But when your pet is sick, they usually don't hide it. Dogs for instance tend to tell us when things are going wrong.  A dog in pain may become quiet and subdued, or bark or whine more than usual. Sudden loss of appetite is a big signal that something is wrong. So is rapid weight loss.  Remember if any problem persists for a few weeks, it’s best to visit the vet to be certain the problem isn’t a symptom of a serious illness.

Vomiting and diarrhea are pretty obvious signs that something isn’t quite right with your pet. Allergies, illness, cancer, infections, drugs, parasites, plants, and poisons can all cause vomiting. Diarrhea is one of the most common illnesses of dogs and cats, and is especially common in puppies and kittens.  Another factor in their health is what you feed your pet.  Cats and dogs do not have the digestive organs or digestive bacteria to benefit from grains (corn, wheat, rice, oats) the way cattle, sheep, and horses do. For cats and dogs to benefit from grains, the grains must be prepared properly. Some pet diets consist mostly of grain, but they come in terrific packaging and have enticing names so that we assume it’s healthy.

Here are some helpful tips to keep you pets happy and healthy this holiday season

• Rethink what your pet eats
• Introduce daily probiotics into your pet's diet
• Spay or neuter your pet 
• Keep your pet fit 
• Brush your pet's teeth
• Maintain their coat with probiotic skin and coat care 
• Trim your pet's nails 
• Don't skip your pet's wellness visits

Mental and Physical Exercise 

On cold winter days it may seems difficult to provide exercise for your pets, but it is critical to their well being that you do

so. Dogs should have a chance to play with humans and other dogs, along with opportunities for enrichment and mental stimulation.  

At one point in time, all dogs had to scavenge or hunt for their food, so toys and games that encourage dogs to work for their food can be both mentally and physically satisfying.  Cats need mental stimulation as well to keep them happy and healthy.

Keeping Pets Happy & Safe during the Holidays

Holiday homes become pet playgrounds at this time of year. Cats delight in un-decking the halls and climbing the tree. Dogs eat decorations and baptize the tree. The result is a holiday that's anything but merry. Refer to these tips to keep your pets safe and your holiday happy.

Holiday Tree Tips. 

Cats consider the tree a feline jungle gym with cat toys that swing, sparkle, and invite paw-pats and biting. Some dogs take "aim" at the tree just as they would your outside shrubs and baptize the greenery. Drinking from treated water in the base can poison pets. Eating tinsel and ornaments can result in very sick pets.

Consider creating a "pet safe" tree decorated with dog toys and catnip mice.  Place these within paw reach on lower branches and reserve the off limits decorations for the top of the tree.

The Power of Probiotics

But did you know that the addition of Probiotics in your diet might substantially reduce upper respiratory infections for winter athletes? That's the conclusion reach by researchers who recently published their results in theInternational Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism. The researchers conducted a four month study of 84 highly active men and women engaged in winter endurnace-based physical acitivities and examined the effects Protbiotics supplements had on the incidence of upper respiratory-tract URTIs) and immune markers.

Happy lactobacilli = Healthy You!

Lactic acid bacteria, including Lactobacillus species, are a small by important part of your gut's ecosystem.  There are over one-hundred known species of lactobacilli, and many have been studied for their positive effects on health.  These lactobacilli are known as Probiotics.

Reduction in Upper Respiratory Infections

The resuts were overwhelming. The statistic that jumped out the most was that of the 26 athletes that received a placebo (i.e., they were not getting probiotics) and finished the study, 18 of them on average were sick each week of the study. That's amazing! I guess endurance training really does suppress the immune system especially during winter weather. The probiotics also seemed to also help with gastrointestinal symptoms among the athletes, according to the study.

The conclusion: Regular ingestion of Probiotics appeared to be beneficial in reducing the frequency of UTRIs in athletes. You can read the study here.

Fewer infections in Probiotics users

At the end of the study:

• Fewer people in the Probiotic group (66%) had a URTI during the trial compared to the placebo group (90%).


• The Probiotic group reported fewer day with URTI symptoms, and spent less time on medications.


• People taking Probiotics who did get sick were less likely to have to interrupt their training schedules.


• Levels of infection-fighting antibodies in the saliva were higher in the Probiotic group.


• The placebo group reported more days with gastrointestinal discomfort compared to the Probiotic group.

