Probiotics and Prebiotics....What is it? And why do we Need it?

Have you swallowed any beneficial bacteria today? This is the latest health fad sweeping the food industry. You see it everywhere - bread containing “prebiotics” and yogurt with “live active probiotic cultures”.

Until a few decades ago, our diet provided good bacteria for the healthy functioning of our gut. We used to eat lots of fermented products because that was the way we preserved our food and we also ate far more root vegetables and plant based foods that contained prebiotics – indigestible foods like chicory root, whole grains and fermented cabbage that stimulates the growth of good bacteria. Unfortunately, food processing has changed all of that and combined with the rampant misuse of antibiotics (from doctor over-prescription and in the animals we eat), the beneficial bacteria and the flora in our gut has been disrupted.

Scientists estimate that there is 2 lbs of bacteria and over 1500 types of bacteria in the human colon. Most of these are beneficial or harmless bacteria that outnumber our cells 10 to 1. What’s interesting is that when we defecate, half of what comes out is bacteria so it is important to replenish and feed that supply.

Here are the proven benefits of probiotic therapy:

•Good bacteria can aid digestion and helps maintain a strong immune system especially during the cold and flu season.

•It impacts the well-being of some tissues and organs like the brain, skin & vagina.

•Significant anti-inflammatory benefits have been seen in patients with inflammatory bowel diseases like crohns and ulcerative colitis.

•Probiotics help resolve diarrhea, flatulence and nausea. It is especially useful in HIV positive individuals who suffer these symptoms.

•Combined with antibiotic/antifungal therapy (be it pharmaceutical or natural antibiotics), women with bacterial vaginosis and urinary tract infections have a greater chance of being cured than those taking antibiotics alone.

•Probiotics bring into harmony an overactive immune system in people suffering with allergies.

•Lab studies in rats have shown their cholesterol drops by 8-10% without side effects

When it comes to buying probiotics in supplements form, it is "caveat emptor - buyer beware." Not all probiotics are created equal. Do your research and ask a knowledgeable health care provider or your naturopath about which companies/brands have a good reputations for having live bacteria that can withstand the acidic environment of the stomach.

TIP: It's best to take your probiotics with meals as the food will dampen the acidity of the environment and will allow more of the good bacteria to reach your small intestines where they will start to work their magic.