Being Alive; February 1992
Paul M. Holt, B.S., D.C.

ACIDOPHILUS: THE "FRIENDLY" BACTERIA

Acidophilus bacteria are considered friendly because they are normal constituents of the digestive tract and aid in digestion. Imbalances occur in immune suppression, intestinal diseases and antibiotic therapy. Many harmful bacteria may grow without adequate supplies of the friendly bacteria which help to suppress them. I found several studies showing the usefulness of supplementing with extra lactobacillus acidophilus in the treatment of candida, both in the urogenital tract and intestines; and its usefulness in suppressing harmful bacteria such as salmonella, clostridium, shigella and camphylobacter, all potentially harmful, especially in immune suppression. Numerous studies also show that lactobacilli can increase the quality, availability, digestibility, and the assimilation of nutrients ingested. Some studies even indicate that this bacteria may have a role in inhibiting tumor growth as well.

Acidophilus is easy to supplement. It is found in fermented foods, such as yogurt or buttermilk with active cultures, or it can be supplemented in pill form, available at health food stores. There are various strains of the friendly bacteria; certain strains may be more effective than others in the treatment of certain diseases. There is also disagreement about mixing strains, that one may reduce the effectiveness of another. My inclination is not to get too hung up about the particular strains found in supplements, but rather check labels to see how much of the bacteria a pill or a food contains (usually counted in millions or billions per capsule or measurement). GARLIC

Garlic is one of the cheapest and most useful natural dietary tools we can use to improve our health. It's easy to use in cooking and is beneficial in enhancing immune functions, inhibiting cancers, and reducing the growth of harmful organisms, such as bacteria and candida, parasites and viruses. It can be helpful with intestinal problems for these reasons.

Research continues to show the vast properties, versatility and usefulness of garlic. It assists the body in detoxification of harmful substances, reducing the harmful effects of radiation, lowering of cholesterol and fat levels which contribute to cardiovascular disease.

Garlic tablets can be found in most health food stores to supplement the diet. In case you don't like the taste or find it difficult to digest, garlic is also available in odorless pill or capsule form.

DIGESTIVE ENZYMES

Digestive enzymes are frequently recommended by nutritionists because they assist in digestion and assimilation of foods and they have been shown to reduce inflammation in the body. The enzymes, which are harmless, basically help to break down foods, thereby aiding in the absorption of nutrients. In addition they may help to break down foreign harmful substances and allergy causing substances, reducing inflammation.

So many diseases can interfere with digestion, absorption and assimilation that I would recommend using digestive enzymes to prevent disease and to treat specific problems such as candidiasis, intestinal infections, malabsorption and malnutrition (the latter being common in severe immune suppression such as AIDS and cancer).
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