Probiotics

T.! What an excellent question and great thing to consider for you children. You're exactly right - the field is exploding! I am a researcher in the TMC who studies probiotics and their effects on the host, and I'm also directly involved with the Human Microbiome Project with Baylor College of Medicine. The probiotic strains we study in the lab are commercially available thru a Swedish company called Biogaia. You may have heard about a recent study (earlier this year) showing great results with probiotic drops and infant colic... that's our bug! I've pasted their web address below. Of course, there are many choices out there. I am partial to these probiotics because their claims are based on solid scientific evidence. Other good products (if you're not lactose intolerant) are the probiotic food products produced by Dannon... excellent products. Another great commercially available probiotic source are those by Stonyfield Farms.

Something else to consider - Prebiotics. These are nondigestable food ingredients that good bugs can use to promote their growth within the host. Bananas are an excellent source! Combining this with probiotics can enhance the beneficial effects of probiotics. Prebiotics are just gaining ground. Another term to throw out is "Synbiotics". Synbiotics are products that contain both prebiotics and probiotics.

Best of luck!
J.

http://www.biogaia.se/

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I'm certainly no Dr, but have struggled with my lack of immune system for many years. In my constant ongoing research, and need to find answers to stay healthy, I've found the the dairy drink “DanActive”, sold in almost all grocery stores now, is tasty, and works for a “probiotic”. It does have quite a bit of sugar, but is so tasty, that I don't mind as much as I would normally. It helps to enjoy the taste, makes for more of a chance of staying on it. I have noticed a drastic change in my bowels and regularity, that I did not have before. I have been drinking one a day for almost a year now.

I do NOT work for this company, but STRONGLY recommend taking a liquid SILVER supplement to anyone with immune system struggles. Since 2001 I have researched SILVER companies, and have found the BEST one, www.natural-immunogenics.com for ordering, and www.sovereignsilver.info, for INFO about the product, and comparisons with other silver products. Silver, yes the natural soft metal found in the earth, kills over 650 different bacteria, viri, and fungi, on contact, or within 30 seconds, depending on what it is. It can be used internally, and externally for cuts, etc. It has always worked, and long before penicillin, or antibiotics, this was what Dr.'s gave their patients. This is info NO Pharmaceutical company wants you to have. They'd rather you spend all your money (and compromise your body) on very low spectrum drugs that might, or might not work. What sets this company apart from other SILVER companies, is they process the silver down to a .0008 micron particle size, small enough to penetrate the cell walls, and work throughout the body, in the bloodstream, instead of just on contact on the surface, like most silver products. It is mixed only with purified water, and tastes like WATER. Because of the small particle size, it is always perfectly suspended, and doesn't need to be shaken. Beware of the companies that constantly tout “MORE silver”, in this case, as many, more is simply NOT better, and bigger is definitely NOT better.
I have been on it, taking about 7 tsps., each day, throughout the day, since 2001, and have NOT had ANY illness or sickness since then, period. I also give it to my daughter, and my pets, in their water, again, no illnesses, in over 6 yrs.
As I said, I do not work for them, it simply works better than anything I’ve ever tried, and I will take it for life. You cannot overdose on it, and there are NO contraindications with any other meds. Many of my friends and family are now on it, and they first claim their gums and mouths feel better than ever, then they start to notice they never get sick anymore. It's a 100% success rate with the people I've shared this info with.

I DO work for the company that sells the BEST liquid vitamin and mineral supplement available, called VEMMA. Check it out at www.MakeMoneyWhileYouParty.com, I've been on it since Feb. 2005, and again, will be on it for life. It simply works and tastes better than anything I have ever tried, and I finally have my "magic combo" for a daily regiment, after many years of research, trial, error, and a LOT of dollars spent. They have a perfectly balanced vitamin supplement, mixed with a mineral supplement, and what makes them different, and better, is the fruit Mangosteen, which has over 41 antioxidants in it alone. This fruit is called the “Queen of the Fruits” in SE Asia, where it is grown, and exported from. They are one of 4 companies currently selling a Mangosteen based supplement in the US, but VEMMA has over 4 times the amount of Mangosteen than the other companies combined. The supplement has all natural fruit in it, NO SUGAR, and still tastes great, like a fruit smoothie. Like I’ve mentioned, if it doesn’t taste great, most people will stop taking it, no matter what good it’s doing. All info about this product is at the website linked above.
Feel free to message me if you’d like more info.
I wish you the best of health and luck!

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There are definitely probiotics that you can give to kids. The brand I'm using for my kids right now is Kyo-dophilus chewable tablets (www.kyolic.com). Also, Metagenics makes a dairy free probiotic that comes in powder form that you mix with water - it has virtually no taste.

