic and do not cause disease. Almost anyone who has ever taken an antibiotic will have reduced the probiotics in their intestines because antibiotics kill all types of bacteria, both good and bad.
Without probiotics in our guts, we don't digest foods effectively, process waste efficiently, or keep bad bacteria at bay. Lactobacillus and bifidobacterium, the most common probiotics, are found naturally in yogurt, buttermilk, cheese, acidophilus milk, and acidophilus supplements. They also help us break down lactose, a sugar found in milk and milk products, which, according to the American Academy of Family Physicians, is difficult to digest for 80 - 100% of Native Americans, 60 - 80% of African-Americans, 95 - 100% of Asian-Americans, 60 - 80% of Jewish Americans, 50 - 80% of Hispanics, but less than 25% of Caucasians who are non-Jewish and non-Hispanic.
One of the biggest health benefits from probiotics is preventing vaginal yeast infections and urinary tract infections in women. Harvard Medical School's Family Health Guide says that probiotics can greatly improve the symptoms associated with diarrhea and inflammatory bowel diseases, like Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis and irritable bowel syndrome. They can control eczema and psoriasis because without healthy digestion, toxins build up in the body and will often manifest themselves through inflammatory skin diseases. People with allergies have also shown improvement when they take acidophilus on a regular basis because, according to research findings from the Michigan University Medical Research Center, antibiotics that kill off good intestinal flora could be responsible for increases in development of allergies and asthma (http://www.newscientist.com/article.ns?id=dn5047). The study also promotes the use of probiotics and a diet of raw fruits and vegetables whenever someone finishes taking antibiotics. Probiotics also help us manufacture Vitamin K which protects against osteoporosis and assists clotting.
Because probiotics consist of live bacteria, it's important to buy a good quality nutritional supplement that contains at least 1 billion living, healthy probiotic bacteria in each dose. It should contain both lactobacillus and bifidobacterium for greatest effect. Some brands are refrigerated and others are shelf-stable before they're opened. They should all be refrigerated after they're opened. The refrigerated brands may not always retain their potency because they may have been exposed to warm temperatures during shipping, killing off some or all of the bacteria. As a preventive measure, daily probiotic use is usually recommended.
So before you pick up that can of Lysol or buy a box of antibacterial kitchen counter wipes, remember that by using these products, you could be helping to create mutant bacteria that can't be killed and you may be helping your child develop allergies. Finally, think about using probiotics to treat a variety of conditions and prevent others. Learn to love those friendly little bacteria that live in your gut and around your home!
Debbie Markel, Certified Herbalist and Certified Natural Health Professional, is the proprietor of Apothecarian Herbals in Powhatan. She can be reached at 598-5352 or at www.herbalconsultant.com.