Probiotics: What is it?

Probiotics are live bacteria and yeasts that may help prevent and treat disease by keeping your digestive tract and immune system healthy.

What does it do?

Microbes-bacteria, yeast, and viruses- living in your gut, collectively called the microbiome, influence health, and disease through complex interactions with your immune system.

When these microbial communities get out of whack- through poor diet, too much antibiotic use and stress or illness- the result can be immune, metabolic and even mental health problems.

Probiotics (the live microbes and yeast found in supplements) or prebiotics (foods that promote the growth of good microbes, including yogurt, sauerkraut, miso, and other fermented foods) may help restore a healthy microbiome and normalize immune function.

Scientists believe some types of probiotics are effective for diseases such as Rheumatoid Arthritis, but no one is exactly sure what those are (or even certain what a healthy microbiome even looks like) however, it is believed that, for most people, consuming a probiotic supplement will have a beneficial effect on your health.

Also please note

The human microbiome and by association, probiotics, has been widely studied.  One meta-analysis of more than 150 studies involving more than 10,000 people concluded that probiotics successfully treat and prevent a wide range of GI problems, including IBS and can also quell inflammation in Rheumatoid Arthritis.

We suggest trying a generic probiotic that contains both Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium along with a probiotic yeast called Saccharomyces boulardii, which has been shown to reduce inflammation and help regulate the immune function.

 The latest research shows that the fastest way to a healthier gut may be through your diet.  You can shift your microbiome in as little as 24 hours by eating more plants and less meat, sugar and processed food.

To your health!

Jim