There is so much information out there today that encourages us to keep our insides healthy. One of the more popular ways at the moment is through the use of probiotics.
According to the currently adopted definition by the World Health Organisation, probiotics are: “Live microorganisms which when administered in adequate amounts confer a health benefit on the host”. Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) and bifidobacteria are the most common types of microbes used as probiotics; but certain yeasts and bacilli may also be used. Probiotics are commonly consumed as part of fermented foods with specially added active live cultures; such as in yogurt or soy yogurt. Probiotics are believed to protect us in two ways. The first is the role that they play in our digestive tract.
Our digestive system normally has what we would call “good” bacteria and “bad” bacteria. Maintaining the correct balance between the “good” bacteria and the “bad” bacteria is necessary for optimal health. Things like medications, diet, diseases and your environment can upset that balance.
When the digestive tract is healthy, it filters out and eliminates things that can damage it, such as harmful bacteria, toxins, chemicals, and other waste products. On the flip side it takes in the things that our body needs (nutrients from food and water) and absorbs and helps deliver them to the cells where they are needed.
We know that our digestive tract needs a healthy balance between the good and bad bacteria, so what gets in the way of this? It looks like our lifestyle is both the problem and the solution.
The idea is not to kill off all of the bad bacteria. Our body does have a need for the bad ones and the good ones. The problem is when the balance is shifted to have more bad than good. An imbalance has been associated with diarrhea, urinary tract infections, muscle pain and fatigue.
The other way that probiotics help is the impact they have on our immune system. Our immune system is our protection against germs. When it doesn’t function properly, we can suffer from allergic reactions, autoimmune disorders, and infections. By maintaining the correct balance the hope would be to prevent these ailments.
Talk to your health care professional to find out if you can benefit from probiotics.
