The powerhouse of your immune system is your intestines ... so maybe a probiotic will help you attain better health? Have you taken an antibiotic, which kills off the good bacteria as well as the bad? A probiotic will help restore that natural state to your body. Here's the lowdown, on probiotics, from the MayoClinic:
Your body contains billions of bacteria and other microorganisms. The term "probiotics" refers to dietary supplements or foods that contain beneficial, or "good," bacteria that are similar to those normally found in your body. Although you don't need probiotics to be healthy, these microorganisms may provide some of the same health benefits that the bacteria already existing in your body do — such as assisting with digestion and helping protect against harmful bacteria.
In addition to supplements, probiotics can be found in such foods as yogurt, fermented and unfermented milk, miso, and some juices and soy drinks. Dannon's Activia yogurt, for instance, is an example of a probiotic food.
There is a growing public and scientific interest in probiotics. Researchers are studying whether probiotics taken as foods or supplements can help treat or prevent illness. There is encouraging evidence that probiotics may help:
- Treat diarrhea, especially following treatment with certain antibiotics
- Prevent and treat vaginal yeast infections and urinary tract infections
- Treat irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
- Reduce bladder cancer recurrence
- Shorten the duration of intestinal infections
- Prevent and treat inflammation following colon surgery (pouchitis)
- Prevent eczema in children
Some researchers believe probiotics may improve general health. A small 2005 study in Sweden, for instance, found that a group of employees who were given the probiotic Lactobacillus reuteri missed less work due to respiratory or gastrointestinal illness than did employees who were not given the probiotic.
More research is needed to confirm the effectiveness of probiotics. As with any dietary or herbal supplement, consult your doctor before starting any new treatment.
From OM2A™, my five-year-old son and I take a probiotic every morning. My son's pediatrician frequently comments on how he RARELY sees my son during the year ... just for his regular checks ups -- which astonishes him during the cold/flu season.
A FEW GOOD BRANDS:
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