“Death begins in the colon ”
Ilya Mechnikov – Nobel Laureate

The secret to good health lies in the friendly bacteria in the intestinal tract.

Lactobacillus bacteria form a significant part of the natural intestinal flora. Large populations of this, and other lactic acid producing bacteria, regulate the levels of friendly bacteria and reduce the levels of toxic pathogens that cause ill health.

Lactic acid producing lactobacilli bacteria alter the pH of the large intestine, making it inhospitable to undesirable bacteria, moulds, mould spores and yeast, particularly Candida. Putrefactive bacteria, which are potentially detrimental to good health and increase foul wind production, are inhibited by acidic conditions in the colon.

The presence of active bacteria in the gut can aid the digestive process by helping to break down foods. To attain the health benefits attributed to Lactobacilli fermented foods, live active bacteria need to be consumed on a regular basis. It is believed the life span in the human body of these cells is 3 to 10 days. Only the active forms have the ability to tolerate the acidity of the stomach and the alkalinity of the intestine to produce health benefits.

There is a lot of confusion in the marketplace in relation to the abundance or “count” of bacteria in various probiotic products. Many companies are claiming that their products have “billions” more bacteria than other products to gain a marketing edge. This is very misleading for the consumer and, in reality, is little more than sales hype.

Bacteria live and work in colonies. In scientific terms these colonies are called, Colony-Forming Units (CFU’s). Some companies intentionally shake the colonies apart, separating the CFU’s, to increase the bacteria count of their products, which is misleading to consumers.

The reproduction ability of the bacteria in the gut is the single most important factor in a probiotic product.

The bacteria must be in their natural state and alive so that once they arrive in the gut they can multiply and produce all the sub-strains necessary to maintain a healthy intestinal flora.

To ensure that the bacteria are in a natural organic state and have not been tampered with or altered in any way it should be certified organic. In-Liven has been certified organic by the ACO (Australian Certified Organic), Australia’s largest certifying body.

Common warning signs of a bacterial imbalance

• Allergies and food sensitivities
• Difficulty losing weight, sugar/carbohydrate craving
• Frequent fatigue, poor concentration
• Frequent constipation or diarrhoea
• Faulty digestion, acid reflux and other gut disorders
• Sleeping poorly, night sweats
• Painful joint inflammation, stiffness
• Bad breath, gum disease and dental problems
• Frequent colds, flu or infections
• Chronic yeast problems
• Acne, eczema skin and foot fungus
• Extreme menstrual or menopausal symptoms