The Beneficial Elements of Bacteria

Recently there's been a lot of talk about bacteria in certain foods that is supposedly good for your over all health. These bacteria are called probiotics, and as the prefix 'pro' hints at, they are indeed, very much good for you. Probiotics are live microorganisms that are only found in certain foods or supplements that promote good health and well being. There are trillions of bacteria that already live in your stomach. Don't let that fact alarm you, says dietician Amy Campbell, the majority of these organisms are good for us. However when the balancing act between those that are good for us and those that doctors consider bad for our systems are thrown off, our health can suffer. Usually getting your system off balance occurs when we take antibiotics, as these kill off those probiotics that are good for us as well as those that can harm our health. This is often shown by signs like diarrhea, gas, bloating and constipation. Chronic conditions like irritable bowel syndrome and rheumatoid arthritis may also be associated with having fewer beneficial bacteria in our system. However, if you eat plenty of foods which contain the friendly bacteria it will replace those that were lost through antibiotics or other reasons.

Probiotics can also help to treat chronic diarrhea. When your system is under attack it will show signs in several ways, probiotics can actually help in easing and stopping those bothersome symptoms like cramps and bloating. Probiotics also help to support a healthy immune system, which means far fewer intestinal problems. You can buy priobotic supplements at any pharmacy or health food store. However, the best way to get yours may be through the foods you eat. Getting them through the foods we eat ,means that we have the added benefit of also getting additional vitamins and minerals our bodies require. Foods containing probiotics have a distinct, tangy taste due to the bacteria they contain. Some foods that are known to contain live bacteria that are beneficial to your system is yogurt ( but only if there is a live culture seal on the label). Buttermilk is also an excellent source of beneficial bacteria. Some people can't tolerate the strong taste and if you are one of those try using it in cooking as much as you can. Or an old fashioned idea my mom loves, is to combine buttermilk with cornbread just from the oven and eat it. Sour cream is also a good source. Add it to your baked potatoes, nachos or just about anything you cook. Personally I could eat sour cream with anything and everything. Sauerkraut is another excellent choice. As well as sour dough bread and blue cheese or any other strong smelling cheeses. You can make the healthy effects on your body even stronger when eating probiotics, by consuming ingestible carbohydrates that stay in the intestine and nourish friendly bacteria. These are found in oatmeal, flax, greens, berries and legumes. A few simple and easy ways to get the probiotics your system needs everyday would be to add a dollop of yogurt to your cereal or oatmeal every morning. Sprinkle bleu cheese on your spinach salad, which gives you a double dose of probiotics. Have a cup of barley or bean soup every day for lunch. Include ground flax meal in your daily smoothies. There are so many way to get this very much needed element into your system daily. For information on probiotics and getting the amount you need everyday