What is a microbiome?

Micro means small and Biome means a community of living beings. Together, the word Microbiome means a community of microorganisms that live in all regions of our body. This post focuses on the community of microbiome that resides in our guts, also known as Probiotics.

These probiotics which inhabit our digestive tract are commonly called the "good" bacteria. They play a significant role in digestion, immune function, brain health and the ageing process.

Health benefits of probiotics

1. Gut health

> Probiotics optimises gut function by restoring the natural balance of gut bacteria. This is especially important because when we fall sick, the bad microorganisms usually outnumber the good bacteria. 

> Prevents and treats diarrhoea eg. from food poisoning or antibiotics.

> Reduces symptoms of certain digestive disorders eg. IBS.

2. Immune system

> Protect against colds and flu (as 70-80% of our immune system are present in the gut).

> Prevent UTIs.

> Reduce severity of certain allergies and eczema.

3. Mind and brain

We usually hear the term Physical Health ~ we should do more exercise and be more physically active. Nowadays, the word Mental Health is the centre of attention. It comprises of 3 aspects: Psychological, Emotional and Social wellbeing. It affects how we think, feel and act. It also determines how we handle stress, relate to others and make healthy choices.

The National Health and Morbidity Survey reported some pretty scary statistics - the number of mental health cases among Malaysians above 16 years old has increased from 10.7% (1996), to 11.2% (2006), and 29.2% (2015). This means approximately 1 in 3 Malaysians had mental health problems in 2015.

Have you heard of the phrase "gut-wrenching experience" or have you ever suffer from the feeling of "butterflies in your stomach"? This is because our gut and brain are connected. The Gut-Brain Axis is a 2-way communication system between our gut (digestive system) and brain (central nervous system). It plays a significant role in our emotions and stress response. The enteric nervous system that regulates our gut is often called the body's Second Brain. It's like a mini-brain that lives in the intestines and helps manage digestion. This Second Brain also sends messages to the big brain; that's why the Gut-Brain Axis is so important. In other words, probiotics play a part in our mental health. 

Studies show that taking probiotics can:

> Improve your mood and reduce stress.

> Help with certain mental disorders like depression or anxiety.

4. Other health benefits

> Helps in weight loss as probiotics can help utilise the energy in our food.

> Keeps your heart healthy by maintaining healthier cholesterol levels.

> Promote oral health (reduction of gum disease and prevent caries).

Probiotics v. Prebiotics

Probiotics are food or supplement that contain live microorganisms.

Prebiotics are non digestible food components that selectively stimulate the growth or activity of probiotics.

In order to reach our intestines alive, the probiotics must be able to endure the harsh conditions in the stomach such as strong acid and digestive enzymes, which kill many microorganisms.  

Manufacturers overcome this problem by using special production processes and formulation to enhance the tolerance of probiotics to acidic conditions. Some bacterial strains have a naturally inbuilt level of tolerance to acidic conditions. In other words, it all depends on the type and manufacturing process of the probiotic you take.

Key traits of Lactoberry probiotics

The probiotics used in Lactoberry is multicoated with Oligosaccharides (food supply of probiotics) thus giving the probiotics more energy and enhanced potency. This coating increases the probiotic's tolerance against gastric acid and bile salt. Further, the probiotics also can stay in the GI tract for a longer time.

6 Ingredients & Benefits of Lactoberry

1. Bifidobacterium lactis

> Improves digestive conditions in the body eg. lactose intolerance and gluten toxicity as well as improves constipation by reducing gut-transit time.

> Assists digestion and utilisation of nutrients eg. sugar, fibre and macronutrients. It's also partially responsible for the absorption and utilisation of certain vitamins and minerals.

> As about 70% of probiotics are present in our gut, they have an immuno-modulating effects, especially for upper respiratory tract infections eg. common flu and cold.

2. Bifidobacterium longum

> Alleviates GI disorders eg. constipation and antibiotic associated diarrhoea.

> Immuno-modulation eg. improves symptoms of allergy and infections.

