Your body plays host to about 100 trillion microbes, most of which live in your colon.  They grow, aid in digestion and prime the immune system.  More than 400 different types of bacteria can be found in the gastrointestinal tract.  Surprisingly, these bacteria won’t hurt you, and some, like probiotics are beneficial.  Probiotics are live microorganisms shown to have a positive effect on the body.

Any shift in the balance of bacteria may affect how well your gastrointestinal tract functions.

Why add probiotics?

The World Health Organization (among others) suggests that probiotics, when consumed on a daily basis may be beneficial in one or more ways:

• Helps strengthen the body's natural defenses by providing regular probiotic bacteria for the intestinal tract
• Provides a source of calcium to those individuals who are lactose intolerant and unable to consume most dairy foods
• Cholesterol: probiotics can raise the level of HDL – the good cholesterol
• Colon Cancer: probiotics help maintain a healthy intestinal microflora and promotes a healthy intestinal environment
• Constipation: probiotics help shorten long intestinal tract transit time and can improve regularity
• Diarrhea: probiotics maintain the level of "good bacteria" which balances bacterial and virus infections which can cause diarrhea
• High Blood Pressure: while more research is needed to reach a consensus, several studies have suggested that fermented dairy products may have a positive effect on blood pressure
• Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS): probiotics help restore the balance of bacteria and can eliminate the abdominal pain, gas or constipation
• Immunity: 70% of the body's immune system is located in the digestive tract where microflora act as a physical barrier to help fight diseases

How do I add probiotics to my diet?

Probiotics can be found in cultured dairy products such as yogurt or kefir, however, the number of live organisms varies greatly from product to product due to differences in processing methods.  Perhaps the best option is to take a supplement with several different strains, such as “Better Digestion, which includes three probiotics:  (Lactobacillis Acidophilus, Bifidobactierum Bifidum, Bacillus Coagulans) to strengthen the microflora in the small intestine and improve overall digestion.