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Maintaining a Healthy Weight According to the National Institutes of Health (www. nih. gov), more than two-thirds of American adults aged 20 or older are either overweight or obese. Obesity is defined as a body mass index (BMI, a ratio of your height and weight) of 30 or higher. Overweight is a BMI of 25 to 29. A BMI over 40 is considered extreme or morbid obesity. Although no one knows for sure how probiotics may affect your ability to keep your weight down, research is beginning to find connections between weight and gut bacteria. Dr. Jeffrey Gordon at the University of Washington reported that the microbial population in the gut is different in obese people than it is in lean people. His studies suggest that obesity probably has a microbial component; he found that when obese individuals lose weight, their gut flora changes to a composition similar to that in lean people. Meanwhile, researchers in Ireland created a strain of Lactobacillus that significantly changed the composition of fatty tissue in mice. It's too early to tell whether (and how) probiotics affect weight in humans, but this is likely to be an area of intense research, given the prevalence of obesity in the U.S. A surge of diets, exercises, pills and other weight-loss products have appeared to combat the obesity problem. It's not uncommon to hear about people struggling to lose weight and then gaining it right back. Studies done in mice and human beings are showing evidence that sometime in the near future we will be using probiotics for weight management. Researchers from the University of Tennessee showed that consuming three to four servings of dairy products a day can help you shed more pounds than cutting out dairy (a common but erroneous weight loss tactic). By taking probiotics and prebiotics, it's possible the next "big thing" in weight management may be balancing the good bacteria in the digestive system. A Stanford University study in 2008 found that probiotics helped adult gastric bypass patients lose even more weight. Probiotics were given to these patients to improve GI functioning and quality of life. But those patients lost more weight than expected. The answer to obesity may be not only an exercise plan and healthful eating, but taking probiotics as well. Shekhar K. Challa, M.D. Prominent Gastroenterologist UFH-7294 * These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. More Probiotic Cultures for a More Balanced Life * † #1 Probiotic Brand in unit sales, based on SPINS Natural Channel data, 52 weeks ending 11-2-14. I n N a t u r a l H ea l t h S t o r es B R A N D † P R O B I O T I C When your digestive system is at its best, you feel happier, lighter, and more energized. When it's not, you feel weighed down with occasional constipation, gas, and bloating. Don't settle for just feeling "okay." Restore your digestive balance with Ultimate Flora™, the powerful probiotic with billions of live cultures and multiple bene cial strains in every delayed release capsule.* To learn more, visit www.UltimateFlora.com Abby's Magazine - January/ February 2015 | Page 37