Probiotics and Antibiotics - Who Knew?

[debra]

Anne, and all. With yogurt you need to be careful of the sugar added, ect. Greek plain yogurt is best for this, then sweeten it with stevia, and use a sf syrup like davinci, comes in vanilla, chocolate, and tons more flavors. Invest in a good probiotic, vsl #3 is a good one, I posted something on, but very expensive, but worth it because ofthe strains of bacteria, and the 450 billion, live lactic acid bacteria. This is the mother of the probiotic world. You can get regular vsl, as well. Less expensive, less powerful. Powder form or capsules. A pharmacist will order for you, and keep it in the fridge... Also making or buying fermented cabbage, is another killer, probiotic... I did this for years, before getting sick. Also made my own kefir. You can find someone willing to mail you live grains, then you put them in milk, I like raw, then strain after twenty four hours. Then put the grains in fresh milk to rest. The grains start to grow... Alysia, incidentally, the vsl, is prescribed for ibs. The only one proven to realy help with this. Talk to you're doctor, you may even have coverage for it. Some plans, not mine, but some cover this..... Deb.

[annekat]

Deb, i don't like stevia or any artificial sweeteners (which I realize it isn't).... and I just don't worry about a little sugar in my yogurt anymore than anywhere else. It would be like telling Birdie he couldn't eat Klondike bars because they have sugar in them. I don't eat a lot of sugar or honey, too much of anything sweet causes my WG symptoms to increase. I will go for any whole milk unsweetened yogurt, or nonfat Greek, as well as low fat, if that's what's available, and do end up with some sweetened ones. I just won't go for stevia or the artificials. It just doesn't taste right to me. So that's that. I have used priobiotics, though don't currently, and they were a standard brand that I felt OK about if not the most expensive. There are times when I absolutely cannot afford expensive stuff like what you are talking about. I do OK without it. I do believe that fermented veggies are very healthful, and there is a company selling them down at the Market who is doing pretty well. I just haven't gotten into a routine of buying them, but think I could, and would probably start with the sauerkraut, as it would be good on top of egg dishes, the kind of stuff I make, in sandwiches, etc. It is locally made each week and very freshly canned in glass jars. Plus they give out free samples and "brine shots". So my preference is to eat the healthier forms of food, but I'm just not a fanatic about it, and am not saying you are. I will allow myself little treats here and there. You have some great ideas, and I appreciate them. I have made yogurt before, in the old days, and making kefir sounds very interesting. XXOO

[debra]

Anne, hello. Anne please let me be more clear here. The reason I posted this brand, and that its expensive, is because health insurance, covers it!! That's correct. It's ordered by you're doctor. Mine of coarse was not. It was however worth getting, and using towards deductions. So if you have normal health insurance, its just a win, win, right? And its broad strain, high count. Sugar, even fruit and indulging, hey I'm all for it, but I can't then complain about a skin fungal infection or something. Though this is the only issue I don't seem to have. Yet. Culturelle, is cheap, and fine also. Taking antibiotics and probiotics is fine, but should be seperated out as long as possible... Ann, this was just kinda like a hobby of mine... Not very exciting to most, but I loved making this stuff..... Me. Xo

[annekat]

If I had a lot of time I'd enjoy doing those things, too, making my own healthy foods, etc. I don't have a doc that would prescribe me any kind of probiotic grains or whatever that is, they just wouldn't want to be bothered finding out anything about it. I would have to be in with a new PCP who had leaning toward those things. I think my old PA has moved, though she probably would have been interested, so I need to find a new one or a nurse practitioner or such. I don't know if having Original Medicare qualifies as "normal" insurance. It sounds like great stuff, but I don't have any particular issues right now and might first explore the fermented veggies at the Market. If those are a good experience, I might branch out into some of these other areas of probiotics and such. Not knocking anything you say, glad to hear about it, just am not ready to go out and plunge into a bunch of new dietary routines when I think I'm doing OK. You do a great service by bringing these things to people's attention. XOXO

[debra]

Anne, hi.. Medicare, and part d plans coverit. A regular doctor prescribes ,,or nurse. It's covered by most, just not mine. I wanted others to know, cause why not take advantage of the fact it may be covered? The kefir grains, that's different. Making you're own pobiotics, I guess would be a hobby? Funny, because the kefir is sour, and I would give a little to Peanut, then watch carefully as he then would look up at me with this look, then shake his head a couple times, then sneeze.... So funny. Then he'd come back, to do it all over again.... Me! Xo Xo

[annekat]

I will wait until I get an NP, PA, or GP and talk to them about it, maybe. My pulmy or ENT would draw a blank, I'm sure.

[Natalie]

Antibiotics or not, pill or yogurt, probiotics are a great idea for digestive health. Take both, flora and fauna. When it comes to yogurt I was told by the best colon doc that Activia is the only one he suggests. Claimed the rest have almost no probiotic benefit, followed by a long explanation of how they're made/processed/packaged/shipped/stored... etc... I got bored with that part.

Hello Birdie , I haven't logged in for a long while just reading threw this post and thought i would put my two bobs worth in .. I was told that i shouldn't take the everyday probiotic as there is an ingredient in it that boost your immune system and works against what all our meds are trying to do . Cant remember the ingredient , but apparently you can get Probiotics at health food shops without this ingredient. all those bottles say" boost your Immune system today" ,Not thanks my Immune system is broken and shouldn't be rebooted

[PANDASmomx2]

I didn't know that different probiotics are needed to treat different symptoms. My internal medicine Doctor directed me to consumer labs, where they explain what strains of probiotic are used with what to accomplish desired effect. Blew my mind that different stains have different affects on different parts of the body. It sounds so logical I don't know why I didn't know that before.