What are Probiotics

Probiotics are those “good bacteria” we’ve all heard about but what are they exactly? Probiotics are live organisms that help your digestive organs work the way they are meant to.

When working properly your digestive system breaks down the food you eat into smaller compounds. These compounds are then absorbed by your digestive system for your body to use.  Left over material that was not absorbed is then regularly eliminated from your body. This is an important process.

What do Probiotics Do?

Simply put, probiotics help to create and maintain conditions that allows for efficient movement and absorption of food by the gut. Probiotics or “good bacteria” make up your gut flora. Your gut flora is made up of many different types of “good bacteria”;   there are trillions of them and they are meant to be balanced. When the balance of “good bacteria” is no longer ideal then digestive problems can occur.

Common signs of poor gut flora balance

When your gut flora is out of balance there are some common signals that your body may give, to let you know there is a problem.  These signals may be:

• Gas
• Bloating
• Heartburn/Acid reflux
• Diarrhea
• Constipation

People with diets that are low in fruits in vegetables are more prone to have a poor balance of “good bacteria” to make up their gut flora.

In addition, people who use antibiotics can experience poor balance of “good bacteria” because the medication will kill off useful bacteria as well as bacteria that are causing illness. So, people taking antibiotics may be more prone to experience digestive problems as a side-effect of their medication. If you have taking antibiotics for infection, talk to your prescribing doctor about Probiotics to prevent digestive upset.

The best way to maintain your gut flora is to eat a diet full of vegetables and fruit.  Doing so will have so many more benefits to your health and well being on top of maintaining your gut flora.

If you do not eat a balanced diet, it will take some time to develop that habit. In this case consider using a probiotic supplement. A Probiotic supplement will help to restore and maintain your gut flora, allowing for more efficient digestive function.

Gut health is extremely important to your overall health and well being, so pay careful attention to it. At Oliver Chiropractic Wellness Clinic our goal is for you to experience the health and well-being you are meant to.

Take care.