Taking Control of Irritable Bowel Issues - Natren, Inc.

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Taking Control of Irritable Bowel Issues

August 26, 2013

A significant percentage of the population experiences gastrointestinal symptoms that are severe enough to make their life unpleasant, symptoms like gas, bloating, diarrhea, constipation or abdominal cramping. Estimates are up to one out of five people are troubled by these symptoms. Some people experience them on a daily basis – at work, at home, at school, at social events and are inconvenienced and embarrassed by them. Many have sought medical attention and may have undergone a few x-rays or procedures to find out what’s wrong – and nothing was found. That’s the nature of functional bowel symptoms, you can’t always put a name on them but that doesn’t make living with them any easier.

Sometimes these symptoms begin after a bout with GI disturbances caused by a virus or bacteria and never fully go away. In this case, it’s possible that an overactive immune response due to a harmful action, a bacterial toxin or some other etiology damages the intestinal lining and increases its permeability. There’s also some evidence that “bad bacteria” play a role. People who experience these symptoms may have an imbalance in their gut bacteria that predisposes them to functional gastrointestinal problems. After GI disturbances, it’s not uncommon for the population of bacteria that live in the gut to be altered and replaced with bacteria that produce gases like methane that contribute to bloating and flatulence. To make matters worse, some forms of GI disturbances are treated with various drugs. This further throws off the balance of good and bad bacteria. When good bacteria dominate, it leaves room for less friendly bacteria to take up residence.

One possible way to help gain healthy function is to recolonize the intestinal tract with “friendly” probiotic bacteria. These bacteria may help in a number of ways – by helping to crowd out methane-producing bacteria and by helping to alter gut motility – how quickly food moves through the digestive tract. So many factors can alter gut bacteria and create an unhealthy balance including medications, eating a poor diet, medical conditions, stress and the aging process. Probiotics offer a way to maintain a healthier balance of gut organisms and, possibly, reduce functional gastrointestinal symptoms like bloating, gas, occasional diarrhea, cramping and constipation. Probiotics are a safe way to colonize the intestinal tract with good bacteria. They can be part of an overall plan for better digestive health. In addition, most people tolerate probiotics well and they have an excellent safety profile. It’s a natural approach to better intestinal health.

The post Taking Control of Irritable Bowel Issues appeared first on Natren Probiotics Blog.

Rejuvenate Your Gut: A Holiday Feast Survival Guide

November 27, 2023

Feasting is one of the best parts of the holiday season, from magnificent main courses to delectable desserts. Unfortunately, food-related disasters, such as food poisoning, stomach upset, and overeating can make the holidays a lot less pleasant. But, with your hectic schedule of decorating, shopping, gift giving, cooking and eating, how can you take the time to ensure that the food you eat will not ruin your holidays? Simple – use this holiday health survival guide! It’s full of valuable information to help protect you and your family from foodborne bacteria and other digestive problems. About Foodborne Illnesses Foodborne illnesses.... [Read More...]

The post Holiday Health Survival Guide – Avoid These Seasonal Hazards appeared first on Natren Probiotics Blog.

Directions for Making Yogurt: Using Natren’s Yogurt Starter

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Making homemade yogurt with Natren® YOGURT STARTER will easily fit into your busy lifestyle! Once you have mastered the method, it usually takes less than 30 minutes to prepare the milk for incubation.

The Kombucha Kraze: What You Need to Know Part II

January 17, 2020

In the past couple of blogs, we have been discussing how probiotics are popping up everywhere - in coffee, cereal, dog food, and cleaning products. We explained spore-forming bacteria and why they are convenient to the manufacturer but may have no benefit to the consumer. Then, we took a closer look at kombucha -- we went over the ingredients in the drink, the heavy sugar load often associated with these drinks, common homebrew issues, some risks for biological and chemical contaminants...