What are Probiotics?
Probiotics are live bacteria and yeasts that are good for your health, especially your digestive system. They are often referred to as ‘good’ or ‘friendly’ bacteria because they help to keep your gut healthy.
How do Probiotics work?
Probiotics work by restoring the natural balance of bacteria in your gut. This can be disrupted by many factors such as antibiotics, stress, poor diet and illness, which can kill off the ‘good’ bacteria in your gut and allow the ‘bad’ bacteria to thrive.
Probiotics can help to boost your immune system by:
- Producing antibodies
- Strengthening the intestinal lining
- Inhibiting pathogen growth
- Regulating the immune system
How can Probiotics boost your Immune System?
Your gut is home to millions of bacteria, both good and bad. When the balance of these bacteria is disrupted, it can lead to a variety of health problems, including a weakened immune system.
Probiotics can help to boost your immune system by increasing the number of ‘good’ bacteria in your gut. This can improve the function of your immune system and help to protect against infections and diseases.
Reducing the risk of infections
Probiotics can help to reduce the risk of infections by inhibiting the growth of harmful bacteria. They do this by producing antimicrobial substances that kill off the bad bacteria.
Probiotics can also help to stimulate the production of antibodies, which are proteins that help to identify and destroy harmful invaders such as viruses and bacteria.
Treating and preventing allergies
Probiotics may also help to treat and prevent allergies by regulating the immune system. Allergies occur when the immune system overreacts to a harmless substance such as pollen or pet dander. Probiotics can help to reduce this overreaction and prevent the symptoms of allergies.
Improving Digestive Health
Probiotics are often recommended for digestive problems such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). They can help to reduce the symptoms of these conditions by restoring the natural balance of bacteria in the gut.
How to get more Probiotics in your diet?
You can get more probiotics in your diet by eating fermented foods such as:
- Yogurt
- Kefir
- Sauerkraut
- Kimchi
- Miso
- Tempeh
- Kombucha
You can also take probiotic supplements which are available in capsule, tablet, and powder form. It is important to choose a high-quality supplement that contains a variety of probiotic strains.
Conclusion
Probiotics are an important part of a healthy diet. They can help to boost your immune system by restoring the natural balance of bacteria in your gut. It is important to eat a variety of fermented foods and take a high-quality probiotic supplement to ensure you are getting enough ‘good’ bacteria in your diet.
