Friendly Bacteria

From November 2012 Yoga Journal

"The friendly bacteria--known as probiotics--that live in your gastrointestinal tract are key players in your immune system, says Shekhar K. Challa, MD, a gastroenterologist in Topeka, Kansas, and the author of Probiotics for Dummies.  In addition to producing enzymes and proteins that kill harmful bacteria that enter your body, probiotics colonize the limited amount of real estate on your intestinal walls, leaving little room for the bad guys.  Ideally, good flora dominate your gut's ecosystem, but Challah warns that the balance can be upset by stress, illness, acid-reducing medications, antibiotics, and the consumption of too much refined sugar, animal fat, coffee, and alcohol.

One way to increase your body's population of beneficial bacteria is by eating them; good food sources include yogurt (as long as the label says "live cultures"), cheese, kefir, and unpasteurized (that is, refrigerated) sauerkraut, kimchi, miso, tempeh, and kombucha.  If you're dealing with a health condition, Challa says you can get more impact by taking supplements (see below).  Even if you're healthy, he says, 'a daily dose of probiotics, via food and supplements, will help keep your good bacteria in control, which is crucial for digestive and immune health."'  ~Karen Asp

[Studies have shown that taking probiotic supplements may prevent or relieve gastrointestinal ailments like traveler's diarrhea, prevent upper respiratory infections, and provide relief for urinary tract infections, yeast infections, and allergies.  Challa recommends choosing a supplement with multiple bacterial strains (at least five) and with encapsulation (to increase the chances it survives your stomach acids) and taking 5 to 10 billion CFUs (colony-forming units) daily.  To increase its viability, choose a brand that contains prebiotic fiber.] ~Karen Asp