When do we need Probiotics?

The human gut is a crowded neighbourhood – if you’re a micro-organism, that is. There are 500 species of bacteria resident in the adult gastrointestinal tract, mostly in the large bowel.

Not only do they live there in peaceful coexistence with us, they may actually help – keeping out disease-causing bacteria, keeping our immune system healthy and maintaining the lining of the bowel.

But under some circumstances, the normal mix of these microbes gets disrupted.

It might be because of foreign organisms in our bowel, such as bacteria from contaminated water, or viruses spread from person to person or hand to mouth. Or some of the normal micro-organisms may be killed by broad-spectrum antibiotics taken for a range of common infections.

When this happens, it upsets the normal function of our bowels and we may get symptoms like diarrhoea, abdominal cramps and bloating.

Probiotics are food or supplements that contain good bacteria similar to the  healthy micro-organisms that your body naturally possesses. Probiotics are  generally useful for maintaining good digestion and for protecting your body  against harmful bacteria such as salmonella and E-coli.

There are  hundreds of healthy bacteria in your digestive system including lactobacillus,  acidophilus and bifidobacterium. Unlike antibiotics which kill both harmful and  healthy bacteria, probiotics encourage the growth of good bacteria to keep the  intestinal tract of your digestive system clean. Because it is safe for  children’s use, food manufacturers now incorporate probiotics in most of their  milk products to prevent lactose intolerance, a common problem with milk  feeding.

Probiotics as a natural treatment

Probiotics, when combined with the appropriate diet, are used to treat a wide  range of diseases including:

• Digestive problems such as gastritis,  dyspepsia, ventricle ulcer, diarrhoea, constipation, and irritable bowel  syndrome.

 

• Chronic ailments such as migraine, asthma, allergic rhinitis,  chronic fatigue syndrome, vaginal yeast infection, rheumatism, fibromyalgia,  ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease.

 

• Skin ailments like  allergies, acne, herpes, canker sores and eczema.

 

• Endocrine disorders such  as hormonal imbalance, metabolic syndrome, and diabetes.

  Probiotics also  help reduce the side effects associated with the use of antibiotics, cortisone,  and contraceptives. These beneficial micro-organisms have also been used to  eliminate intestinal problems of cancer patients who undergo radiation therapy.

Probiotic use should also be a necessary component of any bowel  cleansing plan, as there is a need to restore good bacteria after accumulated  waste has been eliminated from your bowel.

Healthy individuals regularly  take probiotics as a preventive measure against the common cold and colon  cancer. Other uses of probiotics are currently under study as initial  findings on a patient afflicted with a congenital disorder of the nervous system  showed significant improvement in walking after being given probiotic  supplements.

 

Sources of probiotics

Probiotics can be found in certain foods such as yoghurt, kefir, sauerkraut and  some cultured dairy products. Higher doses of probiotics may also be obtained  from supplements in powder, capsule, liquid and tablet forms in health stores.

For some illnesses such as diarrhoea and dyspepsia, probiotics may provide  immediate relief while chronic or complicated diseases may require prolonged or  long term use in conjunction with a healthy diet and other treatments.

While  probiotic use is generally safe and there is no recommended daily allowance for  it, it is still best to seek the advice of a naturopath or health professional  prior to self treatment in large doses.

Click here for information on a great probiotic we currently stock called UltraBiotic 45