What are
Probiotics?
Probiotics are living micro organisms (bacteria, and
some yeasts) that are good for you. The word
"probiotic" literally means “for life” and is also referred to as
beneficial bacteria or microflora. The idea is that of a
symbiotic, or mutually beneficial relationship.
Health Benefits
The World Health Organization
defines probiotics as “live micro organisms, which, when administered in adequate amounts, confer a
health benefit on the host.”
Probiotics are
Beneficial for a Variety of Conditions
Probiotics have been proven
to enhance the immune system, protect against food
poisoning, assist with allergy
relief, and are used to treat and prevent yeast and fungal Infections.
Ongoing scientific research is discovering that probiotics help alleviate
many medical conditions, such as Cancers, Candida, Eczema, Ulcers, Inflammatory
Bowel Disease, Urinary and Vaginal
Tract Infections, Diarrhea, and Irritable Bowel Syndrome. Studies are even suggesting that probiotics may
help to ward off the common cold and flus.
Where can I find
Probiotics?
Actually, there are billions of
probiotics living in your gut, right now. Did you know that there are more bacteria in your body
than cells? Twenty times as many. Most of these bacteria reside in your intestines, where they are essential for the health of your intestinal tract. They assist with the
digestion of food and help your immune system fight disease and infections.
But I Thought all Bacteria ("bugs") were
Bad!
To put it simply,
there are two types of bacteria: friendly bacteria and unfriendly bacteria. As the names
illustrate, unfriendly bacteria causes illness and disease, while friendly bacteria protects
us from illness and disease.
“But if I have this Already, Why do I need
Probiotic
Supplements?”
There are many factors that can
deplete our natural flora. Stress, disease, bad
diet, alcohol consumption, overuse of antibiotics, chlorine
and sodium fluoride in drinking water, birth control pills, can all contribute to the destruction
of the good bacteria in our bodies. Our health depends upon more than 400 types of beneficial,
symbiotic bacteria residing in our digestive tracts. Regular intake of probiotics, either
naturally occurring in food or in supplement form is necessary to maintain a sufficient balance of
bacteria in the digestive system to boost the immune system further so we may live a healthy
life.
What Foods
Contain Probiotics?
Natural probiotics are found in cultured dairy products such as yogurt, buttermilk, kefir. lassi, dahi and some aged cheeses;
fermented bean pastes such as Japanese miso, tempeh,
doenjang; sauerkraut, some pickles and pickled foods such as Korean kimchee (kimchi), and the
Chinese foods pao cai and zha cai. Kombucha tea has been used for thousands
of years for its health benefits. Compounds in red wine and grape juice cooperate with
probiotics to fight pathogens. Light probiotic beers- probiotic ginger beer, kefir beer and
light probiotic beers can be brewed at home and are being commercially developed. And probiotic
breads are becoming more common in the food marketplace.
What is the best Probiotic
Supplement?
With hundreds of new probiotic
supplements in marketplace, looking for the
best one can be a difficult chore. Pills, powders, liquids, freeze-dried vs live cultures,
different strains, the list goes on and on; so then, how are we to select the right
supplement? One that is safe and effective? In an effort to sort out the confusion, here is
an article on Which Probiotic Supplement
is the Best?
|