Every time we turn around there is a new antibacterial product on the market. Kitchen cleaners, hand cleansers, soap, dishwashing detergent and more. But do these truly solve the problem by eliminating “germs”.

Not long ago, only a few dozen products containing antibacterial agents were being marketed for the home. In 2011, there are thousands are available. Everywhere we turn, a new antibacterial product pops up. Likewise, we hear about "superbugs" and deadly viruses. People are buying these antibacterial products because they think these products offer health protection for them and their families.

What they don’t realize is that people can go too far with the antibacterial products.

In addition to antibacterial window cleaner and antibacterial chopsticks, you can now buy food containers with antibacterial agents. Some companies sell mattresses which are impregnated with an antibacterial agent.

Whole bathrooms and bedrooms can be outfitted with products containing triclosan (a common antibacterial agent), including pillows, sheets, towels, and slippers. So what’s the problem?

Development of Resistance

Bacteria are not about to succumb to this deluge of antibacterial products. Through mutation, some of their progeny emerge with resistance to the antibacterial agent aimed at it, and possibly to other antimicrobial agents as well.

Some researchers have actually found a correlation between too much hygiene and increased allergy.

To get a little technical for a second: to work correctly, the immune system must be stimulated to achieve the right balance between the T-helper 1 (TH-1) cells providing cellular immunity and the TH-2 cells promoting antibody production.

Both “too much hygiene” (in the form of antibacterial soaps, hand washes, etc.) and antibiotics eliminate common bacteria, doing away with some of the good bacteria needed for that immune system balance. Some infants begin to get antibiotics as soon as a few days after birth. They mature in an antibiotic-laden and antibacterial environment. What antigens do they confront daily? What kind of immune response are they developing?

We exist in the bacterial world, not bacteria in ours. Unfortunately, we believe that we can rid ourselves of bacteria when, in fact, we cannot. We should be “making peace" with them. Although we need to control pathogens when they cause disease, we do not have to engage in a full-fledged "war" against the microbial world.

Improved antibiotic use, including shorter treatments and removal of improper usage, will encourage the return of antibiotic-susceptible, commensal flora and return the environment to what it was before the antibiotic/antibacterial onslaught. Smart use of probiotics in personal health, household cleaners and even in your lawn and garden can help reintroduce that good bacteria to your life as well.

To read more about this topic, check out Dr. Stuart B. Levy’s 2000 presentation at the Emerging Infectious Diseases Conference here: http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/eid/vol7no3_supp/levy.htm

Dr. Levy is director of the Center for Adaptation Genetics and Drug Resistance, professor of molecular biology and microbiology, and of medicine, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston.

* photo via flickr/SCA Svenska Cellulosa Aktiebolaget

Periodically, we’ll publish questions that our customers and internet visitors pose about probiotics, what they are and how they work.

We’re kicking off our Ask Miley series with a great conversation-starter: 

What are the benefits of probiotics for our personal health?

I am so happy your asked.  In a nutshell, probiotics (me and my little microbe buddies) are live microorganisms which, when administered in adequate amount and under appropriate circumstances, confer a health benefit on the host. These benefits might include boosting the immune system and aiding your digestive tract. 

(When used outside of the human health realm, probiotics can provide eco-friendly cleaning solutions, improve soil and crop yield, provide odor control in commercial and industrial settings and more. That’s a topic for another day!)

Over 100 million Americans have digestive problems, spending billions of dollars each year on drugs, over-the-counter remedies and doctors’ visits. Why is this so alarming? Well, your gut is where nutrients are absorbed and toxins, allergens and microbes are eliminated. So, your gut is directly linked to your overall health.

Your digestive system must be able to digest, absorb and assimilate food optimally for good health. Me and my little buddies work to balance the stuff in your gut to help with all of that.

Did you know that there are HUNDREDS of bacteria species in your gut? That’s right – about 3 POUNDS of us in there. (Wow. Think about that for a second!) We all work together to help digest food, produce vitamins, regulate hormones, excrete toxins and more. But we have to be in balance. Too many “bad seeds” or not enough “good bacteria” and everything’s out of whack.

Poor diet (low fiber, high sugar, high calorie, processed food), overuse of some medications (like antibiotics), and even stress can creates an environment conducive to the growth of those “bad seeds”.  We don’t like those guys. And they make you feel pretty cruddy.

Here’s where me and my friends come in (probiotics). While you work to adjust your diet to eat whole unprocessed foods, add some probiotics to the mix, to stimulate the growth of healthy bacteria in your digestive ecosystem.

