What Are Probiotics?

Probiotics are good bacteria that live in our digestive systems. These good bacteria help break down food so the body can use it. A person who doesn't have a sufficient amount of probiotics can become ill.

What Benefits Do We Get from a Good Probiotic Supplement?

Immune System Support

Having probiotics in the body is a safe and natural way to strengthen our immune system. This microflora works to balance the pH in our bodies. The disease can thrive in a body with an acidic pH level. Probiotics help to bring the pH back to our healthiest level.

What's more, good probiotic bacteria helps the body to fight these illnesses:

* Allergies * Irritable bowels * Viruses * Bacterial, viral, fungal, and yeast infections * Diarrhea

Probiotics help the body toxins from impure foods and harmful drugs.

Gut Problems

The majority of the bacteria in our digestive system is good bacteria. The normal ratio of good bacteria to bad bacteria is 85:15. If the ratio of good bacteria decreases and the bad bacteria increases, we experience gut problems.

Typical gut illnesses that appear when the good to bad ratio is out of proper balance are:

* Ulcers * Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) * Chrohn's Disease * Celiac Disease * Lactose intolerance

A good probiotic supplement can often put the ratio back to 85:15 and symptoms of illness can lessen or disappear.

Probiotics and the Negative Effects of a Bad Diet and Antibiotics

We take antibiotics when we have a bacterial infection. Unfortunately, antibiotics can't distinguish between the good and bad bacteria in our bodies. Therefore, both are killed. This puts the ratio of 85:15 out of whack, leaving us prone to the diseases already mentioned.

A person does not have to be taking prescription antibiotics to have them in his or her system. Non-organic meat and dairy products have antibiotics in them because the animals that produce the meat and milk were fed antibiotics to keep their infections to a minimum. Furthermore, some municipalities have antibiotics in the water supply. It's nearly impossible to avoid taking in some antibiotics no matter how carefully you shop for food.

Taking a probiotic supplement can restore the good bacteria to our digestive system and get the system working properly again. Our immune system is strengthened by probiotics, meaning that bacterial infections are less likely to return.

Notice the two words: anti-biotics and pro-biotics. The first kills the good bacteria and the second restored it.

Benefits of a Healthy Digestive System

Providing your digestive system with beneficial microflora will:

* Improve our skin * Aids indigestion * Help to maintain a healthy weight * Help to eliminate waste products from the body * Increase our energy - because the body gets more nutrition from the food we eat * Give us a sense of overall well-being - because the infection is decreased

How Can We Get More Probiotics into Our System?

We can get probiotics by eating fermented foods, such as kefir, sauerkraut, kimchi and miso. Plain yogurt with active acidophilus is a very popular source of probiotics.

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