Protect your Gut with Probiotics
Probiotics are live bacteria that line the digestive tract, keep the gut healthy, and help with digestion and immune function. It’s no wonder why probiotics play a critical role in immune function– nearly 80% of the immune system lies within the gut and Caltech estimates that 90% of all serotonin is made in the gut!
When there is an imbalance between beneficial bacteria and bad bacteria in the intestinal tract, the harmful bacteria sometimes dominate and can result in infections, digestive problems, depression, fatigue, and a wide variety of other symptoms and illnesses.
Our intestinal flora is not a static environment; it is constantly changing and is influenced heavily by factors over which we have some control as well as those we don’t. This range of influences include diet, stress, use of medications, health conditions, and environmental contaminants, as well as age and heredity.
Probiotics can perform several critical functions in the body. For example, probiotics can:
Help restore levels of beneficial bacteria in the intestinal tract after use of antimicrobials including antibiotics.
Help restore balance of good and bad bacteria in the body to ensure it functions optimally.
Help in the management of certain health challenges associated with an imbalance of good and bad bacteria, such as diarrhea, irritable bowel syndrome, depression, inflammatory bowel disease, allergies, and eczema, among others. Probiotics may also enhance immune system functioning and help keep your heart healthy by reducing blood cholesterol levels..
Expanding on the last bullet point, there are more far-reaching effects that probiotics can have on your health.
Allergies and eczema- Probiotics have been shown to significantly reduce the risk of infants developing eczema among breast-feeding mothers who took the beneficial bacteria supplements.
Diarrhea- Probiotics can be helpful in relieving various types of diarrhea, including antibiotic-associated diarrhea, infectious diarrhea, travelers’ diarrhea, and that of other causes.
Diabetes- Probiotics may help with blood glucose management and insulin sensitivity in people with type 2 diabetes.
Heart health- Research shows that probiotics may lower your levels of bad (LDL) cholesterol and total cholesterol as well as blood pressure.
Indigestion- Probiotics have been shown to ease the symptoms of indigestion and heartburn.
Mental health- Both animal and human studies have shown that use of probiotic supplements can assist in managing various mental health disorders, such as anxiety, autism, depression, memory, and obsessive-compulsive disorder.
To find more information about probiotics and how to keep your gut healthy, check out https://rachaelsgoodeats.com/lets-talk-probiotics/ or https://blog.paleohacks.com/the-ultimate-guide-to-probiotics/