For the so-called morbidly obese, gastric bypass surgery may be their only hope for slimming down to a healthier body weight. Such surgery isn’t without its own risks though, and isn’t always successful for a number of reasons. However, researchers may have discovered a way to increase the success of a specific type of gastric bypass surgery, called Roux en Y bypass.
One of the complications caused by gastric bypass surgery is the change in the bacterial flora of the stomach – the natural bacteria that you need to stay healthy. Researchers studied 44 patients who had had the bypass and …read more

A new probiotic bar said to contain 10x more live culture than yogurt has been released to the market. Pop Culture Probiotic Bars contain GanedenBC30(TM), a patented probiotic strain that can survive baking and manufacturing processes, remain viable even if unrefrigerated, and –take this– withstand the acidic stomach environment. Apparently, the secret lies on the bacteria being protected by a “naturally-occurring hardened shell of organic material”.
I can’t find information on what bacteria they are using (would be good to know what they’re putting in your food, wouldn’t it?) and what this organic material shell is made of. If this …read more

I’ve tried Yo-Plait, but I don’t remember having seen Yo-Plus in our local grocer yet. Sounds like it’s one notch healthier:
Yo-Plus and is the only yogurt available that contains Optibalance™, a blend of special probiotic cultures and a natural fiber. Yo-Plus is a good source of calcium, fiber, Vitamin A and Vitamin D. When compared with Dannon™’s Activia™, only Yo-Plus has the added benefit of dietary fiber for added digestive health benefits, plus vitamins A and D.
Have you tried Yo-Plus yet? No? You can print some coupons for some discount.

I’ve written a post on the probiotic properties of Yakult some time ago and I see that it has generated some interest. For those of you who prefer to watch rather than read, here’s a video featuring Yakult– what it is and what its health benefits are.

Yakult is currently marketed worldwide as a probiotic drink that helps improve gut health, by helping the gut’s natural microflora establish or re-establish itself.
A recent small scale study involving 18 patients indicates that like other probiotic bacteria, the Lactobacillus strain Shirota found in Yakult may also be a safe and effective alternative for the management of irritable bowel syndrome.
After 6 week of treatment with 1 x 65 mL dose of Yakult daily, 9 of 14 patients (64%) completing the study had reversal of ERBHAL, with the median time of first rise increasing from 45 to 75 min (P = 0.03). …read more

If data from a new preliminary study is true, it seems that Yakult is not only good for gut health, it might also help in easing symptoms of hay fever or pollen allergies. According to the study, a daily dose of Yakult for five months seems to reduce the levels of IgE in the blood (It is IgE which stimulates the release of histamine which subsequently makes the airways swell and produce the symptoms of hay fever).
Blood samples were taken before the grass pollen season, then again when it was at its peak (June), and 4 weeks after the end …read more

Yakult is probably the most widely sold probiotic product in the world. It’s been around for more than 70 years now and even as a child I already knew those little bottles delivered to us by so-called Yakult ladies. Today, my son gets it daily from the kindergarten and it is a constant in our grocery list.
What makes Yakult healthy? Yakult UK summarizes the health benefits of Yakult:
The good gut flora helps to neutralise some of the toxic by-products of digestion, reduce harmful substances (such as toxins and carcinogens), and discourage harmful bacteria and yeasts from setting up home within …read more

Probiotics has been considered to be a powerful tool in helping strengthen immune systems and reduce the effects of allergies, asthma, and other chronic immune-related diseases.
Although I find this article to be a bit too negative on the use of antibiotics, it does explain well how probiotics can put our body microflora into balance, particularly after a long treatment regimen with antibiotics.
“It’s important to remember that the other half of the therapy is to replant the forest with the good bacteria,” Huffnagle says. And while scientists are still trying to determine exactly how the microflora in the digestive tract …read more

According to an animal study from Hong Kong, probiotics may speed up the recovery of people with stomach ulcers.
Stomach or peptic ulcers are a small hole or erosion in the gastrointestinal tract. Most stomach cancers are caused by Helicobacter pylori bacteria.
The said study, investigated the effects of Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG, (one of the most extensively studied strains of probiotics) on gastric ulcer induced in rats.
According to lead author Emily Lama from the University of Hong Kong:
“In this study, we demonstrate for the first time that a probiotic strain L. rhamnosus GG is capable of accelerating gastric ulcer healing.
It is important …read more

We’ve already discussed what good probiotics do our gut health, as well as in preventing allergies and eczema.
In a new study, scientists even reinforced this anti-allergy powers by http://”>genetically engineering Lactococcus lactis bacteria to secrete murine interleukin-10 (IL-10), and subsequently help treat food sensitivities and intolerances.
Writing in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Frossard reports that oral administration of this non-pathogenic strain effectively reduced food-induced anaphylaxis (severe allergic response) in mice and suppressed the production of an antibody capable of initiating the most powerful immune reactions.
The results of the animal trial is published online at the Journal of Allergy …read more