Probiotics are all the rage. Whether you want to lower the risk of getting sick, treat a certain disease, or just want to get healthy, probiotics are a good place to start.
Once you realize that your body contains more bacteria than cells, you can see the importance of taking care of the bacteria in your gut. These small organisms have a big impact on your health, and probiotic supplements are the best way to ensure that happens while you continue enjoying them.
Why You Need Probiotics
Since bacteria reside in your gut, it makes sense that happy bacteria will promote efficient digestion. What many people do not realize is that probiotics can help your bacteria to improve overall health, and has benefits to numerous systems in your body.
Help may start in your digestive tract, but regular probiotic consumption guarantees multiple health benefits you are likely not aware of. These include:
1.   Enhanced Immunity
The expansive length of your intestinal lining is a lot of ground for patrolling bacteria to cover. Probiotics help support your gut bacteria, which are responsible for maintaining mucosal lining in the intestines and supporting immune system function.
Since harmful bacteria also try to find a place to live, the more beneficial strains you have on hand, the better protected you are. Once pathogens make their way through the lining and gain access to the rest of your body, your immunity can become severely compromised.
2.   Efficient Digestion
Certain foods, such as carbohydrates, sugars, and fiber, do not get digested in the stomach, so you need intestinal flora to finish the process. Probiotics help gut bacteria to efficiently digest these foods, allowing beneficial nutrients to be available.
3.   Weight Management
The use of probiotics has recently been found to help individuals suffering with obesity. Certain probiotic strains have the ability to protect you against excessive weight gain.
Studies found that the guts of obese individuals contain different probiotic strains, indicating that the absence of certain cultures is involved in obesity. The presence of probiotics in the gut also promotes production of essential vitamins, such as B-complex and K, that allow for efficient nutrient absorption.
4.   Healthier Heart
Probiotics have been linked to reduced cholesterol levels, which can protect you from cardiovascular diseases. In addition to lowering bad cholesterol levels, probiotics have also been shown to regulate blood pressure.
5.   Enhanced Mental Health
The gut is often referred to as the second brain because of the direct communication between your brain and your gut. Anxious thoughts can cause you to get a jittery stomach, and an upset stomach can change your mood.
There is evidence that an imbalanced gut community is linked to depression and other mood disorders. To promote optimal mental health, a good place to start could be adding probiotics to your gut.
6.   Healthier Skin
The trillions of bacteria you support live in your gut and on your skin, which is why digestive health and skin health are linked to probiotics. Many skin conditions are linked to inflammation, and this can be easily controlled with probiotic foods or supplements.
By keeping inflammation under check, your skin will look and feel healthier, and issues like eczema flare ups will be reduced.
Getting the Best
Probiotic foods are everywhere, and you be consuming some of the best probiotic foods out there already. Just as you need the right foods for energy and optimal functioning, your gut also needs the right support. Probiotic foods help deliver live cultures to your gut to maintain balance and prevent pathogenic strains from taking over.
The more probiotic support you have, the healthier your gut, and you, will be.
Yogurt is the most popular probiotic food and is easy to incorporate into any diet. You need to take care when buying yogurts, however, because many have dangerous additives and are pasteurized. Too much pasteurization kills the beneficial cultures and additives and sugars will only promote the growth of harmful bacteria in your gut.
Try making your own yogurt from scratch or buy brands that are natural with no additives. You can always add granola, honey, or fruit to give it a little taste.
Kimchi is a fermented vegetable dish full of probiotics and supports the growth of beneficial bacteria in your gut. The organic acids used to ferment the food are ideal for cultivating bacteria, so the more you eat, the stronger your gut community will be.
Pickles are a popular and tasty snack that many people do not realize have probiotic benefits. The fermentation process promotes culture growth and as long as you choose an organic brand, you can be assured of a good crunch and a belly full of probiotics.
Lastly, kefir is a probiotic dairy drink made from fermented kefir grains. While it has a more tart taste than milk, it can be used in the same way and is more beneficial to your health. Being fermented with yeast and bacteria makes kefir a great source for between ten and thirty different bacterial strains.
A Natural, Powerful Alternative
In the event probiotic foods do not suit your palate, there are a number of supplements you can get. The best probiotic supplements will be from a reputable brand and have been clinically tested and proven to work.
In addition to this, they will contain live, active cultures, preferably large quantities and large variety. The amount you need will depend on the health benefits you are looking for, so you should speak with your doctor about getting the best probiotic supplement for you.
Whether it sounds gross or not, we are made up of bacteria. Without them, we run the risk of developing serious diseases. Probiotic foods and supplements help maintain the integrity, strength, and balance of your gut community so that, in turn, your gut can promote better digestive health, stronger immunity, improved mental health, and overall quality of life and optimal health.
Article Submitted By Community Writer
