From the same article: Q: In 2013, scientists at UCLA tried a bacterial experiment on humans with results that surprised the entire research community. A: I think they really wanted and expected to see something, but not as surprising as this. They gave female patients yogourt mixed with several probiotics. After four weeks, some areas of the women’s brains were altered, especially the areas associated with processing emotions and pain, sometimes with increased activity and sometimes decreased.
Okay, but does that mean you didn't notice any such difference, to the best of your recollection, within a month or so after beginning the regimen? I can understand that it might be difficult to notice a subtle shift a while back in something that you weren't specifically looking for.
Who would buy into it, one doesn't even need a kit, just a turd and two assholes. http://thepowerofpoop.com/epatients/fecal-transplant-instructions/
The difference I noticed was purely physical, meaning less bloating and discomfort in the gut. My wife on the other hand definitely noticed a pretty big mental effect. She used to take Xanax and other anti-anxiety/depression medications and she hasn't touched the stuff at all since she started taking the probiotic I mentioned above. And she has clients and friends who've reported the same effect. I work out about 4 - 5 times per week and have always had a pretty happy demeanor naturally so I've never been on any mood altering medications. It seems like the people who get the most overall mental health benefits are the ones who suffered from pre-existing problems and were taking traditional meds for those issues before starting the probiotics.
Okay, thanks for the useful info. I have a doctor's appointment this coming week, and I think I'll have to start a conversation about dietary regimen and probiotics. I've been consuming a lot of fiber, believing it is the way to go, but the TED talk you linked suggests otherwise. Aside from a multivitamin, fish oil and extra vitamin D, I have been relying on a natural, albeit very fiber-rich diet. The research about the importance of a balanced gut, and the nature of that balance, raises questions about my approach. I'm glad I started this thread. Thanks again.
https://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/probiotics/ What is a “healthy bacteria”? Are the bacteria healthy? Or does it make you healthy? Then the last part of sentence, “improves the body’s overall balance of good versus bad micro-organisms, boosting general health.” What the does that mean? Already there is the assumption, unchallenged, that there is an issue in people between good and bad bacteria that is affecting health. And which people? Which bacteria? Under what circumstances?
Probiotics are referred to as the “friendly”, “healthy”, or “good” bacteria which when ingested acts to maintain a healthy intestinal tract and help fight illness and disease. A healthy lower intestine should contain at least 85% friendly bacteria to prevent the over colonization of disease causing micro-organisms like E. coli and salmonella. Our colon can maintain its health with 15% unfriendly bacteria, if the body contains at least 85% probiotic friendly bacteria. Here's the problem though: Most people have this percentage reversed, and here's how it happened: Two of the most damaging substances to the delicate intestinal flora balance are chlorine and sodium fluoride, present in most treated city water, and also present in most drinks served at restaurants. The drinking of alcohol also contributes to the destruction of the intestinal flora, as well as medical antibiotics, and a variety of other drugs. Not only is damage caused to the intestinal flora, but also to the tissues in the intestinal wall. When the ratio of good bacteria to bad is lowered, problems begin to arise such as excessive gas, bloating, constipation, intestinal toxicity and poor absorption of nutrients, which was basically all of the symptoms I was experiencing, and hence why I felt like shit even though I was actually trying to live a somewhat healthy lifestyle. While it’s true that certain non-beneficial bacteria are naturally occurring in the intestinal tract, problems begin when their growth goes unchecked and probiotics play a crucial role in keeping in check the pathogenic bacteria that cause disease. So in a nutshell, probiotics enhance the immune system by favorably altering the gut micro-ecology and preventing unfriendly organisms from gaining a foothold in your body. They also prevent the overgrowth of yeast and fungus and produce substances that can lower cholesterol.