Eat Your Bacteria! ( pro-biotics)

We tend to think of bacteria as invaders of the body that must be destroyed. Yet one of the healthiest things you can do for your digestive system is to eat bacteria—friendly bacteria, that is, commonly called Pro-biotics.

Think of your digestive system as a compost pile. In a compost pile, bacteria help break down the organic material, turning it into healthy nutrients for your garden. In your digestive tract bacteria help break down the food you eat, as well as fight invaders and keep the chemical balance you need to be healthy.

You were born with lots of friendly bacteria in your system that, all your life, have been reproducing themselves. But if you’ve ever used antibiotics, taken digestive aids or over-the-counter medicines for your stomach, had a yeast infection, drink alcohol, or eat unhealthy foods—I think that covers just about everyone—your balance of bacteria may be off. Adding bacteria on a daily basis will ensure that your digestive system has what it needs to stay healthy.

Think about it: A healthy digestive system will increase your longevity by processing your foods better. This means extracting more nutritional value from food and more efficiently getting rid of waste products. But to add healthy bacteria, you really do have to eat it. There are several forms that work well—choose the one that tastes best to you.

One way to get your pro-biotics ( friendly bacteria)  is yogurt. But don’t confuse yogurt with the commercially popular “yogurt” you see in grocery stores. Originally conceived as diet food, most big-brand yogurts are full of sugar or, even worse, artificial sugars, as well as artificial coloring, fruits, gelatin, and other ingredients designed to make them tasty, guilt-free treats for those who want to be slim.

That’s not what I mean by yogurt. I’m talking about milk and yogurt cultures in a jar, with nothing added. And no, you don’t have to eat the whole jar. A tablespoon or two of yogurt each day is all you need to meet your friendly bacteria needs. If you like the taste, eat it alone. If you need to disguise it, put it in a protein shake, or mix with milk in a blender.

Yogurt was originally invented to preserve dairy products with no refrigeration. Now, I hope, it will be seen as a helpful supplement to your food intake. When you shop for yogurt, get the real stuff. Pick a brand with live yogurt cultures, little or no sugar, no artificial sugars or colors, and no growth hormones. You may have to get it at the health-food store; while you’re there, check out the kefir.

Kefir products are another good way to get friendly bacteria. Kefir is another cultured milk product. You will find it near the yogurt in the refrigerated section. Kefir comes in the forms of a soft cheese (like sour cream) and a flavored milkshake-like drink. It may be just the thing for you if yogurt is not to your liking.

Next, look in the refrigerated supplement section for friendly bacteria ( pro-biotics) in pill form, or a liquid that you can take by the teaspoon. A high quality pro-biotic supplement will be kept in the refrigerated section as it needs to be kept cold.(The last two are for those of you who can’t stand the taste of yogurt.) If you’re lactose-intolerant and want to avoid dairy, you can take the pills, a teaspoon of liquid, or try soy yogurt.

 

Further Reading

 

How to Get Well, by Paavo Arola, M.D.

www.aboutyogurt.com