There are many factors to good gut health. We take a moment to offer some suggestions, since 80% of all disease begins in the gut.* Also, we discuss dehydration since dehydration impacts gut health, and scientific research shows that 35% of disease stems from de-hydration.*

L. Reuteri® Probiotics

Probiotics have been studied for a multitude of health benefits to the GI system.* From maintaining balanced gut flora to calming digestive distress, the right probiotic can help keep your gut going strong.* Extensive, well-controlled clinical studies show that L. reuteri not only protects people from gastrointestinal infections, but can also speed up recovery after an infection. L. reuteri has been known to benefit people with stomach ulcers ( H. pylori infection in humans) , acid reflux, food allergies, lactose intolerance, irritable bowels (IBS) and poor immune systems. Reuteri® boosts the immune system and reduces the risk of common infections.* Effects on the immune system involve the ability of Reuteri® to recruit the so-called CD4+ T-cells, and these help stimulate the immune response which is the body’s first line of defense against disease.*

The word probiotic means “for life” as opposed to antibiotic which means “against life.” BioGaia Probiotics are clinically proven, health fortifying, natural active cultures of live nonpathogenic microorganisms that beneficially affect the host by improving the balance of the gastrointestinal microbiota.* In essence, Reuteri® blocks harmful microorganisms from multiplying.

Most people do not realize that 80% of our immune system is located in the tissues in and around the digestive tract. The 400-500 different kinds of microorganisms in the intestines that constitute our normal flora defend us against harmful bacteria, preventing them from multiplying and causing disease. Generally, p robiotics do not permanently colonize the host, and therefore must be taken regularly to maintain health benefits.

How does Reuteri® work? Studies show that Reuteri® can survive in the gastric acid and bile salts in the stomach and upper intestine. It binds to the gut mucosa and epithelial cells, and colonizes the intestines. Reuteri® is also the only Lactobacillus species to produce and secrete reuterin, an anti-microbial agent that prevents the growth of harmful microorganisms in the digestive tract, while not affecting other bacteria that are normal to a healthy person.

In a perfect world, nobody would ever need to take probiotics. We would receive our first doses during birth and from our mothers’ milk, eat naturally fermented food products prepared slowly in traditional ways and live a “natural” life. Then perhaps we could afford to take our intestinal balance for granted! However, living in a fast-paced industrialized world, the human intestine gets bombarded daily by allergens, chemicals and potentially harmful bacteria through our food and drink.

In addition to illness; medications, poor eating habits and “plain old stress” can upset the balance of our intestinal flora and give harmful bacteria an opportunity to thrive. For this reason, probiotics play a fundamental role in human health and disease prevention. By taking probiotics, we can restore the body’s natural balance, boost our health and maintain our well being.

Water and Active Hydrogen

Most of us are chronically dehydrated, and we don’t even know it. When we sense dry mouth, it is a sign that we are well dehydrated, and not just thirsty. Conditions such as colitis pain are a signal of water shortage in the large gut. It is associated with constipation, because the large intestine constricts to squeeze the last drop of water from the excrements — thus, the lack of water lubrication. Not recognizing colitis pain as a sign of dehydration will cause persistent constipation. Later in life, it will cause fecal impacting: it can cause diverticulitis, hemorrhoids and polyps, and appreciably increases the possibility of developing cancer of the colon and rectum. So, drink up!

And, while much is known about the need for intestinal flora and water, relatively little is known about the innate need for hydrogen in the intestines, and it is imperative that there be an understanding of the body’s need for active hydrogen in the intestines: Not only do the intestines need added hydration, but they need a hydrogen-rich environment to support that balance of microflora previously discussed .

Another symptom of poor gut health is the condition of producing offensive feces; a condition generally called abnormal fermentation of the gastrointestinal tract which indicates the opposite of normal fermentation, but simply put, it is "decay." In other words, if the food we take in by mouth has an offensive smell when it is excreted from the anus, this means abnormal fermentation has taken place.

Abnormal fermentation is like eating rotten food that makes you ill. However, as opposed to food rotting prior to being eaten, the food rots in the intestines after it is eaten, so it takes more time for a person to get sick. In a sense, failing to deal with offensive feces is like having a time bomb in your body. So, it is important to lead a lifestyle which does not produce offensive feces. And, active hydrogen changes offensive feces into clean feces, defusing this time bomb by way of Hydrogen Rich Water.

We can state without equivocation that decades of science (almost 200 years) support the biological principles underlying the efficacy of active hydrogen, hence, the HydrogenRich Water Stick, in several categories of health and fitness:

Herbal Detoxification