Probiotics

[devo]

My naturalist recommended that I take high doses of probiotics and kombucha tea to help heal my stomach from issues with constipation, bloating, food sensitivites, etc. After taking several probiotics and 1 cup of kombucha tea a day, my bloating has been severe, and my constipation is much worse. Has anyone else had side effects with either the probiotics or kombucha tea?

[Lisa]

I can't help you with dosage, but I do recall several people here having issues with probiotics. I did initially.

I do take Nature's Bounty Chewable Acidophilus wth Bifidus. It is milk free and gluten free.

[AliB]

I think quite a lot of us have had issues with probiotics at first - I suspect there is a bit of a battle going on down there between the 'baddies' and the 'goodies'!

Whilst the probiotics can be a support, the best thing for healing the gut is to cut out the foods that do the damage. gluten-based ones, obviously, but carbs in general can be problematic for many. A damaged gut cannot digest them properly and undigested carbs are a food-fest for pathogenic bacteria and microbes.

That is why you will find that Candida-type diets always cut out the carbs, particularly processed ones, the sugars, and most fruit too.

Do you get enough fat in your diet? Not enough fat (as I have personally discovered) can lead to constipation. Since I upped my fat intake, my 'elimination' works like a dream. Makes sense when you think about it. Apparently, as long as carbs are kept low, more fat can lead to weight loss for those who need it - so I am keeping a beady eye on that.

The modern consensus is to cut as much fat out of the diet as possible - fat is bad for you, and all that, but although certain fats are not good, like hydrogenated, and heated vegetable oils, things like butter, coconut oil, olive oil, flax oil, fish oils and some animal fats (the body needs some saturated fat).

Taking more fat has also drastically reduced the bloating - transit time is quicker so the food isn't hanging around for so long fermenting, and the fats help to keep the baddies under control.

If you look at healthy communities like the Inuit, they survive very well on a diet of meat, fish and fat and occasional bits of seasonal fruit and veg, but what they don't eat is anything like the carbs that we do, or anything resembling them, especially the processed ones.

[jerseyangel]

I think everyone's needs are different, based on the situation. I have yet to find a probiotic that I can tolerate. What is working very well for me is staying strictly away from all of the foods that I'm intolerant to, and eating a cup of plain Greek yogurt every day. It's made a remarkable difference--after a few days of a rocky start.