Surely you have already heard about probiotics, but do you know why are they necessary?

The word probiotic stands for living bacteria that contribute (Pro) to the equilibrium of living organisms (Biotic).

You can also think of probiotics as an army of microorganisms that are designed to live in symbiosis with you. Symbiosis simply means that there are other organisms which you provide them a living environment and they provide for you healthful or protective elements in return.

Probiotics are found naturally in the body, but may also be present in some foods such as yogurt or kephir. However, I do not recommend yogurt as a way to get the bacteria because yogurt is a dairy product which has many undesirable effects.

So why are they important? Probiotics in your stomach and intestines create the environment for numerous functions to happen throughout the body, such as:

• Boosting the immune system by increasing the production of defense cells called macrophages.
• Limiting the proliferation of harmful bacteria in the intestine.
• Producing vitamins, assisting the body in absorbing minerals, and eliminating toxins.
• Digesting and absorbing certain nutrients and carbohydrates.
• Fighting antibiotic side effects.
• Helping digest lactose, especially in people with lactose intolerance.
• Preventing problems such as obesity, high cholesterol, and hypertension.
• Preventing food allergies and intolerances.
• Fighting and prevent intestinal diseases such as colitis, irritable bowel syndrome, Crohn’s disease, and intestinal inflammation.
• Improving digestion and combat acidity.

Where do you find them? There are two main ways to get probiotics: The first is through the consumption of foods rich in natural probiotics such as fermented foods like sauerkraut. In Asian cultures, for example, pickled fermentations of cabbage, turnips, eggplant, cucumbers, onions, squash and carrots still exist today.

The other is through the use of probiotic supplements.  Probiotics can also be consumed in the form of supplements in capsules, liquids or sachets, which must be diluted in water or natural juices to be drunk. Some examples are Lacteol Fort, Liolactil, and Pro-T-Flor, and can be found in pharmacies and nutrition stores.

In addition to the consumption of probiotics throughout supplements or foods rich in these bacteria, it is also necessary to maintain a healthy diet rich in fibers as these are the primary food for probiotics.

Keep in mind that having a diet based on processed foods or mostly cooked foods reduce your chances of having an optimal balance of bacteria in your digestive tract. For example, sugar is an incredibly efficient fertilizer for growing bad bacteria and harmful yeasts in the intestinal tract. So if you abuse it, you are fueling the damaging bacteria.