September 21, 2015
Ever since we wrote how probiotics are helping save endangered Chinese Panda Bears and fish, we’ve stumbled upon even more interesting research on how probiotics may help the animal kingdom – this time it’s about how probiotics may help save frogs from extinction! Why do we want to save frogs? Whether they are endangered or threatened, these slippery, slimy amphibians need to be protected just as much as the pandas and fish. They’re definitely not as cute as pandas, nor are they a major food source, at least not here in the U.S. like trout or salmon, but they’re very.... [Read More...]
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September 14, 2015
A Guide to Natren’s Probiotics for the Entire Family The long, lazy days of summer are over, and the kids are back in school – phew! However, the celebration is short-lived – along with bringing home a pile of homework they’re more than likely going to be bringing home a few unwanted germs too. All it takes is one cough or sneeze in the classroom, and before long everyone in the household is feeling under the weather. Kids are exposed to a number of germs and bugs every day, and unfortunately, getting sick when they’re young is part of the.... [Read More...]
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September 07, 2015
Gut microbes – you have trillions of them nestled inside your intestinal tract. Each of us has a slightly different population of microbes in our guts that serve as our unique gut “fingerprint,” also known as our intestinal ecosystem. A growing body of research shows that bacteria, both good and bad, play a key role in digestive and immune health. Your ecosystem, made up of a diverse array of bacteria, is dynamic with the capacity to change for the better but also capable of being disrupted by factors such as diet, stress, and certain medications. Slowly, researchers are gaining knowledge.... [Read More...]
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August 24, 2015
The benefits of probiotics have been flooding the news for several years, but it’s not been until fairly recently that we’ve started to read about their many benefits in the animal kingdom. Last month, we wrote how scientists discovered that by supplementing Panda Bears with probiotics, they ate significantly less of their staple bamboo diet. This is a tremendous finding especially when bamboo is scarce, as it not only helps them to better adapt to their environment, but also potentially saves them from extinction. Another really important article was published even more recently on probiotics being fed to salmon and.... [Read More...]
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August 17, 2015
Next time you have a craving for a donut or cookie, don’t blame it on a lack of will power, but on your gut bacteria. Inside the walls of your intestinal tract lie trillions of bacteria that need nutrients and energy to survive and that energy comes from the food you eat. Some research suggests these bacteria, which have their own interests in mind, play a role in the type of foods you select. It’s not so far-fetched when you consider your gut is paved with nerves, as many as 100 million nerve cells, which feedback to your brain, and.... [Read More...]
The post Can Our Gut Microbiota Affect What We Choose To Eat? appeared first on Natren Probiotics Blog.
August 10, 2015
Yogurt is one of the most well known functional foods and often associated with probiotics, but unfortunately, not all yogurts will give you probiotic benefits. Many yogurt manufacturers pasteurize (heat) the yogurt after the cultures are added; they do this to kill potentially bad bacteria, but unfortunately it kills the good bacteria as well. In addition, many of them contain more sugar and artificial preservatives than a Twinkie (!!), and then there’s the problem with all the sweeteners and flavors that have been added. You’ll be happy to know there is a healthier and easy alternative – you can make.... [Read More...]
The post Fun with Homemade Yogurt: Our Favorite Toppings, Tips & Recipes! appeared first on Natren Probiotics Blog.
August 03, 2015
Useless Leftover? Or Beneficial Storehouse? For many years, evolutionists believed that the human appendix was a vestigial organ, a remnant of something that was once much larger and lost as the species evolved, and that it did not serve any clear function. The appendix was seen as an essentially useless leftover of human evolution. Most of us don’t seem to give it any thought unless it becomes blocked or inflamed. This is known as appendicitis and the only remedy is surgical removal. For the thousands of people who have had their appendix removed, they’ve not experienced any negative health consequences. .... [Read More...]
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July 27, 2015
We talk a lot about what’s in our products (carefully selected super strains of beneficial bacteria) and what’s not in our probiotic products (No GMO’s, No FOS, Soy Free, Gluten Free, Dairy Free Options, etc) but today we want to talk about how we handle our probiotics and why that’s unique. Probiotics are living bacteria, and like most bacteria, they can be severely weakened or killed by prolonged exposure to moisture or heat. That’s a big problem, because although we take every step necessary to ensure that the probiotics are kept at the optimum temperature and humidity during production and.... [Read More...]
