How a Probiotic Colon Cleanse Can Revitalize Your Health

Your digestive system plays a major role in your overall health. 60 to 80 percent of your immune system is located there, according to Dr. Isaac Eliaz, MD. The digestive system is a strong yet delicate ecosystem, finely balancing bad and good bacteria. The good bacteria are known as probiotics. An abundance of probiotic flora keeps your immune system healthy.

Surprisingly enough, your digestive system contains more nerve cells and neurotransmitters than the rest of your nervous system, and is sometimes called the “second brain.” It contains 100 million neurons, more than the spinal cord. Major neurotransmitters like serotonin, dopamine, glutamate, norephinephrine and nitric oxide are in the gut, according to Rosalyn M. King, Professor of Psychology and Chair of the Virginia Community College System (VCCS) Center for Teaching Excellence. Two dozen small brain proteins, called neuropeptides, which are major cells of the immune system, reside there along with enkephalins, a member of the endorphins family . In addition, it also contains a high source of benzodiazepines, the family of psychoactive chemicals that are the main components of popular drugs such as valium and xanax.

We are exposed to high levels of toxins from our food, water, and air every day. Scientists at the University of Strathclyde in the United Kingdom have found that certain harmful bacteria such as T. gondii can contribute to depression , schizophrenia, and other mood disorders. Additionally, the Standard American Diet is loaded with:

• artificial flavors and additives
• coloring agents
• preservatives
• pesticides
• chemical fertilizers
• hormones
• rancid oils

Over time, these toxins accumulate in our bodies, and are detrimental to our health, causing several physical and psychological challenges to good health.

Poor food choices, food allergies, antibiotics which kill intestinal flora, constipation, and the overgrowth of detrimental bacteria create a condition known as autointoxication . In this state, the body is unable to rid itself of harmful toxins, so they are absorbed back into the bloodstream. These toxins interfere with proper enzyme function, which in turn hinders normal cell activity, particularly in the brain and nervous system. They also adversely affect your liver, causing it to produce large amounts of age-promoting free radicals.

Free radicals are formed when oxygen molecules lose an electron, causing them to become unstable. They cause a great deal of damage to every system in the body. Although your body can normally deal with most free radicals, excessive stress, excessive exercise , and toxicity causes an unhealthy buildup of these unstable molecules. This puts a strain on your body, resulting in damaging health effects, such as:

• Higher risk of cancer
• Damage to your cardiovascular system
• Damage to your immune system
• Damage to your brain and cognitive functions
• Depressive disorders
• Chronic fatigue
• Obesity
• Severe skin rashes
• Chronic sinus congestion
• Daily headaches
• Severe constipation
• High susceptibility to colds and flu

Many of these symptoms are mistaken for other health problems, and are treated with medications, resulting in greater toxicity.

As part of the body's auto-immune response, it produces proteins known as cytokines , according to New York Times bestselling author of The H.O.P.E. Formula Book and Certified Nutritional Consultant Brenda Watson. She is the star of the PBS documentary, The Road to Perfect Health with Brenda Watson . Cytokines tell our body what type of reaction to have, such as inflammation, stiffness in the joints, and chronic pain. It has been shown that these cytokines arrive in the brain, causing a chemical reaction that breaks down neurotransmitters resulting in unstable moods and inflammation in the brain.

Once this brain inflammation develops, it can remain for months even after the initial problem in the digestive system has been resolved. This brain reaction causes damage the lining of the brain called the blood-brain barrier, and can result in:

• brain fog
• memory problems
• depression
• anxiety

In the late 1800s, Nobel Prize-winning scientist Elie Metchnikoff began to show the importance of microorganisms in the gut and their relationship to digestion to immune response. Numerous scientists have confirmed Metchnikoff's theories and developed ways to introduce beneficial microorganisms into the human body.

A team of scientists led by A. Venket Rao of the University of Toronto discovered that administering probiotics to patients suffering from chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) for a period of two months reduced the patients’ anxiety levels and boosted levels of the mood-lifting neurotransmitter L-tryptophan. According to Rao, probiotics have a vital function in the treatment of neuropsychological conditions like anxiety and depression .

According to Brenda Watson, healing the gut, reducing inflammation and supporting the immune system with the proper nutraceuticals can reduce depression, anxiety and symptoms associated with Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. Probiotic colon cleansing will:

1. clear the body of stagnant waste in the colon
2. restore beneficial bacteria population
3. boost your immune system
4. improve your body's digestive system
5. increase nutrient absorption

For maximum benefit, a probiotic supplement must contain more than 50 billion viable organisms, consisting of 10 different bacterial strains. When buying a probiotic colon cleanse supplement, be certain it contains all of these beneficial bacteria:

1. Bifidobacterium acidophilis
2. Lactobacillus longum
3. Bifidobacterium longum
4. Bifidobacterium bifidum
5. Lactobacillus casei
6. Lactobacillus plantarum
7. Lactobacillus salivarius
8. Lactobacillus rhamnosus
9. Lactobacillus bulgaricus
10. Lactobacillus sporogenes

Probiotics are extremely important for people over age 50 because all forms of bifidobacterium are significantly reduced by aging . How a probiotic colon cleanse can revitalize your health is the most important medical information you may receive in your lifetime. Probiotics have no harmful side effects, and are without question the gateway to weight loss, a life without depression and anxiety, and longevity . Good luck, and good health to you and your family .