SPCOM 122, Gross

Student Outline

3 March 2017

Sample Informative Speech Outline

Specific Purpose: To inform my audience of the benefits of probiotics and how they can include these friendly bacteria in their diet.

Introduction:

Attention Material: Several years ago, I traveled to Southeast Asia. I loved it! However, partway through the trip I began to experience symptoms of traveler’s sickness. So, whenever I ate the food passed right through me or came right back up again. This traveler’s sickness made the rest of my trip very uncomfortable, especially while backpacking and staying at hostels.

Relate Topic to Audience: Although we may not like to share these kinds of symptoms publicly, most all of us have experienced some kind of digestive distress, at some point in our lives.

Credibility: For the past six years I have worked in a health food store, and have found that many people, men and women, of all ages suffer daily from painful digestive issues. I have learned about many natural remedies to aid digestion, among these are probiotics.

Thesis: Today I will explain the importance of probiotics to our health.

Forecasting: First, I will define what probiotics are; then I will describe their various digestive and immune benefits; and I will finish with ways to include these beneficial bacteria in your diet.

Body:

Transition: Let’s begin by considering what probiotics are.

  1. Probiotics – Background Information
  2. What Probiotics Are
  3. According to the World Health Organization, probiotics are defined as “live microorganisms which, when administered in adequate amounts, confer a health benefit on the host” (Chutkan 168).
  4. Definition - from the Latin word pro meaning for, and Greek wordbiotic meaning life (Barbu 26).
  5. Amount of Probiotics in the Human Gut
  6. In a normal healthy bowel there are an estimated 100 trillion microorganisms representing more than 500 different species; the majority of these microflora are helpful (Health).
  7. To give you a better sense of this number: there are more microbes in your gut than there are stars in the Milky Way (Pedre 94).
  8. All the bacteria in your gut weigh about 3-4 pounds, which is equivalent to your brain’s weight (Perlmutter 24).

Sample Informative Speech Outline, page two

  1. Bacterial Imbalance
  2. A number of factors can destroy probiotics causing an imbalance between good and bad microorganisms in the gut (Pedre 21).
  3. Antibiotics
  4. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)
  5. Birth control pills/hormones
  6. Alcohol
  7. Stress
  8. According to Dr. RobynneChutkan, a gastroenterologist at Georgetown University, over 30 million Americans suffer from painful conditions related tobacterial imbalance (Chutkan 49).
  9. Bacterial imbalance is linked to multiple health conditions such as: bloating, weight gain, yeast overgrowth, IBS, parasites, food sensitivities, and depression (Chutkan 60).

Transition: Now that we know what probiotics are, and some of the factors that affect them, I will discuss some of the ways these good bacteria can help us. Probiotics have shown to be beneficial in: improving mental and oral health, reducing inflammation, and supporting the urogenital tract for women. However, today I will be covering the digestive and immune benefits of probiotics.

  1. The Benefits of Probiotics
  2. Digestive Health
  3. Support Mucosal Lining – absorption of nutrients (Perlmutter 24).
  4. Regulate Bowel Mobility – easing symptoms such as: diarrhea, constipation, and bloating (Pedre 98).
  5. Immune Health – Have you ever wondered where your immune system is located?
  6. Your gut represents 70-80% of your body’s immune system (Perlmutter 29).
  7. Probiotics increase resistance to pathogens by warding off bad bacteria, viruses, and dangerous parasites (Perlmutter 24).
  8. Probiotics will compete with and crowd out other bacteria in the digestive tract, which helps to improve immunity (Barbu 28).
  9. Precautions – Probiotics are not a “cure-all”.
  10. Probiotics may be overstimulating for those with compromised immune systems
  11. Very young children and the elderly should use with caution (Chutkan 171).

Transition: Probiotics have numerous and wide-ranging benefits and are critical for good digestion, pathogen resistance, and immunity; and so you may be wondering where to find these amazing microflora.

Sample Informative Speech Outline, page tthree

  1. How to Get the Good Bacteria
  2. Probiotic Supplements (capsules, powders, liquids)
  3. What to look for in a probiotic (Chutkan 173).
  4. Potency
  5. Multiple Strains
  6. Enteric coating/acid and bile resistant
  7. Food Sources – The best way to get nutrients is from food (Chutkan 176).
  8. Cultured Foods and Beverages – yogurts, kefirs, kombucha
  9. Fermented Foods – sauerkraut, kimchi(Pedre 96).
  10. As Hypocrites said, “Let food be thy medicine.”

Transition: As you can see, there are options available if you are curious to try probiotics and experience their digestive benefits.

Conclusion:

Summary: As we’ve discussed, probiotics are beneficial microflora that inhabit our bodies. They play an integral part in our digestive system, the health of our intestines where we absorb nutrients, crowding out harmful pathogens and yeasts, and supporting our immune system. (Now I always take probiotics while traveling). Probiotics are readily available in supplement form or as fermented and cultured foods, such as yogurt and sauerkraut.

Relating to Audience: These tiny organisms are so vital for our health and well-being; with this information hopefully you have a better sense of how these microbes are constantly affecting your health. So, next time you are suffering from a stomach virus or recovering after a round of antibiotics you will know how probiotics can help.

Closing Material: In closing, remember that microbial balance is critical for good health, and good health is key for a happier you.

Sample Informative Speech Outline, page four

Bibliographic Information

Barbu, Andreea, et al. “Novel Uses of Probiotics in Human Health.” ActaMedicaTransilvanica 21.3 (2016): 26-30. Academic Search Complete.Web. 7 Feb. 2017.

Chutkan, Robynne. The Microbiome Solution: A Radical New Way to Heal Your Body from the Inside Out. New York: Avery an imprint of Penguin Random House, 2015. Print.

“Health Benefits of Taking Probiotics.”Harvard Health Publications.Harvard Medical School. September 2005. Updated 1 December 2015.Web. 2 February 2017.

Pedre, Vincent. Happy Gut: The Cleansing Program to Help You Lose Weight, Gain Energy and Eliminate Pain. New York: William Marrow an imprint of Harper Collins Publishers, 2015. Print.

Perlmutter, David. Brain Maker: The Power of Gut Microbes to Heal and Protect Your Brain for Life. New York: Little Brown and Company, 2015. Print.

Guidelines for Outlines

  1. Identify the specific purpose. (What you want the audience to know, understand, be able to do, etc.)
  1. Label introduction, body and conclusion.

3. Do not write out ideas in essay format. Instead, follow outline format and use single sentences, phrases or words.

4. Include plenty of specific support material, with sources cited next to specifics.

4. Label and include parts of the introduction: attention material, relate topic to audience, credibility, thesis statement, forecasting.

6. Label and write out transitions before each main point.

7. Label and include parts of the conclusion: summary, relate topic to audience, closing material.

8. Include a complete source list.