When my editor first saw my headline for the article I was to write, he did a double take… His comment was, “are you encouraging your followers, bacteria is good when it comes to weight loss”… My next statement really had him perplexed, when I said, “you are more bacteria, than you are human’… What “he replied…” You heard me right, the numbers of bacteria both internal and external of our body’s, outnumber your human cells by ten to one… So we are more bacteria than we are human… He laughed and said, “the next time my wife is calling me some type of germ, I guess she’s not all wrong”…

What are your first thoughts when you think of bacteria? Is it good or bad? If your thinking of the kitchen counter or toilet seat your anti-bacterial conditioning will have you saying it's bad… However when it comes to your intestinal health, especially during weight loss, the correct answer is both… We need good bacteria to digest food, synthesize vitamins and minerals, clean up toxins and dead cells and compete with the bad bacteria for nutrients… The bad bacteria are pathogenic and disease causing… They attempt to overtake our immune system and compete for the same nutrients that bring life to our bodies… This is especialy important during reduced nutrition intake, during weight loss…

In Western medicine many of the antibiotics which some experts believe are over used to treat infection and rid the body of bacteria, may actually weaken intestinal health and compromise our bodies natural healing powers… In fact some doctors point to reduced bacterial counts in the intestines for the upsurge in intestinal dis-orders such as Irritable Bowel Syndrome and Crohn's Disease… It's time for us to develop a system of health where its foundations are built on prevention rather than repair…

It's time to open your eyes and understand the intestinal world of friendly or harmful bacteria… There is a war taking place in our intestinal tracts between the good guys (good bacteria) verses the bad guys (bad bacteria) each day. The number of bacterial cells found in the intestinal tract outnumbers the human cells ten to one… It is estimated there are five hundred strains of bacteria in the human intestinal tract. The good news the good bacteria outnumber the bad bacteria, good 80% -bad 20% in individuals experiencing good health. The bad news the ratio's can be reversed bad 80% - good 20% in patients experiencing intestinal disturbances…

Recent reports show 78 % of Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) patients in the studies have overgrowth of bad bacteria in small intestine… These study suggests that (IBS), a chronic condition which plagues an estimated 20 % of adult population, may be caused by too much bad bacteria in small intestine…

During weight loss what is the best offense to prevent increase in bad bacteria? A nutritional lifestyle that will naturally keep the intestinal tract (spic and span), using nutritional sponges and scrubbing pads found in whole grains, fruits and vegetables… These foods are an abundant source of vitamins, minerals, enzymes, phytochemicals and rich in fiber…

Add to this microbe fighting powerhouse three things: ORGANIC, ORGANIC, ORGANIC… Learn to use only organic whole grains, fruits and vegetables, which are void of pesticides… Pesticides might make economical sense to farming, but can bankrupt our intestinal environment…

Eat a diet of organic whole grains, fruits and vegetables, with daily fiber consisting of 30 grams of both soluble and insoluble… Drink 10-12 glasses of bottled water to assist the elimination process... A lifestyle of 3-4 hour of exercise weekly will aid in mechanical digestion and reduce transit time of waste elimination… Avoid all processed foods, white flour, simple sugars and alcohol, they are the food of choice for bad bacteria... Avoid eating beef and poultry that are raised on antibiotics... Be aware that continued use of aspirin or drugs like acetaminophen, ibuprofen or oral contraceptives deplete the good bacteria…

In closing, I'm reminded of a meeting I once had with a couple on the techniques of good nutrition during weight loss… They had brought their son, who at the time was four years old… During the meeting he interrupted and said "Charlie why is there bad?" I looked into his eyes and said "Good always takes care of bad, always keep your eyes on good and you won't have to be concerned about bad…" That same truth could not be more true, when it comes to our intestinal health during weight loss… Develop a lifestyle committed to organic whole grains, fruits and vegetables… Avoid the overuse of antibiotics and keep the immune system in peak performance maintaining the good bacterial flora that brings life and health and lowering the bad bacterial flora which can lead to illness and even death… To maimtain long term healthy weight loss, balanced nutrition and good bacteria floria is essential…

Author's Bio: 

Charles Remington is a nutritionist and herbalist who is the author of a best-selling nutritional software program. He has been a featured guest on many television talk and news shows, as well as national radio broadcasts, delivering his message that "Food’s not the problem, it’s the solution". His articles on health and fitness have been featured in national and international publications. Known to his thousands of clients as The Fat Loss Coach, his concepts on healthy weight loss are well embraced by the medical community and supported by a large insurance provider. He has conducted more than 200 seminars in the corporate, municipal and education arenas and manages a nutritional practice in Cheshire and Glastonbury, Connecticut.