What are Probiotics and why you need them?
why you need them?
You may have heard of the term “probiotics” and seen them advertised and in the fridge at your local health food store or pharmacy, but are probiotics? And do you need them?
Probiotics are live bacteria, and yeasts that live throughout your body called bacterium.
This live bacterium lives in your digestive system, on your skin, in your nose, mouth and lungs. Most live bacteria hang out in millions of tiny organisms inside the gut-microbiota in your stomach, intestines and colon. Their role is to support your immune system.
Why do you need Probiotics or live bacteria to support your immune system?
Live bacteria in and on our body, are the first line of defence against foreign invaders, also known as pathogens that can cause infections and disease.
Pathogens can come from many different sources, some include:
Industrial pollutants in the environment, the air we breathe, treated tap water with chlorine and sodium fluoride, preservatives, flavor enhancers & harmful bacteria in foods and drinks, toxic fumes and chemicals used in construction & manufacturing including lead, mercury, radon, formaldehyde, benzene, cadmium, BPA, phthalates and pesticides.
What is the first line of defence & why is this important for immune health?
The first line of defence is your skin, respiratory and digestive system; therefore, pathogens like mentioned above can quickly enter the body, and circulate in the bloodstream. Therefore, your immune system must remain on high alert at all times to destroy the pathogens & protect you from getting sick.
If you have a weak immune system or are immune-compromised from a pre-existing health condition, you can quickly become vulnerable to catching infectious diseases, viral infections, or feel flu-like symptoms.
If you feel like you have a weak immune system, or immune-compromised, taking a daily probiotic could be quite beneficial for you.
Common probiotics and there uses include:
Lactobacillus & best uses:
Lactobacillus Acidophilus: vaginal health, diarrhea, acne
Lactobacillus Rhamnosus: GI support, eczema
Lactobacillus Plantarum: Inflammation
Lactobacillus Casei: Inflammation
Bifidobacterium & best uses:
Bifidobacterium Lactis: immunity
Bifidobacterium Longum: constipation, brain function
Bifidobacterium Bifidum: immunity, GI support
Bifidobacterium Breve: GI support, anti-aging
Streptococcus & best uses:
Streptococcus Thermophilus: GI support, skin support
How to decide the Best Probiotic for you?
It is essential to get the right probiotic to treat your symptoms. By understanding the right probiotic needed, will target where it is needed most and help get your gut health back on track and reduce your risk of getting sick.
Above we have listed some of the most common probiotics and uses; however, this is just the start, and with over 500 different strains of probiotics, it can be confusing as to know what stains are required to treat certain conditions.
If you feel lost and confused as to where to start getting the right probiotic for you, we recommend that you get in touch with a qualified health practitioner, or gut health specialist to assess your individual needs. If you would like more information on this, please contact Amanda for a free 20-minute consultation on the following link. (link to contact form).
Should you wish to obtain your probiotics from foods, this is possible also provided that you consume a wide variety of probiotic foods and pre-biotic foods. (Pre-biotic foods we will address on another featured article).
To get you started on recommended probiotic foods today, we list 7-of our favourites below that have proven health benefits for gut and immune health.
“7-Probiotic Foods that are good for gut & immune health.”
1. Yogurt
Made from milk that has been fermented by friendly bacteria, mainly lactic acid and bifidobacteria. (Avoid cow’s milk yogurt if you are lactose intolerant & choose coconut yogurt with live active bacteria cultures).
2. Sauerkraut
Sauerkraut, also high in vitamins C, B and K, is finely cabbage that has been fermented by lactic bacteria. Make your own, or buy from a store.
3. Kimchi
Kimchi is fermented, spicy cabbage sometimes containing other vegetables and is a popular Korean side dish. Kimchi contains the lactic acid bacteria Lactobacillus kimchi, and other lactic acid bacteria that may benefit digestive health.
4. Tempeh
Tempeh is fermented soybean product high in phytic acid, an anti-oxidant, with numerous health benefits.
5. Natto
Natto is another fermented soybean product like tempeh and miso and contains bacterial strain called Bacillus subtilis.
6. Miso
Miso is a Japanese seasoning made from fermenting soybeans and is a good source of protein and fibre and high in vitamins K, manganese and copper.
7. Kombucha
Kombucha is a popular tea drink fermented by a friendly colony of bacteria and yeast and contains probiotic properties.
8. Kefir
Kefir is a fermented probiotic milk drink, made by adding kefir grains to milk. Choose coconut, rice or almond milk as dairy alternatives.
How do you ensure the right balance of probiotics supplements and foods to support good gut and immune health, and help protect against infectious diseases and, viral infections?
It’s always a good idea to obtain as many probiotics from food sources as possible. However, if this is not possible or you have been sick recently or taken anti-biotics, then supplementation with a good quality therapeutic probiotic would undoubtedly provide benefits in supporting gut and immune health.
If however you are sensitive or intolerance to probiotics supplements or probiotic foods, then you may be suffering from leaky gut and require a gut healing program before being able to tolerate a wide variety of probiotic supplements & foods. If this sounds like you and you would like help overcoming food sensitivities and intolerances, and or like to learn more about gut healing, then please contact us for a free 20-minute consult to see how we can help you here.
For a full range of our products and services, and how we can help you improve your gut and immune health, please visit our shop page.
References:
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/11-super-healthy-probiotic-foods#section2
https://www.webmd.com/digestive-disorders/what-are-probiotics#1
https://www.livescience.com/51641-bacteria.html
https://www.precisionnutrition.com/all-about-environmental-toxin
https://www.humnutrition.com/blog/the-guide-to-choosing-the-best-probiotic-for-you/
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/best-probiotic-supplement