Functional Medicine & Clinical Nutrition
Your digestive system is so much more than a winding tract that transports food from point A to point B. Thanks to your gut, foods you eat are broken down so you can absorb the nutrients that benefit your body from head to toe. Bacteria are crucial players in that process. And a slew of new research is finding just how big of a role those bacteria may have on your overall health including improved immunity, decreased risk of obesity, a happier mood, chronic pain, inflammation and more.
Meet your Microbiome
Most individuals don't quite have an appreciation for the trillions of microbial organisms that normally inhabit a healthy GI system. Most of these microbes are bacteria that have co-evolved with humans, depending on us for their survival just as we depend on them for our health and well-being. For example, we provide nutrients for bacteria which then keep our immune system in check, digest certain carbohydrates that would be indigestible to us, and make vitamins and other important compounds that we would otherwise be unable to produce. This wonderful, symbiotic relationship is what makes up your microbiome. A (hopefully) harmonious collection of microorganisms in our guts that aid in so many of our body’s vital functions.
But your microbiome changes with disease
Our microbiome can affect us in multiple, profound ways ranging from how we store fat to whether we feel happy, anxious or depressed. However, with society's stressful and hectic pace, our reliance on junk food and overuse of antibiotics, our internal ecosystem can be thrown out of whack. When the normal gut microbial communities are disturbed, it can lead to dysbiosis or bacterial overgrowth.
Dysbiosis is associated with a growing number of diseases such as Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, irritable bowel syndrome, and both type 1 and type 2 diabetes. New research also finds that the variety and balance of gut bacteria is often different in patients with chronic inflammatory conditions as compared with healthy individuals. This suggests that these diseases are not due to any single bacterium, but from changes to the entire microbiome. And since a large part of our immune system is found within the gut, there is a clear link between bacterial overgrowth and autoimmune diseases.
So how do I fix my microbiome?
Part of the answer is to clean up your diet, avoid unnecessary meds, go easy on alcohol, and exercise regularly. However, a GI probiotic supplement goes a long way towards stabilizing your microbiome for optimal health. Because even with a perfect diet, things such as depleted soils, the storage and transportation of food, increased stress, and a toxic environment, make it impossible for you to get key nutrients you need solely from the foods you eat.
So this leads us to Plexus
Plexus is a nutritional supplement company which produces the best probiotic and GI health system I have found in all my years of practice The reason why I say "the best" is because it helps address all 3 aspects of how your digestive track works.
Step 1 - Plexus Slim
Plexus Slim is a powder based chromium supplement which is taken 30 minutes before your first meal in the morning. Chromium is known to help stabilize blood sugar (glucose) in the body and help prevent the roller coaster effect of spiking blood glucose levels throughout the day. This helps curb your appetite, particularly for those less than healthy sweets and carb-heavy foods.
Step 2 - Bio Cleanse
Bio Cleanse is a product which has numerous anti-oxidants, but is primarily based around magnesium supplementation. This magnesium plays a key role in cleansing the GI tract of Candida or other "bad" bacteria which might be causing systemic issues.
Step 3 - ProBio 5
ProBio 5 is Plexus's probiotic supplement. What differentiates it from other probiotic products on the market is it's inclusion of proteolytic enzymes which help break down and destroy the hard protective outer layers of the "bad" bacteria, thus allowing the "good" bacteria to take hold and germinate more effectively in the gut.
If you are interested in experiencing how the Tri-Plex can help transform your health, Plexus offers a 60 day money back guarantee on all products. Contact Dr. Barrett if you would like more information or instructions on how to order with a discount.