The post Do Your Probiotics Survive Shipping, Storage and Stomach Acid? appeared first on Natren Probiotics Blog.
July 20, 2015
Gluten sensitivity is on the rise, for unknown reasons. About one in 100 people currently suffer from a condition where their intestinal tract reacts so severely to gluten that it becomes inflamed and damaged. Another portion of the population experience digestive symptoms when they eat foods containing gluten, but they don’t seem to develop the same damage to the intestines, these people are said to have gluten sensitivity. Unfortunately, children and adults suffering from severe gluten sensitivities must avoid taking in even tiny amounts of gluten to prevent damage to their intestinal tract, while many others should avoid foods containing.... [Read More...]
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July 13, 2015
These days, most of us are always on the lookout for a good bargain. We want to feel as though we’re getting the best “bang for our buck” without compromising on quality. However, when it comes to choosing a quality probiotic, less is definitely more when it comes to the number of probiotic strains in one capsule or container. Not all probiotics are created equal, and the stark reality is that there are many probiotics, particularly multi-strain probiotics, on the shelves that don’t offer any benefits at all. Whether you’re thinking about buying a probiotic or changing the brand you’re.... [Read More...]
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July 06, 2015
An interesting article came across our desk recently about a group of scientists studying the metabolic pattern of the giant Panda Bear in relation to their food source, and the findings were quite unexpected. Giant pandas are black and white Chinese bears and they’re becoming an endangered species. Eating exclusively bamboo, they have the most specialized diet of any of the bear family. Analyzing the pandas’ fecal matter, the scientists revealed they were missing two essential gut microbes, Ruminococcaceae and Bacteroides. These are plant-degrading bacteria found in the guts of bears. This puts the pandas in a dilemma, according to the.... [Read More...]
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June 29, 2015
When you’re trying to achieve a healthy body weight and lower your risk for a variety of health problems, including heart issues, working out is the way to go. Exercise helps to build stronger muscles, improve flexibility and ramps up the health of your cardiovascular system – all good things. Interestingly, a recent study highlights another possible benefit of working out. In a controlled study, researchers looked at the gut flora, or in other words, the bacterial population inside the intestinal tract of 40 rugby athletes compared to 46 non-athletes. As you might expect, the rugby players did intense workouts.... [Read More...]
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June 22, 2015
America is one of the most powerful and successful countries in the world, yet when it comes to diet, we rank among the worst for eating habits. It’s no surprise to learn that there are more fast food restaurants in the U.S. than any other country in the world. Even when we do cook at home, we’re still not eating the right kind of meals despite having access to affordable healthy food. The American diet, laden with saturated fats, carbohydrates and refined sugars, is definitely bad for our health and while we’re starting to become a lot more health conscience,.... [Read More...]
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June 15, 2015
Our digestive organs are very intricate and make up one of the largest systems in our body. If it were removed, it would stretch a staggering 25-30 feet from end to end. In very basic terms, its function is to process the food we eat into smaller molecules and eliminate waste. The digestive process is quite complex, and is a very coordinated effort that begins before we even take a bite. The sounds and smells of food, or even the thought of food, can send signals to the brain to prepare the way for food to enter our digestive tract..... [Read More...]
The post Maintaining an Efficient Digestive Engine appeared first on Natren Probiotics Blog.
June 01, 2015
How many times have you visited your doctor and been handed a prescription? It is probably more often than not. Let’s face it – we even expect to receive a prescription. We’ve become accustomed to thinking that we need to take a pill for all that ails us – it makes us feel like there is a neat, easy-to-take remedy when we feel bad and need a quick fix. The use of prescription medication is rising, and for a number of reasons. As mentioned, we want to feel better, so there is patient-driven demand. In addition, many doctors also fear.... [Read More...]
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May 25, 2015
You are surrounded by an ocean of bacteria. In fact, a host of diverse bacteria make their home inside your intestinal tract. Fortunately, many of these species of bacteria are “friendly”, meaning they provide health benefits to the host. What’s interesting is bacteria take up residence in the human gut very early in life, before a baby even enters the world. In fact, one of the baby’s first encounters with bacteria is when it passes through mom’s birth canal and becomes colonized with bacteria from her reproductive tract. The bacteria a baby is exposed to during passage through the birth.... [Read More...]
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