Probiotics for Inner Balance

Where anti-biotics kill bacteria, including the friendly ones, pro-biotics work with the existing inner ecosystem to restore the balance.

Probiotics are live microorganisms (in most cases, bacteria) that are similar to beneficial microorganisms found in the human gut. That’s why when you look at yogurt containers you want to find the ones that have *live* cultures. They are also called "friendly bacteria" or "good bacteria."

The world is full of microorganisms (including bacteria), and so are people's bodies—in and on the skin, in the gut, and in other places. Friendly bacteria are vital to proper development of the immune system, to protection against microorganisms that could cause disease, and to the digestion and absorption of food and nutrients.

Probiotics have been known to help with:

• Diarrhea
• Irritable bowel syndrome
• Inflammatory bowel disease (e.g., ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease)
• Infection with Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori), a bacterium that causes most ulcers and many types of chronic stomach inflammation
• Tooth decay and periodontal disease
• Vaginal infections
• Stomach and respiratory infections that children acquire in daycare
• Skin infections

Available in foods and dietary supplements, they can easily be added to your diet. Some foods containing probiotics are: yogurt with live cultures, fermented and unfermented milk, miso, tempeh, and some juices and soy beverages.

Information from MedicineNet.com.