Probiotics- Good Bacteria at Your Service!

Probiotics are good bacteria that are friendly and beneficial to the human body, especially when it comes to the digestive system.

We are taught that bacteria are not good for us. We are always trying to fight bacteria and bacteria related infections with antibacterial this and antibacterial that. In fact you probably have some antibacterial wipes in your home, car or purse right now. You might even have some stashed away in a drawer at your desk at work.

The desire to fight bacteria is good because there are many different types of bacteria that can lead to an assortment of unfortunate health problems. Many of these often require antibiotics and some are serious enough to necessitate hospitalization. However if you believe that ALL bacteria are bad then you are laboring under a false pretense. All bacteria are not bad. In fact there are some types that fall under the name probiotics that can actually benefit the human body.

Bacteria have a bad reputation and in most cases, rightly so. Bacterial infections can wreck terrible havoc wherever they go. On the other hand, there are the helping bacteria or the friendly bacteria called probiotics that seek to improve the way the body functions.

What are Probiotics?

Probiotics are defined as “living micro organisms which, when ingested, have beneficial effects on the human body.” The most common form of good bacteria or friendly bacteria is known as Lactobacillus Acidophilus. Lactobacillus is the genus name while Acidophilus is the strain of bacteria.

Ever heard of it?

Good bacteria readily live and thrive in the intestines and the vagina where they protect against the invasion of and growth of bad bacteria that can cause infections and disease. Good bacteria also serve another useful function- they create lactase which is an enzyme found in the body that makes it possible for lactose or milk sugar to be broken down into simple sugars that the body can digest. The term “lactose intolerant” describes individuals whose bodies do not produce the enzyme lactase and therefore could greatly benefit from taking a probiotic supplement.

Taking a Lactobacillus Acidophilus supplement is also recommended after taking a supply of antibiotics. While antibiotics kill off the bad bacteria they also kill off some of the good bacteria as well. Supplements of this probiotic can help replenish the supply and balance the good and the bad bacteria to prevent another problem from starting. If you have ever developed a yeast infection following a bout of antibiotics then a probiotic supplement could be of help to you. Yeast infections occur because the balance of bacteria in the vagina has been upset and needs to be equalized. Probiotics can become the friendly equalizer of bacteria in this instance!

Probiotics encourage the immune system to work to its greatest capacity when you are healthy. When you become sick, probiotics comes to the rescue as they help to relieve a variety of health concerns- everything from colon cancer to liver cancer to indigestion and diarrhea.

Lactobacillus Acidophilus- A Funny Name for a Helping Hand

Lactobacillus Acidophilus aids in the production of the B vitamins folic acid, niacin and pyridoxine while the digestive process is taking place. The level of cholesterol is reduced in the blood when there are plenty of good bacteria around. Yeasts such as Candida albicans that are responsible for vaginal yeast infections (as previously mentioned) in women are reduced when Lactobacillus Acidophilus is plentiful in the body.

Lactobacillus Acidophilus can be found in yogurt that contains live bacterial cultures (always make sure it states that on the label as some brands have little if any bacterial cultures included), milk that is enriched with Acidophilus (again read the label carefully), miso and tempeh. For those who are not familiar with either miso or tempeh, miso is a fermented bean paste that derives from soybeans while tempeh is a “tender, chunky cake of fermented soybeans” that is a regular dietary element of Indonesian cooking.

Lactobacillus Acidophilus can also be consumed as a supplement and it can be purchased either in the alternative health food section of a grocery store or at a health food store. Preparations of Lactobacillus Acidophilus consist of liquid or dried cultures of living bacteria. Don’t be scared of the term “living bacteria” as it really is a very healthy thing! Most of the time these live cultures are grown in milk but sometimes they are not. The preparations can be purchased as freeze dried capsules, granules or powders and they usually require refrigeration. Before starting to take any form of a supplement, always talk it over with your doctor first.

To learn more about probiotics, please visit these websites:

http://nccam.nih.gov/health/probiotics/
http://www.canadianliving.com/health/prevention/understanding_probiotics.php
http://www.healingdaily.com/detoxification-diet/probiotics.htm

Becca