Probiotics

In the past I’ve discussed the importance of getting probiotics in your diet to promote better health.  These “friendly bacteria” are known to be crucial for proper bowel function because they help break down waste in the colon.  They are known to be important for immune function as these good bacteria will help fight off any bad bacteria that are moving through the digestive system before they get into the bloodstream. I’ve also stressed how important probiotics are to get into your system any time you’ve been forced to be on an antibiotic as the antibiotic is like a bomb that wipes out not only the bad bacteria but the good ones as well.  Now, a recent breakthrough study has revealed for the first time that probiotic bacteria appear to affect gene activity and cellular reactions in the body.  The lead researcher reported, “These effects are similar to the effects of components that the pharmaceutical industry applies to medicines, but less strong.”

In addition to the benefits already listed, the latest information on probiotics suggests that these helpful bugs can even help regulate blood pressure, reduce allergic responses, and stimulate abdominal weight loss.  It appears that all this is possible by stimulating our own gene expression in a disease-preventing manner.  This is the same effect most drug companies are trying to achieve with pharmaceuticals, but probiotics are getting the job done with no apparent side effects!

You can get probiotics through your diet with natural yogurt, some cheeses, and sauerkraut, especially if they are not pasteurized.  However, since nearly all dairy is pasteurized, I prefer to take them in a supplement form.  The bacteria you’re looking for should include Lactobacillus Acidophilus in a capsule containing at lease one billion colony forming units (CFUs).  This is one of the supplements I try to take every day and with this latest information, I will be recommending to all my clients.