Pharmacists dispense more than prescription drugs. They also dole out recommendations on dietary supplements including probiotics. As a group, these front-line healthcare specialists have a powerful voice when it comes to what is known as complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), a category separate from conventional types. A recent survey explored what pharmacists had to say […]
Articles
Constipation and Dysbiosis: Clues to Chronic Pain
Pain comes in two flavors. The acute version tells us to snatch a hand away from a hot flame. On the same hand, chronic pain would last interminably; our neurochemical pathways perceive that heat long after the fire dies. Chronic pain is frustratingly difficult to treat. Pain and perception of pain are actively managed in […]
Probiotic Foods Linked with Less Depression
Depression exacts a high cost. In addition to quality of life issues, it may increase risk for suicide as well as diseases including cancer and heart disease. Treating depression with medications has been less than successful. The proof of that appears in the soaring numbers suffering with this disorder. Alternate therapies are urgently needed. Evidence […]
Probiotics Plus Meds Impact IBS
As probiotics move into mainstream healthcare, typical first-line drug treatments are being questioned. But old habits die hard in the juggernaut that is the medical-pharmaceutical complex. One particular disorder appears ripe for disruption. The role of gut microbiota in irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is amassing evidence-based research attesting to its importance. Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) […]
“Gluten-free” May Cost Your Microbes
How did gluten become such a pariah? With its presence blamed for common gut problems, gluten-free products have swept the marketplace. However, for better or worse, eliminating components or categories of foods from diets will impact health. Our task is to learn how microbes figure in the equation. But first, listen to a simplified story […]
Common Emulsifier Messes with Microbes
On sticky summer days, ice cream doesn’t stand a chance. Decades ago, manufacturers created a novel workaround for the rapid meltdown: synthetic emulsifiers firm up shape and slow liquefaction. Polysorbate 80 is one of many emulsifiers engineered into processed foods, beauty products and medications. Emulsifiers are Generally Regarded as Safe (GRAS) according to the U.S. […]