Probiotics: the good bacteria
Every day, the battle rages in your gut, and just like the plot of an action movie, the "good guys" and the "bad guys" battle it out.
Characters like "Lactobacillus" and "Bifidobacterium" lead the charge to maintain a healthy gut environment, while keeping bad guys like "E. coli" out.
Our bodies, inside and out, have about one hundred trillion bacteriaThey outnumber human cells by a ratio of ten to one. We are just beginning to understand the vital role they play in our overall health.
Their effect extends far beyond the gut. Probiotics are finding new applications in mental health, immune system support and skin health.
The word "probiotic refers to living microorganisms (mainly bacteria) that have positive health effects when taken in sufficient doses.
Some experts even go so far as to say that we have a " deficiency in useful bacteria " that is associated with a range of worrisome health conditions, including obesity, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), chronic inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), autism, depression, allergies, diabetes, celiac disease and colorectal cancer.
Probiotic organisms are present in fermented foods such as yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut and kimchi, but it is not yet clear how much and which strains these foods actually provide. With a probiotic supplementWith a probiotic supplement, you know exactly what you're getting and in a form that allows them to pass through the stomach and its devastating acidity intact.
To learn about the full range of probiotic supplements, from capsules to liquids, visit La Boite à Grains.
The informative guide tothe seven nutrients that are most often missing in the diets of Canadians, according to Health Canada :