Drop the soda, pick up this instead

Your body contains over 100 trillion microbial cells. The gut flora, "the forgotten organ", or gut microbiota is a community of eukaryote, bacteria and viruses that live in the digestive tract and are essential to our bodies' gut health. Bacteria colonies outweigh the amount of other communities like eukaryotic and viral. The bacteria in your gut fight off harmful disease, produce vitamin K, folate and are key to your health. An unbalanced gut can lead to numerous health effects such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and depression.

Probiotics are a living bacteria that provide numerous health benefits, including the treatment to many negative effects of infections and antibiotics. Those undergoing serious health problems like weakened immune systems who are taking antibiotics will benefit seriously from added probiotics to their diet. Because antibiotics kill any bacteria- the good and the bad, it shifts your gut health and ends up allowing harmful bacteria to thrive. Overuse of antibiotics have been linked to an increase in antiobiotics-resistent pathogens. While our body naturally heals very quickly, due to antibiotics, some taxa, or gut bacterial species, don't recover even months after treatment and creates a long term decrease in bacterial diversity. Because there is a reduced resistance to colonization of healthy bacteria, foreign microbes can outgrow others and cause permeant damage to long-term diseases and our gut health.

Probiotics are found in yogurts, kombuchas, fermented cheese, sauerkraut, cabbage, and apple cider vinegar. According to Frances Largeman-Roth, R.D.N, author of Eating in Color, “Probiotics are substances that encourage the growth of bacteria, specifically beneficial bacteria, that help to keep intestinal health in balance. A healthy balance of good bacteria in the body may help regulate weight and ward off a range of health issues.”

While it is possible to take probiotics orally from companies like Culturelle and VSL#3, organic food sources, like kombuchas, will always have more positive affects because they hold more elements than just probiotic health. Because your gut is highly sensitive to your diet the kind of probiotics that you are taking address different health conditions so it is crucial that you are taking the right types of probiotics. According to a The Impact of the Gut Microbiota on Human Health, "It has been shown in mice that shifting to a high-fat, high-sugar “Western” diet from a low-fat, plant polysaccharide-rich diet can change the microbiota within a day" (Turnbaugh et al., 2009b). Everyone has a unique microbiota, depending on each individuals diet, age, and external factors, like antibiotics, your gut microbiota will vary.

Kombucha, one of my favorite probiotics, is a fermented tea with little to no traces of alcohol that not only provides double the antioxidants that green tea does but kills harmful bacteria and has anti-inflammatory potential.

It has become apparent more recently that bacteria in the gut plays a critical role not only on the well being of of our digestive systems but in human development. This was shown in germ-free animal models who actually failed to mature correctly and resulted in allergic and autoimmune phenomena, as reviewed by Sommer F1, Bäckhed F, and so many more studies. As odd as it seems, bacteria is a vital component of what makes up our bodies.

Weight Loss

Those who are obese have a wildly different gut bacteria than those who are lean. Certain types of probiotic strains appear to induce weight loss. Strings like, Lactobacillus rhamnosus and Bifidobacterium lactis, have been linked to obesity prevention.

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Probiotics are generally beneficial in treatment and prevention of gastrointestinal diseases and can be found in various fermented plant-based foods.

Effects of probiotics

Serious gastrointestinal problems

Reducing the side effects of taking antibiotics

Increasing the immune system’s ability to fight against various pathogens (including antibiotic resistant pathogens)

Improving mental health concerning anxiety, depression and autism

Managing the symptoms of type 2 diabetes

Reducing the risk of cancer and irritable bowel disease

If you are experiencing digestive problems, added probiotics to your diet can be very beneficial, but always consult your doctor first.

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References