Have you ever taken probiotics?  Do you know what they are or what they are for?

Probiotics are a family of healthy, friendly, �good� bacteria that live in our digestive tract.  They help to keep our digestion in balance, help regulate PH, decrease yeast, stop diarrhea and also help alleviate constipation.  These friendly bacteria are also very helpful for the immune system, have anti-inflammatory effects and may help prevent many infections.

There are many different strains of probiotics.  The most common being Lactobacilius.  There is also Bifidus, Rhamnosus, Saccharomyces to name a few.  Quality brands are usually found in the refrigerated section of a health food store. 

Probiotics are especially needed and beneficial if someone has colitis, irritable bowel syndrome, or autoimmune disorders of the gut.  Also, they should definitely be used if you are on antibiotics since the good bacteria in the gut are destroyed by antibiotics.  And aside from the above, I recommend taking probiotics in general as a good preventative measure.

I typically recommend someone take a probiotic daily when they are sick or on antibiotics.  
As a preventative measure, I recommend taking probiotics two or three times a week.

All of the body�s nutrients come from our digestive tract.  As such, keeping our digestive tract healthy is very important for the immune system and for our brain.  Taking probiotics during this flu season will help maintain a healthy immune system to fight off getting sick.