Acidiphilous

Acidophilous is also not directly associated with blood sugar control, but may in fact be very helpful for some people. It has not affected mine in a way I can measure, but it did have a major health effect for me which was very persuasive in letting me know that it DOES do what it was suggested to do. And for some people, it might help their blood sugar for that reason, or help to reduce some of the affects of long term diabetes.

In certain people, there are vitamins and minerals that do not absorb correctly in the intestinal tract. For some of those, acidophilous can act as a catalyst and compensate for the malabsorption. This may have to do with the interaction between the bacteria and the food, or it may have to do with an interaction between the bacteria and the intestines. However it works, it WORKS.

I had problems for 20 years with heavy bleeding associated with menstruation and with miscarriage. Vitamin K was suggested to me over and over, but I did not take it, because for one thing, vitamin supplements more often than not give me headaches, and because my diet was already rich in vitamin K. There was no reason for me to be having problems due to a deficiency in anything.

I began using acidophilous as a result of an intolerance to regular milk. I made the change about the second day of a miscarriage. The bleeding had already reached flood stage by that afternoon when I began using the acidophilous. I knew I had another 24 or more hours left of very heavy bleeding, but it slowed down and became controlled in the middle of the night. It did not get out of control again. This was the only dietary change I made during that time. Further research turned up that vitamin k is one of the specific elements that acidophilous is a catalyst for. Very convincing for me that I had indeed had a deficiency of vitamin k, since vitamin k deficiency is widely associated with uncontrolled uterine bleeding.

It is not unreasonable to assume that it can help with diabetes in two ways: First, by helping compensate for malabsorption syndromes which might be contributing to poor blood sugar control, and second, by helping to compensate for reduced intestinal function which may be caused by diabetes.

You can get acidophilous from a couple of sources. I use plain yogurt in my smoothie every morning, plus I take an acidophilous supplement with lunch and dinner. You can also get acidophilous milk. Acidophilous is best used with meals, because the bacteria thrive better with food.

Acidophilous can also help to ward off fungal infections which are often associated with antibiotic use. It can reduce diarrhea which comes as a result of antibiotic use also, because it helps to take the place of good bacteria in the intestines which are destroyed by the antibiotic.

I have a son with a compromised immune system, because he is on chemotherapy. If he uses an antibiotic long term, he always has to use yogurt with it or he develops thrush. Diabetes can reduce immune response also, increasing the need for antibiotic use, and also reducing your ability to fight fungal infections.

This is a supplement I feel comfortable with using during pregnancy, and one that I am convinced has good results for me.

Some people prefer to make their own yogurt. There are many ways to do it, but the simplest is to heat the milk just until it steams and a faint bit of foam appears on top (careful not to scorch it). Then cool it down to warm temperature. Use about 2 tablespoons of plain live culture yogurt as a starter, and stir that into your milk - if the milk is still too hot, it will kill the bacteria, so make sure it is not so hot that you cannot hold your pinky in it without getting burned. Put the milk mixture into containers, and maintain it at a warm temperature overnight. You can place it directly on top of the fridge (where the heat of the fridge will help it culture), or set the containers on a heating pad that is set on low, or you can turn the oven on WARM, then turn it off, and put the containers in the oven with the door shut all night. If you use the fridge top or heating pad method, a towel over the top of the containers will help to keep the heat in around the containers. There are yogurt makers, but they usually make small quantities, and personally, I feel that if I am going to go to the trouble to make yogurt, I am going to make enough to be worth the trouble! You can place a tablespoonful of sugarfree jam in the bottom of your containers before you pour the milk in, so you can just stir and eat later. Yogurt should be cooled completely before it is served, or it will separate.

Yogurt may also be made from lactose free milk. 

Written by Laura Wheeler, Owner of Firelight Business Enterprises, Inc.