As as what causes Crohn's, there are some researchers that believe there is a correlation with Celiac disease (an intolerance to the protein found in wheat, rye, barley and oats) and others believe it's related to dairy consumption. Although, of course, you've got to first have the genetic predisposition, with folks with DR7, DR17 and DQ4 being the most likely. Here's a couple articles: http://www.celiac.com/categories.php?catid=3365
with the second one mentioning that they believe it's a specific bacterium found in cow's milk that triggers the disease. So, I would think you would want to find a dairy-free probiotic (both those I list above are) and limit the dairy in your children's diet. The correlation with celiac comes from the fact that folks with both the DR7 and the DR17 often have the DQ2 gene, which is the main celiac gene. That DQ4 gene is actually the only DQ gene that is NOT associated with celiac or gluten intolerance. So, you might want to have your doctor run a gene test (Labcorp has one that most insurance will cover) and see if celiac is something you should also be concerned about.

I and both my children have celiac (and the DQ2 gene) and we all have one of the Crohn's gene (DR17). None of us consume dairy or gluten and have been fair healthier since we made that change 4 years ago. The probiotics have definitely been beneficial in recovering our gut flora that was impacted by damage to the intestines from the gluten.

Be well,
M. B.

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T.-
Go to The Candida Wellness Center's site www.thecandidayeastanswer.com/
They can help both you and your children and have probiotics for infants plus a great deal of information. There is a downloadable "book" plus when you order you will receive a supplement that will give info relevant to children and babies. You might call them to get that supplement sooner.

Also very helpful would be Donna Gates' book, The Body Ecology Diet, and she also has a website www.bodyecology.com/.

You might also read Jordan Rubin's books (The Maker's Diet, etc.). He recovered from Crohn's disease and has written about his experiences and what he learned.

I suspect that the heavily marketed probiotic-yogurt products in the grocery stores are of low quality and contain way too much sugar for anyone who really has a Candida issue. A better bet would probably be to go directly to a high quality probiotic supplement product such as those from Candida Wellness Center and reduce sugar intake.

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Have you tried supplementation with glyconutrients? They're a good, overall supplement in food form, so it absorbs better in the gut and the nutrients are readily available to your body.
As with any supplement, it doesn't cure a disease, but I believe most people can benefit from better nutrition, no matter what their health status.
This kids supplement is a little gummi bear. Check it out at http://www.mannapages.com/maggiefrancis. There are mannabears and glycobears. You can pull up the nutrition label information for any of the products to see what's in them.

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Pobiotics are great! I use this:
http://www.vsl3.com/VSL3/default.asp

It's very high potency. Use it for myself and my 6 year old child that I'm recovering from autism spectrum disorder/heavy metal poisoning. It has worked wonders for both of our digestive systems! I would guess small doses would be safe for younger children as well...

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Have you tried Nido 1+?

NESTLÉ® NIDO® 1+, 3+, 6+ is Nestle's new series of milk powders addressing the developmental needs of children for various age groups and at the various stages of growth. NIDO 1+with prebiotics, is developed for children ages 1 – 3 years as they experience the beginning of a change in their nutrition and development. NIDO 3+ with iron and vitamin C, is designed for children who are beginning their pre-school years. NIDO 6+ with Calcium, is focused on children of school age who are expereincing an increase in physical activities.

Their is also a new product out from Yoplait, called Yoplait kids. Hope this helps.

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There is a spinkle powder called LACTINEX that you can get OTC through the pharmacists at Walgreens (you have to ask for it because it is refrigerated). For under a year, just use half a packet, over a year can have a whole packet. It has worked wonders when my kids come down with some form of gastroenteritis (even when my son had rota-virus). You sprinkle the little granules into their applesauce, in thier cups, rice, oatmeal, etc... It's very versitile.

Also, you can add good bacteria to your children's digestive system by helping them get a good mix of the right kinds of dairy (milk isn't always our friend). Yogurt and cottage cheese are great for every day snacks!

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T. K.,

I am a Distributor for Forever Living Products, all- natural, all aloe-based health products. We have an Active Probiotic that, in combination with our aloe juice:
1) promotes a healthy digestive system,
2) enhances nutrient absorption & immune function,
3) unique combination of six benefical strains of microbes, and
4) no refrigeration needed.

So, our active probiotic is safe and will help you and your children!

If you'll send me your geographical address, I'd be happy to send a couple of my brochures to you. Or, if you'd rather, (if you're in SA, TX), I can drop-off the brochures in-person. Whatever's more convenient for you.

Feel free to contact me at, ____@____.com or ###-###-####.

Thank you T.,

D. P., LMT, CPT

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