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Probiotic Benefits & Gut health…Should you be taking them

Should you be taking Probiotics?  

There is a lot of information around presently on probiotic benefits and their impact on gut health.

So, what’s all the fuss about…

Are they really that beneficial and can they improve my health if I’m already feeling reasonably well?

Can they cure gastrointestinal symptoms or other totally non related symptoms I may be experiencing?

The short answer to the two above questions is a resounding……………YES

 

Probiotics can really improve your overall health and also relieve and target a very wide range of symptoms and conditions, not just symptoms related to the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) either.  Many of studies have focussed on GIT symptom relief such as constipation, diarrhoea, bloating and cramping but there is also much evidence from the use of probiotics benefiting for other disease states.

The old saying “All disease begins in the Gut” cited by Hippocrates centuries ago was a very insightful quote and the more research that goes into this area the more true this statement is becoming.

There are over 100 trillion bacteria present in and on out body at any given time, when compared to the 10 trillion cells of our body, that is a lot of bacteria.  Most of them are good bacteria with around 90% of them residing in our gastrointestinal tract, which is often termed the “Gut” when people talk about healing the gut collectively.

A number of studies and clinical evidence that show the resounding effect using probiotics and rebalancing the microbiota of the gut can have on a person’s overall health.

Key areas that probiotics can help

• IBS symptoms – Constipation, diarrhoea, cramping, bloating
• Skin issues – eczema, psoriasis, dryness
• Auto immune disorders – Hashimoto’s, rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn’s disease
• Mood disorders – depression, anxiety
• Energy production – Fatigue / lethargy
• Musculoskeletal – aches and pains, joint issues
• Respiratory – Asthma, sinusitis
• Immune defence and many more

Probiotic supplementation aside, the best way to influence good and diverse range of gut bacteria is to eat a healthy well balanced whole food diet.  This would consist of generous amounts of vegetables, fruit, protein sources, quality fats and minimal to no refined foods.

Eating processed foods and foods with added sugar, alcohol, environmental toxins, pesticides and a range of other chemicals we are exposed to on a daily basis all influence our microbiome balance and harm our good bacteria.  Often, a way to jumpstart a shift toward a more healthy set of gut bacteria is to use a high strength probiotic supplement.

So what probiotics are best to take?  There are so many different strains, some must be kept in the fridge, others are heat stable and prices vary dramatically.

I have developed a 4 page guide to choosing the right probiotic supplement for you and your family.  It includes an explanation of some of the different probiotic strains, beneficial uses and specific Australian brand supplements that I commonly prescribe in clinic and see favourable results with.

To have the Probiotic Supplement Guide emailed directly to your inbox now, please fill in your name and email address below.