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Good Bacteria Can Fight Bad Bugs

By Rachel McNeill

POSTED: Monday, September 7, 2009

UPDATED: 3:52 pm CDT September 10, 2009

HOUSTON -- When Raleigh Parker was 6 months old, a stomach virus had her in knots.

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Her mom, Allison, told KPRC Local 2, "She was upset and her stomach did hurt and we knew something wasn't quite right and we didn't know exactly what it was. We just knew she didn't feel good."

Pediatric gastroenterologist Dr. Bryan Vartabedian, with Texas Children's Hospital, recommended probiotics for little Raleigh.

Her mom said, "We tried it and it worked within a day and it was awesome."

Probiotics are live micro organisms or good bacteria, which can help your gastrointestinal tract fight bad bugs.

Vartabedian explained, "(Probiotics) populate the lining of the intestinal tract and by doing that, they keep bad bacteria out. They also fortify the lining of the small bowel and keep things from getting in and they also stimulate the immune system. While there are live bacteria in yogurt and other things, not every live bacteria is a probiotic. It has to be proven in a clinical study to have some positive clinical effect on a patient."

He added that nowadays, children are eating more refined carbohydrates and taking antibiotics more frequently, which can throw their gastrointestinal systems off-kilter.

Vartabedian explained, "We think that this excessive use of antibiotics and the change of diet that we've seen over the past 50 years have really resulted in a disturbance in our natural gut floor, which is giving rise to autoimmune diseases like diabetes and Crohns."

By the time Raleigh turned 2 years old, probiotics became a staple in the Parker household.

Allison Parker said, "It worked wonders and then my husband was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis and it happens to be perfect for that too, so we just keep it in the refrigerator. It works great for us."

Doctors say Probiotics can be taken daily for maintenance or to treat chronic digestive problems, eczema and even colic.

Check with your doctor first to see if probiotics are right for your family.

In addition to supplements, more and more products are appearing on the market that are fortified with probiotics such as yogurt, cereal and baby formula.

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Good Bacteria Can Fight Bad Bugs

By Rachel McNeill

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