In 2008 a gastroenterologist in Minnesota discovered that he was able to cure one of his patients of a destructive Clostridium difficile infection by transplanting healthy bacteria from her husband’s gut into hers. Clostridium difficile, more commonly known as C. diff, is a bacterial infection that can cause severe diarrhea and inflammation of the colon, but within hours after the beneficial bacteria was transplanted into her colon, the woman’s C. diff infection disappeared—along with her symptoms.

No, it’s not science fiction, just an emerging field of real science that continues to amaze doctors, scientists, and just about everyone in the health care community. And at the heart of it all is something that can’t even be seen with the naked eye—the trillions of microscopic bacteria that have been living in your gut since the day you were born.

The human digestive tract is where more than 70 percent of the body’s natural immune defenses are found. That means it plays a vital role in preserving overall health, and study after study has shown that the good bacteria (called probiotics) can help prevent everything from digestive problems such as irritable bowel and constipation to inflammation-related conditions such as asthma and allergies. Not only that, but the variations between one person’s gut environment and the next can make a big difference when it comes to whether or not they are more prone to certain diseases or conditions throughout life.

While this comes as no surprise to natural health experts—who have been touting the benefits of probiotics and a balanced gut for years—their hope is that it will increase awareness about the benefits of taking a daily probiotic supplement at every age in order to promote lifelong health.

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It’s something that none of us ever wants to hear: that every day our bodies encounter scores of dangerous toxins that can contribute to one of the deadliest diseases in history. According to the American Cancer Society, cancer is the second-leading cause of death in the United States, and an alarming new report from the President’s Cancer Panel brings to light the shocking truth about the impact of environmental pollution on cancer rates in the United States.

The report, entitled Reducing Environmental Cancer Risk: What We Can Do Now, outlines the sources and types of environmental contaminants and their significant impact on our overall health—emphasizing in particular the risk to pregnant mothers and infants. The PCP urges government officials to take a stronger position on regulating harmful chemicals and provides a comprehensive list of recommendations to help reduce our exposure to environmental contaminants. That list includes:

• Choosing organically grown foods to reduce exposure to pesticides and chemical fertilizers
• Eating free-range meats to reduce exposure to antibiotics, growth hormones and toxic runoff from livestock feed lots
• Buying environmentally-friendly home/garden products to reduce exposure to hazardous toxins
• Avoiding hard plastic bottles/containers made with endocrine-disrupting chemicals such as BPA
• Reducing exposure to occupational chemicals by removing shoes before entering the home
• Filtering home tap or well water to reduce exposure to numerous known/suspected carcinogens
• Storing and carrying water in stainless steel, glass or BPA- and/or phthalate-free containers
• Microwaving food in ceramic or glass instead of plastic containers

Still, this isn’t new news to natural health experts, who for decades have warned of the dangers of toxic exposure and advocated for stronger government regulations. The reality, however, is that of the more than 80,000 chemicals currently being used in the U.S. (with over 1,000 new chemicals introduced each year), only a few hundred have actually been tested for safety. Not only that, but according to the PCP report many known or suspected carcinogens are not regulated at all.

Says natural health and detox expert Brenda Watson, “I can’t stress enough how important it is that the danger of toxin exposure is finally receiving the attention it should. My hope now is that more people will take responsibility for their health—and the health of our planet—by taking steps to reduce toxins in their daily lives.”  

For more information about environmental toxins, their impact on your health, and how you can take steps to reduce your daily exposure, visit Brenda Watson’s Detox Strategy website.

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