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Boost Your Immune System With Probiotics

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Probiotics have been a part of the human diet for over 5000 years. In the Old Testament, Abraham attributed his longevity to ingestion of fermented milk. Goat’s milk yogurt became known in 16th century France as a “wonder cure,” when a Turkish doctor saved King Francis I from intestinal disease with its use.

1908 Nobel Prize winner and microbiologist Elie Metchnikoff studied the trend of many people living to 100 in Bulgaria and credited their good health and longevity to a microbe in a popular Bulgarian yogurt. He named the microbe Lactobacillus Bulgaricus.

As complimentary and alternative medicine (CAM) is becoming more popular, there is a growing interest in probiotics and their effect on human health and wellbeing. Currently, probiotics are destroyed by cooking, pasteurization and processing of foods and with the use of chlorination in tap water. These methods result in the removal of all microbes from the water and food supply, both healthy and unhealthy.

Within the normal digestive tract, there are hundreds of types of probiotic or “good” bacteria. Some of the more important genus types include: Lactobacillus, Streptococcus, Bifidobacterium, and Saccharomyces. These bacteria help maintain natural balance of organisms in human intestines.

Friendly bacteria give support to the digestive tract and boost the immune system with protection from disease-causing bacteria. Ratios of “good” to “bad” bacteria differ in every individual, and these ratios can be a key factor to a person’s health and well-being.

Probiotics can be found in dietary supplements, in the form of capsules, tablets and powders and also in many foods like cottage cheese, yogurt, miso, sour dough breads, sauerkraut and soy drinks. Many people consume probiotic foods or supplements as a way to:

• Improve the population of good bacteria in the body.
• Protect the body when taking antibiotics, as these kill both disease-causing and friendly bacteria.
• Offset possible symptoms of antibiotics, like stomach cramps and diarrhea.
• Help enhance digestion and combat intestinal gas.

We are learning more each day about the effects of probiotics on the health of the human body. Among various current studies, the National Center for Complimentary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) is sponsoring some exciting research projects involving probiotics:

• A team at Tufts-New England Medical Center is studying the effectiveness of probiotics to stop bacteria that cause severe infections in those who are hospitalized or have weakened immune systems.
• The Mayo Clinic College of Medicine is examining whether probiotics may decrease substances in the urine that can cause kidney stones and other problems.
• Researchers from Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine are studying the effects of probiotics to treat diarrhea in undernourished children from developing countries.

This new research is both ground breaking and exciting. If probiotics can improve human health and vitality, they are definitely worth investigating!