What do you think when the word “bacteria” comes to mind? For most, the word may produce graphic images of infection and disease – scenarios that are fed by personal medical experiences as a result of these unseen organisms. One may be surprised to know, however, that more often than not, these single-celled organisms are actually working for the human body by promoting the health. A growing body of scientific evidences suggests that treatment and prevention of infections and diseases could come from consuming foods and supplements containing certain kinds of live bacteria.
These single-celled organisms, which we enter into a dynamic partnership with since birth, are live microbial food ingredients that benefit the human health. Commonly known as probiotics, they are categorized under the group of organisms known as lactic acid-producing bacteria and are normally consumed in the form of yogurt, fermented milks, or other fermented foods. A dairy product containing probiotics makes a healthy functional food package. Aside from the vitamin, calcium, other minerals, and protein obtained from milk products, modern research has suggested healthful properties of fermentation-deprived peptides and butyric acid found in some dairy products.
Since the mid-1990s, clinical studies have established that probiotic therapy can help treat several gastrointestinal ills, delay the development of allergies in children, and treat and prevent vaginal and urinary infections in women. Potentially, probiotics provide intestinal and immune system effects. Moreover, probiotics can also be attributed in reducing the risk of certain cancers, detoxifying carcinogens, elevated blood cholesterol, treatment of food allergies, and synthesizing nutrients, such as folic acid, niacin, riboflavin, vitamin B6, and vitamin B12.
At birth, the gastrointestinal tract of humans amasses about 10 times as many bacteria as there are cells in the body. So numerous are the bacteria associated with the human body that they outnumber human cells by 10 to 1. It is these bacteria that are responsible for priming the gastrointestinal immune system. These intestinal microflora infesting the intestinal tract are important for the maturation of the immune system, the development of normal intestinal morphology, and maintenance of a continued and immunologically balanced inflammatory response.
These microbes in the large intestine complete the digestion process on any food components that were not digested in the small intestine, such as lactose in lactose-intolerant people or fibers resistant to the enzymes they encounter in the small intestine. On the other hand, there is also evidence of non-digestive microbial activities as well. Certain intestinal microbes are known to produce vitamin. Studies with special microbe-free laboratory animals also proved that without normal microbial populations, the immune system functions poorly, and resistance to pathogenic bacteria is greatly reduced.
The benefits of probiotics are, indeed, becoming more apparent with every day that passes and every new concluded study. Accessibility to these healthy bacteria is quite easy today. The supplements market contains many different product formats and contents, including capsules, liquids, tablets, and even food-like formats. For a reliable supply of these supplements, you may visit Better Living Natural Foods’ website located at http://www.betterlivingcanada.ca. They offer a wide variety of natural health products and food and boast an unparalleled level of caring and personalized and confidential customer service for their customers.