> Improvement and homeostasis of intestinal microenvironment. Studies have shown that with decreased micro-biodiversity, we are more prone to have diseases especially metabolic disorders like diabetes.

3. Isomalt

> Sugar substitute. Hence, Lactoberry can be ingested by diabetics.

> Prebiotics, therefore it's a food source for probiotics.

> Stimulates peristalsis, softens stools and alleviates constipation.

4. Berries

> Cranberry powder prevents UTIs due to it containing an abundance of phytonutrients A-type proanthocyanidins or condensed tannins. It prevents the E.Coli bacteria from attaching to the lining of the bladder and urinary tract.

> Raspberry powder, which has one of the richest sources of fibre amongst fruits and tannin content. It prevents constipation by increasing the bulk and letting the stools come out more easily, as well as benefits blood sugar control by improving insulin resistance.

> Blueberry powder is high in antioxidant flavonoids such as anthocyanin, which neutralises free radicals and enhances metabolic waste excretion.

Who needs it?

> Children, teenagers, adults and elderlies.

> Pregnant ladies.

> Patients after medical treatments.

Recommended consumption

> 1-2 sachets for daily maintenance before or after meals. To ensure the benefits of probiotics are reaped, it's important to take Lactoberry on a daily and on-going basis.

> Under special condition such as food poisoning or constipation, increase dosage as needed.

(Source: SH seminar, 22/7/2023)

How to Order? 

A box of 30 sachets of Lactoberry probiotics costs RM77 for Malaysian members.

Byblos

Testimony: Stomach Metaplasia and H. Pylori Bacteria

Ms Y's mother was 73 years old. She is generally healthy. She does qi gong exercise everyday. Sometime late 2016, she complained of a dull ache in her stomach. In early Dec 2016, the doctor in Sg Buloh hospital advised her to go for an operation for a condition called stomach metaplasia and the doctor proposed a procedure called a distal gastrectomy. Stomach metaplasia is mutated cells with a 30-40% risk of the cells turning cancerous. She was also diagnosed as having H. Pylori bacteria and was put on antibiotics.

She had another appointment with the doctor on 6 Dec 2016. The doctor said there was no other option and the operation should be done as soon as possible before her mother gets stomach cancer. The operation was expected to take 4 hours if there were complications. General anaesthetic would be involved hence the anaesthesiologist's approval would be needed to confirm whether her mother can proceed with the operation. The risk during GA (as she would be under induced paralysis) was it would affect certain organs. The risk of the gastrectomy operation was leaking, bleeding and infections. They were reluctant to proceed with the operation even though the doctor was pressing them to. It was a stressful time and it was during Christmas period.

Meanwhile, they went for a second opinion at UMMC 3 days later. He would do another scope scheduled for 5 Jan 2017.
During those 3 weeks before the scope, to boost her immune system and prepare her body for the operation if needed, she consumed 20 capsules Yung Kien Ganoderma + 5 sachets Yung Kien Pollen + 6 sachets Jia Hor Soya Protein + 9 sachets Lactoberry everyday, divided into several times a day. She felt very energetic and had better bowel movements. Her skin was also more radiant.

On 22 Dec 2016, the Sg Buloh doctor confirmed she still had H. Pylori bacteria.
But when she went to UMMC for the scope on 5 Jan 2017, no more H. Pylori could be detected. The intestinal metaplasia was still there, but this time, the doctor said no operation was needed, only yearly scope to monitor the situation. Ms Y was very grateful that her mother was willing to take at that high dosage and thus was able to avoid the risk of operation.

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Testimony: Gastric and Bloated Stomach

Ms F, 26 years old, works as a coffee barista. She takes breakfast everyday before work because she knows that the nature of her work which requires her to drink 6-10 cups of espresso every day (to check that the flavour is up to requirement), is very harmful to her stomach. As she was not able to eat lunch during lunch hour, after 4-5 years of such lifestyle, she started to suffer from gastric and bloated stomach problem. Her stomach either bloats up after just swallowing a bit of food or she would feel discomfort from the bloating and thus has no appetite to eat. As such, she would end up not eating anything the whole day.

