If you have never heard of probiotics before, it's a type of bacteria that essentially benefits your health when it's taken in the appropriate amounts. I had never heard this term until recently and was I ever surprised just how much it could really benefit me. In this article I will share with you the main health benefits of probiotics.
Bacteria seems to be everywhere we are without us even realizing it and is the cause of most diseases. Like most other things though, there are the good kind and the bad kind. Oddly enough, when you swallow the good kind it can actually prevent some illnesses, studies now show.
It seems that the Europeans have always been ahead of us and they've known this for years. They have been consuming microorganisms, also called probiotics in foods such as yogurt. The yogurt is fermented with bacteria.
I learned just recently that yogurt also helps keep plaque off your teeth. When eaten on a daily basis it helps prevent the plaque buildup that the majority of us have to visit a dentist to get rid of. A friend shared this story with me. It seems she stopped eating her yogurt for a period of time and after visiting the dentist, her dentist thought that she had just quit flossing. She didn't put two and two together until later on.
Here are just a few of the health benefits of probiotics when taken daily:
Enhances your immune system response
Reduces negative effects of taking many types of antibiotics
Aids in preventing and treating colon inflammation following surgery
Helps to prevent eczema in youth
Increases your ability to digest food
Therapeutic for viral respiratory tract infections
Reduces lactose intolerance
Reduces incidence of yeast infection, vaginitis and candidiasis
Increases the ability to digest the nutrients from food
Alleviates many common digestive disorders such as constipation and diarrhea
Acts as a treatment for bad breath
Increases ability to absorb calcium
Promotes anti-tumor and anti-cancer activity in the body
Besides yogurt, the other foods that contain probiotics are:
Buttermilk
Kefir
Tempeh
Miso
Sauerkraut
Kim Chi
Brewer's Yeast
Dietary supplements are also available on the market that contain probiotics but the majority of them have not undergone the necessary testing and approval process that prescription drugs have to go through. There are no guarantees that the types of bacteria that are listed on the label are effective for the particular condition you are taking them for.
I hope this article was helpful with understanding the main health benefits of probiotics. I recently came across some newer products that are not sold in the stores.