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Probiotics... Are They Nature's
Most Overlooked Healing Force?

You may already know that the 'friendly bacteria' you get in yogurt and other foods are good for you. But I bet you didn't know how good they really are.

These lactic acid bacteria, which include varieties of Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium and Saccharomyces, were a natural part of the diet in ancient cultures that learned to ferment their foods.

Some of them were also originally soil-based organisms. Being closer to the soil, our ancestors got them naturally in their diet. But these days most of us are far removed from the ground where our food is grown. In the modern world with its highly processed and sanitized foods we don't get nearly as many of these as our ancestors did.

There are good ways to help supplement this lack, which I'll mention in a moment, but first take a look at 21 benefits these wonder-workers offer. Probiotics are excellent for:

  1. Managing Lactose Intolerance: Many people don't tolerate the sugar in milk (lactose). One of the activities of certain lactobacillus species is breaking down lactose into lactic acid.
  2. Preventing Colon Cancer: Some population studies have found lower rates of colon cancer in people who eat larger amounts of fermented dairy products.
  3. Easing Constipation: Testing done in the early 1900s found that Lactobacillus acidophilus was helpful in treating chronic constipation.
  4. Lowering Cholesterol: Animal studies show a measurable decrease in cholesterol when given lactic acid bacteria.
  5. Aiding in Weight Loss: Research published in the International Journal of Obesity recently showed people eating three 6-ounce servings of yogurt daily lost 61% more fat.
  6. Lowering Blood Pressure: Other research shows that these friendly bacteria reduce blood pressure when consumed regularly.
  7. Improving Immune Function: Clinical trials indicate that probiotics can reduce the number of respiratory tract infections and dental cavities in children.
  8. Preventing Infections: Foods and supplements with these bacteria are effective in the treatment and prevention of acute diarrhea, and in decreasing the severity and duration of rotavirus infections in children and travelers' diarrhea in adults.
  9. Controlling Helicobacter pylori: They can help in the treatment of Helicobacter pylori (which are shown to cause peptic ulcers) when used in combination with standard medical treatments.
  10. Stopping Antibiotic-associated Diarrhea: By repopulating the gut with healthy bacteria, these microbes can help stem the tide when antibiotics cause diarrhea.
  11. Reducing Inflammation: Inflammatory illnesses such as inflammatory bowel disease in adults and atopic eczema in children can be reduced with probiotics.
  12. Lowering Food Sensitivities: This is particularly true of sensitivity to dairy products.
  13. Improving Mineral Absorption: Lactobacilli may help correct malabsorption of trace minerals. This is particularly helpful with people who eat a lot of whole grains, nuts and legumes, since these foods contain large amount of mineral-blocking phytates.
  14. Preventing Harmful Bacterial Growth Under Stress: When stressed, our bodies are more susceptible to harmful bacteria growing. In animal studies, probiotics greatly reduced this tendency.
  15. Helping with Irritable Bowel Syndrome and Colitis: 4 different probiotics or probiotic combinations relieved some symptoms of IBS and colitis.
  16. Producing B-vitamins: Lactobacillus acidophilus generates B-complex vitamins in the body.
  17. Killing Off Harmful Bacteria: Lactobacillus acidophilus also produces the natural antibiotic, Acidophilin, which inhibits the growth of 11 known disease-causing bacteria.
  18. Moderating the Effects of Food Poisoning: Lactobacillus lactis
    is natural antibiotic. It is especially effective against the bacteria Listeria monorytogenes, which causes severe food poisoning.
  19. Decreasing Intestinal Permeability: Lactobacillus brevis decreases intestinal permeability, improves intestinal microflora, and has a positive effect on the intestinal immune system.
  20. Fighting Systemic Candida (yeast) Overgrowth: Often this occurs following extended exposure to antibiotics that kill off the friendly bacteria along with the nasty ones. Replenishing the body's store of friendly bacteria supports the body's efforts to fight this chronic infection.
  21. Protecting against E. coli: Bifidobacteria infantis shows a strong inhibitory effect against the pathogenic bacteria, E. coli.


Where can you get these mighty health boosters in your diet?

The obvious source of probiotics in daily food is cultured dairy products such as yogurt and kefir. Assuming you tolerate dairy products well, these are good choices.

The downside to getting your probiotics this way is that typically yogurt has only one variety. And since your gut has dozens, if not hundreds of beneficial flora, replacing only one falls short of giving you optimal support.

In addition, many of the commercially available sources of cultured dairy have sugar and other sweeteners in them. This isn't optimal for health.

Probably the best source of a variety of probiotics is one of the available multi-strain products on the market. Brands with multiple strains include iFlora, Flora Probiotic Plus and Pro-Bio 12.

Because probiotics transition through the system, they must be continually replenished. By taking high-quality probiotic supplements daily, you will get ongoing benefits for your health.

Reference: Wikipedia

 

 


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