She didn't take any medication. Her friend introduced her to start taking 6 sachets Jia Hor Soya Protein + 6 sachets Lactoberry + 4 sachets Yung Kien Pollen a day. She takes the Protein before meal hours, around 11-12 am, then 3-4 pm and again before sleep (or next morning before drinking her espresso). As for Pollen, she takes it any time. She feels very good, energetic, no more bloated stomach and gastric, and she has radiant skin. When she gets gastric attacks, she would take 2 sachets Protein with 200 ml warm water. 15 minutes later, she feels release from the gastric pain.

Since April 2017, she started to include 6 capsules Jia Hor Lingzhi in her routine.
Vertigo reaction: Bloated stomach and vomiting. She could not go to work and was curled up in bed. She mix 30 ml warm water + 1 Protein + 2-4 Lingzhi, shake and drank immediately. She felt relief after 10 minutes. She kept taking Lactoberry, every hour. Even though she had no appetite for the whole day, she still felt energetic. On the next day she was well enough to go to work already.

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Testimony: Constipation and Healing Reaction

A 7-year old girl in Sabah used to take a very long time to finish her meal. She would run around between mouthfuls, sometimes dragging the meal times to an hour. She suffers from bloated stomach (which made her drag out her mealtimes) and constipation problem.
When she was first introduced to Lactoberry, she had a healing reaction. Her mouth and body broke out into rashes after taking only 1 sachet. She had diarrhoea and passed out sticky, smelly stools.
The reason is her colon was full of bad bacteria due to her prolonged constipation. This resulted in stomach bloatedness and lack of appetite. The little girl reported to her mother that she actually felt better despite numerous trips to the toilet and hence her mother allowed her to continue taking Lactoberry. The diarrhoea lasted almost 1 week.
Note: The 2 strains of probiotics contained in Lactoberry are those which our body already have. Thus Lactoberry is simply supplementing what is already in our body. It does not cause any harm unlike certain types of probiotic products in the market.

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Testimony: Milk Poisoning

Mr P drank milk that was spoilt. The next morning, he had diarrhoea. So he quickly took 3 Lactoberry at 8 am then went to work. Usually after diarrhoea, one would feel very weak. But he didn't even though he had diarrhoea 3 times. He still had energy and could still work. Fortunately, it was Saturday where he worked only half day. When he got home, he took another 5 Lactoberry. In fact, he took 5 Lactoberry every couple of hours and finished a whole box in the day. By night time, after another round in the toilet,  his digestive tract has regulated as he felt normal already.

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Testimony: Diabetes and Constipation 

Mr L likes to eat a lot of seafood and meat. He was 88kg in the past. His stools were always sticky and very smelly. He didn't feel well. When he went to see doctor, he was diagnosed with diabetes, with a reading of 14-16 mmol/L. The small wound in his leg became a big wound. He took 2 Lactoberry + 2 Jia Hor Fiber each time. He consumed it 3 times a day.
After 1-2 weeks, the quality of the stools became normal. The wound recovered after 3 weeks. His bloated feeling and blood sugar reading also improved. He is very happy with Shuang Hor products.

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Testimony: Constipation

Ms M's friend, from Miri, is the mother of a little boy who has very weak body constitution. Since birth, he already has a lot of health issues, including constipation. He would sit on the potty for 3-4 hours but nothing would come out. That caused great discomfort and pain in his stomach. He had to take antibiotics every week because of fever. The whole family was extra anxious about him as he is the only male grandchild in the family.

His mother secretly fed him Lactoberry, and his appetite improved. From there, she attended some seminars to find out more and wanted him to take Lingzhi. But the grandmother was very against Lingzhi as they heard a lot of negative things about it. However, the daughter-in-law, being educated, did her own research and believed Lingzhi could help.

