PROBIOTICS

Most people know that there are infectious bacteria that cause disease. However there are also bacteria that line your digestive tract. These good bacteria are extremely important for proper digestion and assimilation of foods. The good bacteria are called probiotics, and they line your digestive tract from your mouth through your large intestine. When they are in balance digestion goes smoothly, but when they are out of balance you can have symptoms like constipation, diarrhea, gas, cramping, bloating, sometimes heartburn, acid indigestion and mouth ulcers. Food sources for probiotics include fermented foods like homemade sauerkraut, yogurt that states on the container “contains active yogurt cultures”, kim chi, homemade buttermilk, Kefir ( a yogurt like drink). You can also get them in capsules from a health food store. Some form of probiotic containing food (or capsules) should be eaten daily to keep the immune system in top condition.