Probiotics aren’t drugs – we are  all natural, functional health foods and should be part of your long-term healthy diet and lifestyle. The repetitive introduction of beneficial microorganisms (like me!)in any living system allows healthy microbes  to dominate the disease-causing “enemy” – bad gut bacteria.  

As we (the billions of microbes living in your gut) get to work, many probiotics users find relief from irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), bloating, constipation, abdominal pain and even antibiotic-associated diarrhea.

Be patient though. We’re small guys and cleaning up your system after the not-so-good guys have had their way with it takes a little while. You probably won’t see immediate relief. It’s not magic, it’s Good Natured Science! Give us a month or so to do our work.

You might want to get started with a probiotic-infused Green Smoothie. And look for more yummy recipes and healthy tips coming your way soon, right here on the Innovative Probiotics blog.

Unlike probiotics that come in pill or capsule form, Liquid Probiotics are available for immediate absorption into your body. They don’t have to dissolve first. This alleviates the digestive burden pills and tablets may place on your stomach.

Most importantly, liquid probiotics’ delivery system offers an excellent opportunity to match the probiotic ratios to those of their natural presence in your digestive tract. Beneficial bacteria combinations can then work synergistically together for optimum digestive health.

So, back to our original point! Yummy recipes for probiotics in food.

Many, many of our customers are living a raw (or semi-raw) food lifestyle these days. And the green smoothie is a favorite in those circles – almost a gateway food to the raw lifestyle!

Here’s one of our favorite green smoothie recipes with probiotics:
•    1/2 cup mixed berries, frozen
•    1 cup orange juice
•    5 strawberries
•    ½ or whole mango — skinned, seeded and chopped
•    2-5 ice cubes (depending on how slushy you’d like it)
•    Several handfuls of fresh greens such as spinach and/or arugula
•    AND…1 to 3 teaspoons of SCD Essential Probiotics, Xtra Immunity or Herbal Probiotics

Place all the ingredients in a blender (we are constantly hearing rave reviews of the Blendtec – do you have one?). Blend until it reaches the desired consistency (add more ice if necessary). 

Try it and tell us what you think. We think it’s a delicious and nutritious way to start your day – and a great vehicle for getting your daily dose of Innovative Probiotics.

Do you have a favorite green smoothie recipe? Please share in the comments!

*photo via flickr/floridecires

Who's this little guy?

I'm Miley, the newest member of the Innovative Probiotics family.

I'm a magical microbe and will be your tour guide around our website and blog. You may have already noticed me in the masthead of the new site. I will occasionally pop up around the site to give you the scoop on the wonders of how many of the products work.

My many magical microbe buddies and I do some pretty miraculous things to keep microbial environments healthy, balanced and sustainable -- like helping your body run in tip top shape, making things smell better and keeping your home and garden clean.

Keep an eye out for me across the site – whenever you see me, chances are good there’s something new to learn. And there’s lots to learn about probiotics and health and wellness!

Take a spin around the new InnovativeProbiotics.com

Our mission here at Innovative Probiotics is three-fold:

1. 1. We’d love to sell you any variety of our probiotic solutions (of course);
2. 2. We want to share our thoughts, discoveries, news and tips on using probiotics in your everyday life;
3. 3. AND we want to hear from you about what you’re looking for, how you are using our products and what products you’d like to see us offer in the future.

Innovative Probiotics has a solid scientific background and I'll help cut through some of the science-speak. We want you to truly understand the power of probiotics.

Spend some time tooling around the new site and pretty soon you’ll know all there is to know about the Good Natured Science™ of Innovative Probiotics.

Oh! And, we’d absolutely love it if you would leave comments, email us with questions, sign up for our newsletter, check out our Facebook page, send us a Tweet or just watch one of our videos on YouTube. Let’s get to know each other!

Consumers who are concerned about the antibiotic residues in milk, meat and eggs and who are more concerned about antibiotic-resistant bacteria prefer probiotics instead of antibiotics for maintaining general health and wellbeing. Probiotics are safe to use and support digestive health and promote immune functions.