So she started to feed him Lingzhi, Pollen and Lactoberry. Within a month, from a scrawny, unhealthy boy, he put on weight and looked better. Previously the mother had to chase him around to feed him. But now, he willingly sat there to be fed. He can pass motion within 3 minutes. The grandmother was very happy with the improvement but still insisted that he should not take Lingzhi.

Busan

You suffer from constipation if you have fewer than 3 bowel movements a week, or are straining and passing dry, hard stools.

Common Causes

1. Bad lifestyle habits: picky eating, frequent consumption of fried food or meat, inadequate fibre intake, insufficient water intake and lack of exercise.

2. Emotions: Stress and tension can affect the nerves that transmit bowel movements, making bowel movements less effective.

3. Age: Studies show that 1 in 3 elders over the age of 60 suffer from constipation, mainly due to a decline in the smooth muscle contraction in the intestines, which makes bowel movements slow and ineffective.

4. Organic constipation: This refers to constipation caused by diseases or abnormalities in the body, such as irritable bowel disease, uterine fibroids, diabetes, autonomic nerve abnormalities or haemorrhoids.

High Risk Groups

- Elderly people.

- Obese people.

- Women (especially pregnant women).

What Can You Take If You Don't Like Veggies?

Lactoberry Probiotics

Special Features

• Resistant to body temperature and stomach acid. 
• Durable storage.
• Remains intact and active when it reaches the intestinal tract.
• Multiple benefits.
• Unique formula of Probiotics + Integrated Berries + Prebiotics.
• Multi-coat technology to ensure the effectiveness of the probiotics.

Click here for details of the ingredients and benefits..

http://www.pingofhealth.com/2011/10/uniqueness-of-lacto-berry-probiotics.html

Jia Hor Fibre

Special Features

• Upgraded formula: added with soluble dietary fibre called Digestion Resistant Maltodextrin.
• Maintains healthy blood glucose level and reduce cholesterol and triglycerides. 
• Comprise both water-soluble and insoluble dietary fibre.
• Lower calories. 
• Contains up to 4g of high quality dietary fibre in every sachet.
• Easy to prepare.

Click here for details of the benefits..

http://www.pingofhealth.com/2011/12/what-makes-new-generation-jia-hor-fibre.html

(Source: SH magazine, Jan-Mar 2022)

Since young, our mothers always nag us to "Eat more fibre". Do you know why? 

This post shares with you the importance of taking sufficient fibre and the grave consequences of fibre deficiency.

Fibre is found mainly in fruits, vegetables, legumes etc. It is actually the roughage or bulk that stays relatively intact throughout our digestive tract because unlike carbo, proteins or fats, it cannot be digested. 

These are some tell-tale signals which your body gives you when you're not taking enough fibre:

> Constipation. Even though there are many factors that contribute to constipation, fibre deficiency is one of the major contributor.

> Feeling hungry soon after eating, as fibre gives a feeling of satiety.

> Weight gain. Fibre helps to maintain a healthy weight. If you don't consume enough fibre, you may be at risk of gaining extra kgs.

> Bloating symptoms, as fibre contributes to our gut health.

> Elevated cholesterol, if you don't take enough soluble fibre.

> High blood sugar level.

In Malaysia, the recommended intake is 20-30g of dietary fibre per day. BUT do you know that according to the statistics from the National Health & Morbidity Survey, 95% of Malaysians do not consume enough fibre? One of the consequences is increased risk of colorectal cancer. Other factors which increase the risk of developing colorectal cancer include age (over 50), high-fat diet, being overweight and alcohol & tobacco use. Apart from age, all the others are modifiable factors, i.e. they are lifestyle habits which we can change.

According to WHO, colorectal cancer is the 3rd most common cancer type worldwide, with almost 2 million cases diagnosed in 2020. It's the 2nd most common cause of cancer death, with almost 1 million deaths / year. In Malaysia, colorectal cancer is the leading cancer for males and 2nd leading cancer for females (after breast cancer). Unfortunately despite it being one of the most common cancer, it's usually diagnosed late: up to 73.1% are diagnosed at Stages 3 & 4. 

How to prevent colorectal cancer?

