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Wednesday, March 16, 2016 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon
Make friends with your microbiota
By dr. Kim Hapke
Correspondent
Though our intestines are
sterile in the womb, through
the birth process and interac-
tion with environment our GI
system is quickly colonized
by many species of microbes.
If the size of these enti-
ties is unimpressive, their
numbers may make you think
differently. The gut has 10
times as many bacterial cells
as there are cells in the body.
Recently, how these microbes
can help or harm us has been
the study of intense research.
Healthy microflora syn-
thesize vitamins, produce
short-chain fatty acids which
support healthy intestinal lin-
ing cells, degrade toxins and
provide strong protection
against pathogens. They also
stimulate the immune system
in positive ways.
Healthy gut microflora
means high numbers of ben-
eficial bacteria in a wide
array of species. Negative
disruption of microflora can
include lowered numbers of
beneficial bacteria, decreased
diversity of species and
higher numbers of pathogenic
bacteria.
The effects of less
desirable microbes include
local gastrointestinal symp-
toms of gas, diarrhea, inflam-
mation, and negative effects
on the integrity of the gut
wall. Research is just starting
to link microflora disruption
as described above with such
diverse health complaints as
obesity, metabolic syndrome,
inflammatory bowel disease,
allergies, and depression.
Many are the modern-day
insults to our microbiota.
Dietary issues such as
too much sugar, fat, alco-
hol or protein can negatively
affect the makeup of bacte-
ria. Pathogens can be intro-
duced while traveling but also
increasingly at home due to
the globalization of the food
industry. The farther food
travels and the more steps of
processing it goes through,
the more opportunities there
are for contamination. In
addition to decreasing the
ability of our immune system
to ward off pathogens, stress
can decrease the number of
healthful gut bug species.
Several types of medications
can decrease healthful flora
including antibiotics, and pro-
ton pump inhibitors (stomach-
acid-decreasing drugs).
How can we support our
beneficial gut bugs? One
traditional way is by replen-
ishing them with fermented
foods. Yogurt, sauerkraut and
fermented soy products like
miso provide beneficial bac-
teria in high amounts. Watch
your commercial sources
though, products like yogurt
may be pasteurized, killing
the bacteria, or have so much
sugar the health benefits can
be greatly reduced. Probiotic
supplementation is another
way to support beneficial
bacteria, look for products
can that survive the acid of
the stomach.
Microbes also need plenty
of prebiotics — these are
food for them. Foods such
as whole grains, asparagus,
banana, legumes, onion, gar-
lic and artichokes have lots of
prebiotic compounds that our
gut bugs love.
Get creative to reduce
your use of things that can
deplete diversity. Choose
whole grains, fruits and veg-
etables over high-fat foods
or processed carbohydrates.
Educate yourself on the judi-
cious use of antibiotics. If you
need to go on a proton pump
inhibitor, talk with your doc-
tor to make plans to get you
off of that in the future if
possible.
Exercise appears to be
another way to support
healthful diversity. In a study
comparing professional rugby
players to the general healthy
population of similar age,
the athletes showed a greater
diversity in their microbiota.
Kids who are exposed
to dirt and animals have
increased diversity of
gut bugs and decreased
incidence of allergies.
Play in the dirt — garden-
ers rejoice! Playing in the dirt
exposes us to Mycobacterium
vaccae, a gut bug that stimu-
lates the production of sero-
tonin. This little guy may help
decrease anxiety, improve
mood and improve the abil-
ity to learn. Kids who are
exposed to dirt and animals
have increased diversity of
gut bugs and decreased inci-
dence of allergies.
This is truly a symbiotic
relationship. Take care of
your microbiota and they will
take care of you.
GRANT: Funds provide
access to programs
for children
Continued from page 12
with their instructors and they
have a positive way to chan-
nel their creative energy.”
We appreciate and applaud
the Sisters community
for coming together to
provide the arts education
experiences that children
need as part of a well-
rounded education.
— Kregg arntson
APAOS is administered
through Family Access
Network to ensure assistance
reaches children who need
it the most. The correlation
between learning to play
a musical instrument and
healthy brain development,
improved academic perfor-
mance and social skills has
proven to be true for many of
the recipients.
See GraNT on page 15
Dr. Kim Hapke –
Meaningful Medicine
naturopathic Treatments
& Counseling
Anxiety • Depression
Chronic Body Symptoms
Kim Hapke N.D. | 971-409-0908
www.meaningfulmedicine.com
Sisters Art Works Building
We all have behaviors we’d like to change. And
we all run into the same hurdles where we fall down
or are set back.
Dr. Kim Hapke can help you overcome the hur-
dles that block your way to lifestyle change — be it
improving your diet, exercising more, or overcom-
ing stress.
Perhaps you need to exercise but have pain or
low energy levels that keep you from doing what
you know you should. Dr. Hapke can help with all
aspects of that equation — with the pain, the low
energy and the psychological barriers that are keep-
ing you in a rut. What is the underlying resistance
that’s getting in your way?
Dr. Hapke takes her time with her appoint-
ments, so she can really help you delve into the
deeper aspects of what is going on in your life and
with your health, identifying stressors and underly-
ing causes rather than just treating symptoms.
Alliance Prosthetics
& Orthotics
Cameron Coker of Alliance Prosthetics &
Orthotics is proud to offer sincere and professional
service that gives you options for your diabetic and
prosthetic care.
“We are the only company that is mobile in
Central Oregon,” he says. “Our clients don’t have to
come to Bend or Redmond — we come to Sisters.”
And not only does Alliance come to Sisters —
they can come to your doctor’s office, your physical
therapy, or your home.
As the only locally owned company of its kind in
the area, in business for the past six years, Alliance
Prosthetics & Orthotics is attentive to the individ-
ual needs of each client.
For diabetic care, they offer many options,
including: Accommodative inserts; accommodative
shoes: custom-fit shoes designed for the diabetic
patient; diabetic socks — options include seamless,
non-binding, x-static, copper, gel and compression
styles; pressure-relief shoes; and more.