The Immune Effects of Breastfeeding vs Bottle Feeding
Early life events, such as mode of delivery at birth, antibiotic use, and diet, all play a big role in what bacteria develop in the intestinal tract, which, in turn,…
Gut Bacteria in Premature Infants Depends on Age
Not long ago, researchers thought that infants in the womb were free of bacteria. Infants are inoculated by bacteria during birth, and later by the environment and diet, they said,…
Low-Dose Antibiotics During Early Infancy Trigger Obesity Later in Life
Early life is a critical development period in many respects, and particularly as it relates to gut microbial composition. Even before birth, gut microbes are transferred from mother to fetus,…
Gut Bacteria Suggested to be Responsible for Obesity in Children Born by Cesarean
In the United States, the cesarean birth rate rose from 20.7 percent in 1996 to 32 percent in 2007.1 The increase is thought to be due to the increase in…
Probiotics and Pregnancy
Results of a recent study suggest that regular consumption of dairy-based probiotics may be associated with lowered risk of preeclampsia in pregnant women. Preeclampsia is a condition during the second…
Probiotics and Mama’s Belly
It is well known that probiotics are beneficial for the digestive tract. Indeed, these beneficial gut bacteria outnumber cells in the body (and their genes GREATLY outnumber our own genes).…
Probiotics in Early Life
I think the term probiotics is a good name for the beneficial microbes that inhabit the intestinal tract of human beings. Probiotics literally means “for life.” There are many ways…
Despite the Benefits, Most Moms aren’t Breastfeeding Enough
As any new mom can tell you, everyone has an opinion when it comes to breastfeeding—why it’s good, why it’s not, how you should do it, how long you should…
Good Bacteria Help Right from the Get Go
Being as passionate as I am about digestive health, I talk a lot about the good bacteria in your gut and how important they are for a healthy body—especially a…
Widespread Herbicide Use Turns Males into Females (Frogs, that is, but Still…)
Ever heard of atrazine? Probably not, but it’s one of the most abundant herbicides used in modern agriculture. In fact, 80 million pounds of atrazine are used every year on…