. As surprising as it may seem, not all bacteria are bad for you! Some bacteria may actually help you stay healthy, and these are what we call probiotics. Natural probiotics are found in your digestive tract and are known to reduce inflammation, support the immune system, promote healthy digestion, maintain clear skin. They help your body fight off a number of diseases. Researchers and physicians have been observing the benefits of this type of “good bacteria” for years. And the positive contribution it can make to your overall health and wellness has become increasingly evident.
What Are Probiotics?
The Cleaveland Clinic refers to probiotics as “live bacteria and yeasts that are called ‘the good’ microorganisms because they benefit the body, specifically the digestive system”. Whilst we often associate bacteria with “germs”, they can be instrumental in helping your body to function at its best. Probiotics support your immune system by increasing nutrient absorption and helping your body to fight off infection. By helping your gut to stay healthy, probiotics also contribute to the production of Vitamin B12 and increased enzyme production to eradicate bad bacteria.
According to experts in this field, your gut flora balance should be about 85% of good bacteria vs 15% bad bacteria. When an imbalance occurs, you have too much “bad” fungus, bacteria, or yeast in your body. It’s only in recent years that a lack of sufficient probiotic intake has become a problem for many. In the past, most people had enough probiotics in their diets from eating fresh foods and also the practice of food fermentation to prevent spoiling.
However, our 21st-century diet has reduced our probiotic intake. Food fermentation is no longer necessary for preserving food, and we’ve lost the benefits of those important probiotics. Increased sanitation in agriculture (soaking foods with chlorine) and refrigeration has also contributed a great deal to this problem.
Healthy Gut = Healthy Immune System
Research has shown that around 80% of our immune system is located in the gut. And it’s only in recent years that we’ve begun to acknowledge just how important this is. Your second brain – the enteric nervous system – is located in the gut and creates 95% of the serotonin in your body. This can play a vital role in both your mood and brain functioning. When this is added to the various other health issues associated with an unhealthy gut, it’s not surprising that professionals are starting to look to the gut first when presented with an array of physical and mental health conditions.
The key to rebalancing your gut flora is to consume more probiotic foods and supplements to regain proper balance in your system. Since such a large percentage of your health originates in your gut, it’s clear that optimizing gut health is essential for maintaining your overall health and well-being. Avoiding enemies of good bacteria such as sugar, alcohol, and stress, are the first steps in promoting good gut health. Whilst preventing the onset of/treating digestive issues such as acid reflux and IBS.
How to Increase Your Probiotic Intake
You can add more probiotics to your diet by increasing your intake of fermented foods, adding more high-fiber food to feed the probiotics in your system, and supplementing daily with a high-quality probiotic. However don’t forget that it’s still important to address other factors that could be killing off your good bacteria, such as a high sugar intake, chronic stress, too many processed foods, and certain medication (consult with your doctor if you believe this is an issue), over sanitation, inadequate sleep, alcohol, lack of exercise, and smoking.
Add A Daily Probiotic to Your Diet
Adding our Advanced Probiotics to your diet will boost your energy, heal your gut, improve your overall wellness, reduce bloating, and reduce your risk of infection.
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