> Adequate fibre intake.

> Reduce processed meat.

> Reduce alcohol.

> Maintain weight.

> Be physically active.

Introducing Jia Hor Fibre

Jia Hor Fibre contains water soluble and insoluble dietary fibre, Lingzhi and minerals. Each sachet offers 4g of dietary fibre, enriched with Digestion Resistant Maltodextrin.

(a) Insoluble fibre

This type of fibre doesn't dissolve in water or intestinal fluid and thus helps food to pass through the digestive system and helps bulk up the stools. As such, it's effective to:

> Reduce diverticular disease (small pouches that form in the wall of the colon) risk.

> Reduce colorectal cancer risk.

> Improve satiation as it physically fills up our stomach thereby making us feel full for longer after meals.

> Prevent constipation (defined as having hard and dry stools or less than 3 bowel movements / week). Common causes of constipation are:

- Older adults.

- Pregnant women.

- Low fibre diet.

- Dehydration.

- Certain medication.

(b) Soluble fibre

This type of fibre dissolves in water and intestinal fluid to form a gel-like material and provides these benefits:

> Aids in weight management because the thick and spreadout gel helps to reduce the absorption of fat in our body hence help to maintain a healthy body weight.

> Lowers cholesterol by trapping the bad cholesterol and prevents the body from reabsorbing it. 

> Stabilizes blood sugar because it reduces the absorption of carbo or glucose hence reduces glucose spikes after meals.

> By maintaining healthy weight, reducing cholesterol and stablising blood sugar, it helps to reduce cardiovascular risk.

> Being a gel-like material that cannot be digested in the small intestines, it's fermented by the healthy gut bacteria in the colon, thereby feeding them.

Digestion resistant maltodextrin cannot be digested by the small intestine. It's fermented by gut bacteria in the colon and produces beneficial short-chain fatty acids like butyrate. Hence it's health enhancing. 

The benefits of Resistant Maltodextrin include:

> Enhances gut health.

> Increases satiation and reduces food intake.

> Reduces fat absorption.

> Maintains healthy blood sugar level and doesn't cause blood sugar spikes after consumption.

Note: Digestible maltodextrin increases the risk of obesity, diabetes and other health issues as it has high GI value and causes blood sugar spikes after consumption. 

Benefits of Jia Hor Fibre

1. Improves gastrointestinal health

Promotes regular bowel movements & reduces accumulation of toxins in the intestinal tract ~ reduces the risk of colorectal cancer.

2. Aids in blood glucose control

Improves blood glucose metabolism & reduces glucose spike after meals ~ helps control blood sugar and prevents complications of diabetes.

3. Lowers serum cholesterol

Water soluble fibre helps absorb cholesterol deposits in the blood vessels ~ reduces LDL cholesterol and risk of arteries hardening.

4. Maintains healthy gut microbiome

Adequate dietary fibre (20-30g) encourages the proliferation of beneficial bacteria and reduce harmful bacteria ~ preserves the vitality of intestinal tract.

5. Maintains healthy bodyweight

Provides sense of fullness ~ ideal for controlling weight.

How to Consume?

> Recommended usage: 3-4 sachets daily.

> Mix with 300ml of warm water, fruit juices, milk or other drinks.

(Source: SH seminar, 22/7/2023)

How to Order? 

A box of 20 sachets of Jia Hor Fibre costs RM90 for Malaysian members.

If you know how to interpret the sickness in your body, you will be able to take care of them before they become serious. Our mental and emotional states contribute substantially to our physical health. 

What are the top 5 benefits of Lactoberry Probiotics?

Here's what it can do for you..

(a) Digestion

(b) Indigestion

(c) Constipation

(d) Diarrhea

(e) Urinary tract infections.

Note: Each sachet of Lactoberry contains 2 billion probiotics which multiply by 20 times up to 40 billion when it reaches our digestive system.

Be entertained by this 1-minute clip:

How to order?

Email me at askfuiping@gmail.com if you need help. I am an Authorised Distributor of Lactoberry probiotics from Shuang Hor.