The increased promotional efforts by large corporations, especially yogurt manufacturers, have not only resulted in increased sales for these companies, but has helped smaller companies get the message out, and be understood, that not all bacteria are harmful and that probiotics can provide certain health benefits for consumers,”

Probiotics have been widely used in Asia and other parts of the World for many years, but it has been a “best kept secret” in the United States; but that may be changing. In January 2010, in a poll of 1,083 adults, 18 and older responded to the question “Do you eat any of the following food/drink types specifically for fiber/digestive health/regularity benefits?,” with thirty-one percent (31%) of males and 49 percent (49%) of female saying they eat yogurt with probiotics. It has also been reported in “Gastrointestinal Remedies: Digestive and Immunity Health – U.S. – April 2010,” that respondents showed a preference for more natural solutions to gastrointestinal (GI) problems. In fact, roughly half of the respondents who experienced a digestive issue in the last year said they would prefer to manage their digestive health through diet alone.

To further drive home the rate of growth in the understanding and use of probiotics is the Natural Marketing Institute’s (NMI) Health and Wellness Trends Survey (2008 HWTD), awareness of the term "probiotics" has grown from a mere 9% in 2002 to 60% of American adults in 2009—a 567%t increase in awareness in eight years.

As a result of advances in technology probiotics’ are being trasnformed from their often unstable nature and delivery systems to new stable usages, which are opening up a world of new applications. Including pet care, organic gardening, composting, water quality as well as human health applications.

While many more Americans recognize the benefits of probiotics the, use of probiotic foods is much lower, with only 17% indicating they have used probiotic-enriched foods in the past 30 days. For probiotics to be truly effective regular consistent application is necessary, especially given the relatively poor dietary habits of most Americans.

There seems to be a corollary aspect to our understanding of probiotics today, to where the vitamin industry was decades ago according to Steve French, managing partner, NMI. “There may be several opportunities to increase the aforementioned probiotic usage rates. Most importantly, many consumers simply lack clear understanding of the benefits. Consumers may understand probiotics are healthy, but they are not aware of strain specificity and the variety of benefits of a strain. Everyone has known for decades that vitamins are good for your health but now we also understand that they are all different and have very distinct effects: for example, consumers easily recognize that vitamin D is different from vitamin C. The same understanding is needed for probiotics; each strain is different and can have very different, or even antagonistic effects, and we need to educate consumers.

Just as important as strain specificity is delivery systems. Unstable delivery systems in the now rapidly growing supplement industry can lead to consumer dissatisfaction and skepticism. One of newest and rapidly growing supplement delivery system is in tablet form. Dubious manufacturers and marketers have flooded the market with promises of all the benefits with their probiotics. Although taking a quick tablet or pill once a day to gain all of the wonderful benefits from probiotics sounds appealing, the truth is consumers are sacrificing a lot in the name of convenience. The manufacturing steps during processing into tablets and then packaging can reduce the numbers of viable cells in the finished product , especially the heat and pressure required to produce tablets. Without proper quality control measures in place and a thorough understanding of probiotics and their interactions with the human intestinal system, many manufacturers are delivery to what amounts to ‘fools gold.’

The human body can’t process solids! It must liquefy everything that goes into your system before it can use it. This is true with probiotics and their delivery systems. Tablets must survive the stomach and then be broken down into a liquid in the correct place in your intestinal tract for the bacteria to have any hope of helping you. This digestive burden can cause undue stress on your system, especially on the elderly who’s system may not secret stomach acids sufficiently to dissolve the gums, and glues that are binding the tablet together. Industry experts agree that liquid delivery systems are the most efficient. However they concede the reason consumer chose other supplement delivery systems, such as tablets is the marketing strength of non-scientists, and the penchant of American consumers for convenience over substantive health benefits.

Isabelle Champié, deputy manager and global marketing director for Institut Rosell-Lallemand strongly recommends to manufactures that they put ‘Store in a cool, dry place. For best results, refrigerate after opening.’ on their labels. In addition, we recommend manufacturers over-formulate sufficiently to maintain their label claim of potency, and that they do not put unrealistic shelf life or expiration dates on their labels.” Consumers should also look for Certificate of Analysis for the products being offered; and be skeptical of any manufacturer who won’t publish a Certificate of Analysis for their products. Additionally customers and the general public need to educate themselves about how to handle probiotics appropriately in order to ensure their stability.

