with Samara Freeman-Sharkey, Gastrointestinal Specialist

How Probiotics May Help Keep Colds and Flu at Bay

Back to school also means the start of cold and flu season. To protect yourself, disinfecting door handles and other surfaces and frequent hand washing are strategies often promoted to kill bacteria and viruses; however, there are also good bacteria that can help keep you healthy from the inside.

The digestive tract is a critical place to protect your body from harm, because it is exposed to a large number of air-borne bacteria and viruses that get swallowed and have the potential to make us sick. Generally they don't because of the intestinal defense system. Our bodies have evolved to deal with these bacteria in the intestine before they have a chance to cross the intestinal wall into our bloodstream. Keeping bacteria in the intestine prevents the need for your body to mount a substantial and aggressive immune response, which results in symptoms like fever, swelling, redness and fatigue that are associated with infection.

There are different types of immune cells in the body with different roles in defense. 70% of immune cells reside in the digestive tract. Some of these cells test for the bacteria and viruses that are present in the intestinal environment; their job is to catalog and recognize the food and bacteria that mean us no harm. These cells signal to the rest of the body that these bacteria are safe and the cells on patrol around the body are programmed not to respond. This important first step of cataloging prevents the immune system from reacting to everything foreign that we come in contact with on a daily basis. At the same time, the immune system retains the capacity to respond rapidly and aggressively to pathogenic or bad bacteria that try to cross the intestinal wall.

Another way our body defends itself from disease is in the design of the intestinal wall. The intestinal wall has a continuous layer of cells that are joined closely together to form a physical barrier. This wall of defense helps prevents non-selective food and bacteria from moving across the intestinal wall into the body. Instead there are specific and controlled transport systems to shuttle nutrients from the intestines into the blood stream. The cells of the intestinal wall are constantly working, and because they work so hard, they are replaced every 4-7 days. This ensures they aren't damaged and helps to maintain the continuity and strength of the wall. There is a layer of mucus on top of these cells to trap bacteria and further protect the intestinal wall from unauthorized access.

The digestive system has a big job to do in protecting us from harm, while also maximizing what we get out of the food we eat. The intestinal immune system has to be strong, because the digestive system has the dual purpose of taking in nutrients through the wall to fuel the rest of the body, while keeping bacteria and viruses from getting in. That is why the intestine has recruited beneficial bacteria to help. These beneficial, good bacteria have evolved with us to create a positive intestinal environment for us and them. Beneficial bacteria can help maintain the intestinal wall by signaling to the body to strengthen the physical defenses. They can stick to the mucus layer and add another layer to the defense system. They can also kill bacteria that do not belong in the gut and can prevent others from producing toxins that have the potential to make us sick if the intestinal balance is disrupted. The relationship between these bacteria and the cells of the intestine is mutually beneficial and provides a foundation for health. These bacteria stay in the intestine and help the body understand the environment and the threats in it.

Probiotics species are chosen because they have been identified as beneficial bacteria in the intestine, and the strains are developed to be swallowed and survive to the large intestine where they can help boost the beneficial bacteria and their positive actions in the intestine, one being defense from certain types of bacteria and viruses that try to invade our bodies by crossing the intestinal wall. Probiotics are accepted as members of the intestinal bacterial community, so they don't set off an aggressive immune response; instead they are catalogued and contribute to a healthy and active immune system ready to come to our defense. In a sense, these bacteria help exercise the immune system and keep it in good working order. They contribute in a positive way to the intestinal environment to promote balance and reduce the chance of bad bacteria from taking over control of the environment.

So, while disinfecting is one way to help with not getting sick, it is important to know how your digestive system plays a key part in overall immunity and how good bacteria can help come to your defenses wherever you are. Eating good bugs can actually help keep us healthy through cold and flu season.

• Just added to the list of Attune retailers: Hannaford Supermarkets in the Northeast, Lunardi's and Elephant Pharm in the SF Bay Area, and Mother's Markets in Southern California.
• If you live near Miami you can find Attune at the newly remodeled Wild Oats Marketplace in Pinecrest, FL.
• For those in CO, Attune is now available at the following King Soopers: Boulder (Table Mesa); Evergreen; Greenwood Village (Holly); Greenwood Village (Yosemite).
• Find our delicious, probiotic bars in the dairy case next to yogurt. If you don't see them, be sure to ask the dairy manager.
• To make it easier to find Attune near you, we now have a Store Locator available on our website. Please go to stores.attunefoods.com Be sure to check the store locator often as we continue to add new retail locations.
• Thanks to those who completed our Summer Newsletter Survey. We greatly appreciate you taking the time to provide us with valuable feedback. Congratulations to the winners: 1st place – Gabe Trevino; 2nd place – Lynn Williams; 3rd place – Jeannine Marcum.

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Complete this phrase, "I like to keep my body humming so I can…" and send us your response along with a picture of you enjoying your passion. We'll post some of the submitted photos on the Attune website! And you just may win an Attune Wellness Pack that includes a box of yummy Attune bars! Contact Us

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Attune Foods is proud to sponsor the Guts & Glory 5K walks in Northern California. In support of the Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of America, Attune will sponsor all three walks on September 8, 2007. Sign up to walk, run or volunteer today! These fundraising events will be held at Golden Gate Park in San Francisco, Discovery Park in Sacramento and Shoreline Park in Mountain View. Proceeds will benefit the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of America, a non-profit, volunteer-driven organization dedicated to finding the cure for Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. Additional walks are being held across the country.

For more information, visit Guts & Glory online.

Want to see where you might be able to meet Attune? Check our website for upcoming Attune events: www.attunefoods.com/events

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