Related posts:

https://www.pingofhealth.com/2020/06/5-reasons-for-stomach-bloating.html

https://www.pingofhealth.com/2019/12/5-tips-to-take-care-of-gut-health.html

Bloating is very common. Your stomach feels tight and full of air. The local term of "angin" is used to describe that feeling of trapped air. It's one of the symptoms of indigestion.

There are many probiotics products in the market today. What are the differences between Lactoberry and all these other products?

One of the unique features of Lactoberry probiotics is that the strains of bacteria used are the same as those which are already existing in our body. If you take new strains of probiotics which are not in our body, our body may reject them. In other words, as Lactoberry helps to strengthen and increase the quantity of bacteria that are already present inside our body, you can be rest assured it won't create any resistance or side effects. In fact, the strains in Lactoberry are from Denmark, but they have been "trained" to be localised hence our body won't resist it.

Two Major Hurdles

For a probiotic to work effectively in our body, it has to be able to travel successfully all the way to our intestines. If they die prematurely, whatever is consumed is wasted. There are 2 major hurdles these probiotics have to go through:

(a) Body temperature. When we consume the probiotics, they are exposed to the temperature in our mouth of 37'C. A lot of bacteria cannot survive at this level of temperature.

(b) Stomach acid which is hydrochloric acid with pH 1. It is highly acidic and at this strength, it will destroy a lot of friendly bacteria. People with high amount of stomach acid has strong digestive ability. On the other hand, people with weak stomach acid will find food that pass through their intestines are not digested properly. However, too much or too little is not good.

Products in the market that claim they have multiple billions bacteria don't mean much, because what we want to know is how many successfully reach the intestines to perform their job.

Why is Lactoberry Effective?
How do you create good probiotics that are able to go through these 2 barriers successfully?
What Shuang Hor does is to "dress" them up e.g. firemen who wear protective clothing before going into the fire. The "clothing" used for Lactoberry is called "multi-coating".  The bacteria are still alive but go into hibernation mode upon the coating.

The strains are cultivated and trained to be able to withstand heat of up to 45'C. Most bacteria are killed at the temperature of about 40'C.
The strains are also cultivated to be able to withstand acid in the stomach.

Now you understand why most probiotics are not so effective because not many are able to reach the intestines, putting aside the original quantity.

Why is Probiotics so Important?

There are about 500 types bacteria in our intestines. When the number of good bacteria decreases, the amount of bad bacteria increases.

Many people have decreasing number of friendly bacteria because they consume a lot of medicines including antibiotics, HBP and diabetics drugs etc. Long-term consumers of drugs will destroy their villi.

Diabetic patients also lack good bacteria because their blood is very toxic. They easily get itchiness on their skin and their wounds take a long time to heal. Lactoberry is very effective for diabetics patients. Glucose are located in 2 places in our body - one is in the blood and the other is in the intestines. Probiotics has the ability to breakdown the excess sugar from the intestines. Do not be concerned about the sweet taste of Lactoberry because it has little effect on blood sugar level.

Some symptoms of people who lack friendly bacteria in the body include:

- Food that was enjoyed in the past e.g. spicy food would now trigger diarrhoea.
- More bloatedness and indigestion.
- Difficulty sleeping.
- Easily feel heatiness.
- Risk of cancer is higher.
- Allergy such as itchiness.
- Flatulence and stools are very smelly.
- Dull complexion.
- Bad breath.

How to Consume Lactoberry

The right way of consuming Lactoberry is to pour directly into your mouth followed by drinking room-temperature water. The reason is when the probiotics is poured into your mouth, your body heat warms it up thereby helping to undress a layer of the coating, when it enters the stomach the acid dissolves another layer of coating, so when it reaches the colon it is ready to do the work.

Why is it important to drink water when consuming probiotics?
The water acts as a carrier to bring the probiotics to the intestines. Because of the water, it has the ability to grow from 2 billion to 40 billion in 3 hours. Bacteria multiplies quickly in the presence of water.

