Pro=For Biotic=Life... are you FOR life?

The University of Maryland Medical School lists the following therapeutic uses for probiotic supplements:

• Replacing the "friendly" intestinal bacteria destroyed by antibiotics
• Aiding digestion and suppressing bacteria
• Preventing and treating diarrhea, including diarrhea caused by rotavirus (a virus that commonly causes diarrhea in children)
• Treating overgrowth of "bad" organisms in the gastrointestinal tract (a condition that tends to cause diarrhea and may occur from use of antibiotics)
• Alleviating symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome and, possibly, inflammatory bowel issues (such as Crohn's and ulcerative colitis)
• Preventing and/or reducing the recurrence of vaginal yeast issues, urinary tract problems, and cystitis. The best scientific evidence exists for severe upsets in vaginal health.
• Improving lactose absorption digestion in people who are lactose intolerant
• Enhancing the immune response. Studies have suggested that consumption of yogurt or milk that contains specific strains of Lactobacillus or supplements with Lactobacillus or Bifidobacterium may improve the natural immune response
• Aiding the treatment of respiratory issues such as sinusitis, bronchitis, and pneumonia
• Lowering risk of allergies. Examples include ones that involve labored breathing, hay fever, food allergies to milk, and skin reactions such as eczema
• Helping to treat high cholesterol
• Reducing the risk of recurring bladder tumors once this life threatening problem has been treated
• Other conditions under investigation for use of probiotics include life threatening issues in the colon, and Helicobacter pylori, an organism that can lead to development of stomach problems which are difficult to resolve.

OK, so maybe you have seen that list before, but recent research published in the British Journal of Nutrition shows that taking probiotics even reduces anxiety! The study showed that people who took probiotics for 30 days were far less stressed than those who did not take probiotics. And here are a couple more reasons to take supplemental probiotics. New studies show that probiotics reduce the harmful bacteria that cause gum issues and cavities and users of probiotics also incur a reduced rate of developing colds and coughs.


I'd love to share my favorite way of getting all of the probiotics I need on a daily basis!