Make sure the manufacturer complies with the current Food Grade Manufacturing Practices (GMP) Guidelines enforced in the United States by the Food and Drug Administration. GMP guidelines provide a system of processes, procedures and documentaion to assure the product produced has the identity, strength, composition, quality and purity that it is represented to possess. In addtion be sure to look for the following in any probiotics supplement:

 

• Easy for your body to assimilate.
• Available for immediate absorption... do not have to be dissolved.
• The delivery system is a scientifically sound way to deliver beneficial nutrients.
• Avoids the digestive burden on your stomach - Especially true if you are older... as we age digestion is just not as efficient and stomach hydrochloric acid may not be secreted in sufficient quantities to efficiently dissolve tablets and pills.
• The delivery system offers an excellent opportunity to accurately adjust the ratios of Probiotics needed... closely matching their natural presence in your digestive tract. This allows beneficial bacteria combinations to work synergistically together.

Biofilm is a defensive effort in which colonies of similar bacteria protect themselves against chemical assault. The germs cooperate to build and maintain a barrier that keeps even strong disinfectants such as bleach and iodine at bay. 

Since the disinfecting or sanitizing agent must be able to access or get to the germs embedded in the biofilm "matrix" that makes up two-thirds of the biofilm, the matrix must be broken down before the germs are vulnerable.  That’s where most disinfectants fall short. The presence of disinfectants is what caused the biofilm to occur in the first place; simply applying more only puts the bacteria in a heightened sense of survival mode, thus more biofilm!

Biofilm can live anywhere.  Stanford University researchers reported that the germ that causes cholera (Vibrio cholerae) forms a biofilm that enables it to survive in the presence of chlorine in concentrations 1000 to 2000% higher than that found in chlorinated drinking water.  Ironically, bacterial biofilms can even colonize biomedical products.  Scientific American reports that in 1993, 100 asthmatics died because their inhalants contained Pseudomonas aeruginosa that had formed a biofilm in the tank involved in manufacturing the inhalant.  In 1989, bacterium P. cepacia colonized inside of an iodine-based antiseptic solution, causing infections in a Texas children’s hospital.

Bacteria and other microbes require a damp surface to form a biofilm.  In our mouths, the biofilm is called plaque.  At home you also are likely to encounter biofilm inside water distribution pipes, and under the rims of toilets and urinals.  Wet areas surrounding drains and faucets provide ideal conditions for biofilm formation, and so might frequently splashed areas on counters and floors. Biofilms are everywhere.

Disinfectants are not doing the job – they simply designed to kill bacteria, good and bad; thus leading to the defensive reaction by bacteria: Biofilm!  This makes bad bacteria stronger, turning them into superbugs that become resistant to the power of the disinfectants

While “green” disinfectant products that are “biodegradable” might be better for the environment, they are not necessarily any better for your home.  Bacterial contamination starts to return to surfaces cleaned by anti-bacterial cleaners within five minutes after treatment.
Within one hour, you are right back where you started.  All of the cleaners you currently have in your home are creating biofilm. 

How do you fight biofilm? 

The easiest way is to fight biofilm is to prevent it in the first place, keeping your counters and surfaces dry and free from dirt, grime and grease.  But you also need to take biofilm down from the inside.  Fighting bacteria with bacteria!

With Innovative Probiotics’ ProKlean products you are harnessing bacteria’s need to communicate with each other to form bonds against the pathogenic variety.

Bacteria communicate rather simply; one bacterium simply pumps DNA right into another bacterium through an exceedingly thin walled tube.  This enables bacteria to share genetic memories and innovations very quickly.  Bacteria also communicate in a less direct fashion, sending messages to each other that can alter the behavior of millions of other bacteria at the same time. 

By managing the levels of beneficial bacteria and applying is sufficient amounts to out compete the pathogenic bacteria through exclusion in an environment, you are redirecting the activity of ALL of the bacteria present, and thus helping to eliminate the need for the creation biofilm.  Once this is accomplished, the all-natural emulsifying agents in our ProKlean products simply break down the remaining grease, grime and dirt leaving your surfaces clean and dry.

To learn more contact us at customersupport@innovativeprobiotics.com or visit our resource library.

Consortium concept

Shelf life and stability

Natural and organic technology

Quality manufacturing

The U.S. generates approximately 35 million tons of food waste annually, but only about 680,000 tons are diverted from landfills; that's only a 2.2% recovery rate! This makes food waste the second largest material by weight headed to our landfills and a huge source of methane emissions. Not to mention the space required to bury that amount of food waste.

According to the EPA, the individual waste generation rate is 4.3 lbs/person/day.

Applying compost to soils improves soil health by

(Sources: EPA and European Commission)