It is recommended to consume daily as the good bacteria die and are pushed out of the body everyday. It doesn't matter whether you consume before or after meal.
When one has food poisoning,  consume 3 sachets immediately.
Do not dissolve Lactoberry in water before consuming. It is not so effective because some layers of coating are already dissolved before one even swallows them, thereby exposing them to heat and stomach acids.

If you have sore throat, consume 3 sachets of Lactoberry without water at night and go to sleep. Let the probiotics stay and coat around the throat area. You will feel improvement the next day.

Babies delivered under cesarean section have less friendly bacteria because the mother is not able to successfully transfer the good bacteria to them. These babies are more prone to have lactose intolerance and watery stools. Feed them with Lactoberry. Each sachet can be divided into a few times of feeding. If the babies are unable to take the powder directly, dissolve with water and feed them the water. After some time, when they have sufficient friendly bacteria, the symptoms of lactose intolerance will subside.

80% of white blood cells reside in the GI tract. Total length of both large and small intestines is about 30 feet. Unlike a drain in our house of this length which we can clean often, we never really do the same for our intestines. In fact, these friendly bacteria are the cleaners when they help improve our bowel movements.

People with a lot of bad bacteria tend to accumulate a lot of stools in their intestines. Some symptoms include dull complexion, bad breath and bloatedness. The colon works using the peristalsis movement. If there is not sufficient energy supply into the intestines, the muscle movement does not function well and you will have difficulty passing motion.  The stools become more and more compact. If waste accumulates in the colon for over 24 hours, the stools that are passed out are denser and tend to sink. Replenish with probiotics. It is one of the cheapest ways amongst Shuang Hor products to help you increase your immunity. Try taking 3 sachets a day for 1 month - it's a way of spring-cleaning the intestines.

Another benefit is probiotics helps improve the absorption of nutrients by the villi in the small intestines. If you want to eat any nutritious food, you have to first take care of your intestines. Otherwise, your body cannot utilise these nourishing food.

Note: Some people have the healing reaction of acute pain in the intestines area after consuming Lingzhi. This indicates they have some kind of problem in their intestines. This is common amongst very skinny people as their body is unable to absorb the food they eat.

TCM Point of View

Some points you can massage to improve the health of your intestines:

(a) Side of tip of index finger - stimulates colon meridian point. People who suffer from constipation will feel sharp pain when this point is massaged.
Side of tip of thumb - stimulates lung meridian point.

The meridian points of colon and lung are connected. They "join" at the meeting point on the back of hand up between thumb and index finger. People who have constipation will find that the health of their lungs are not good e.g. a lot of phlegm or difficulty breathing. When they consume probiotics to address their colon problems, their lung-related problems will also improve. They will not suffer so frequently from runny nose. Their sense of smell also improve.

(b) Outer side of tip of small finger - stimulate small intestines. People who are very skinny and have difficulty absorbing nutrients will feel sharp pain when this point is massaged.
Inner side of tip of small finger - stimulate heart meridian.

The meridian points of the small intestines and heart are connected up towards the shoulder.  If you have a weak small intestines, you will also have weak heart muscles and have shoulder pain. In other words, people who look gaunt and skinny and have poor absorption ability, it follows that they also tend to have shoulder pain problem.
In fact, the meridian points of the liver and gallbladder also converge at the shoulder. It is common that people with gallbladder stones will also experience pain at the shoulder.

In order to address this problem, take Lactoberry to clean up the intestines.

(d) Side of palm (hou shee shiek) - stimulate small intestines. Massaging this area also helps improve any pain in the shoulder.
People who feel numbness when this point is massaged means their small intestines are weak.

(e) Another way to improve digestive system is to lie on the bed and use warm palm to rub the tummy in a circular motion, clockwise, for 30 times. It stimulates the colon and can improve constipation problem.
 
(Source: Shuang Hor seminar 8 January 2019)

Looking for a good probiotics?
Email me at askfuiping@gmail.com to buy Lactoberry. I am an Authorised Distributor.