Show and Go Nutrition: Probiotics
Filed under: Nutrition
Below is an except from my Show and Go Nutrition Guide. I lay out the supplements that I think everyone can benefit from (which are only a handful), and give supporting evidence as to why I think that way.
Today I wanted to give the except on probiotics. While a lot of people consume yogurt on a daily basis, certainly not everyone does. As well more and more people are making the switch to Greek yogurt. While Greek is higher in protein and lower in sugar, two excellent things, it is also more acidic and therefore contains less beneficial probiotics. Supplementing with probiotics is probably a good idea for most people, especially for those with GI issues.
Without further ado, here is the excerpt from the Show and Go Nutrition Guide:
Probiotics are a really interesting supplement. Naturally occurring in fermented foods like yogurt, kefir and sauerkraut these probiotics are live microorganisms that impart health benefits on their host. It may seem strange to purposely ingest bacteria, but there are an estimated 100 trillion microorganisms from more than 500 different species in every normal, healthy bowel!
It is important to replace these excreted microorganisms with beneficial bacteria to prevent harmful pathogens like E. coli and salmonella from taking root. The healthy bacteria keep those harmful pathogens at bay, contribute to proper digestion, increase absorption of nutrients, and keep the immune system in optimal condition.
In fact the entire gastrointestinal tract comprises 75% of the body’s immune system, contains more neurons than the entire spinal cord, is the only bodily system with its own independently-operating nervous system (the enteric nervous system), has a surface area the size of a tennis court, and contains more than 500 species of flora which total over 15 pounds of mass!
Keeping that system running at full speed will go a long way to keeping you healthy and fit, as well as improving recovery and performance.
Another point to keep in mind is that many conditions are often treated with probiotics, but precise health benefits are strain-specific, and not all strains are necessarily useful for particular conditions. From a general health standpoint the health-promoting strains to look for are Lactobacillus and Bifidobacteria, which have been studied in great detail. For acute and specific conditions, consult your physician.
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Posted on November 4th, 2010 by Brian St. Pierre
5 Comments
November 14th, 2010 at 3:01 am
Hey Brian,
Just one question…where can I find this nutrition guide? I purchased Show and Go when it first came out and had been hearing about it for a while but for whatever reason, had never seen it advertised nor gotten access to download/purchase it. Whether or not I need to pay for it, I’d be interested!
Thanks.
November 14th, 2010 at 8:23 am
Jeremy,
When you bought Show and Go you should have had the opportunity to purchase the Nutrition Guide as well. Contact Eric directly and he can hook you up, ec@ericcressey.com
Good luck!
Brian
November 16th, 2010 at 12:17 pm
I have been consumming only greek yogurt based on your past recommendations (one a day Mon-Fri). I see from your blog that while its great for other purposes, it decreases my intake of probiotics (if that’s the way to say it). Your posting doesn’t say what should be done next. Are you saying that probiotics (pearls I guess they’re called) should be consummed daily like a muti vitimin and fish oil tablets? The except was interesting but I’m missing the take away. Thanks!
November 16th, 2010 at 5:04 pm
David,
Greek yogurt doesn’t decrease your intake of probiotics, it simply provides less than regular yogurt would.
It probably wouldn’t be a bad idea to include probiotics if you wish, doesn’t have to be pearls and it doesn’t have to be daily.
I guess it all depends on your needs and budget. If you feel your GI system needs a little more help, or you want to maximize it and can afford it, then go for it. If your GI system is strong and you consume yogurt and other fermented foods then you might not need to.
Hope that helps!
Brian
June 25th, 2011 at 4:23 pm
Makes me think of “It is common sense to take a method and try it. If it fails, admit it frankly and try another. But above all, try something.” — Franklin D. Roosevelt