Deliberately taking bacteria? Offhand you may dismiss it with a laugh.
You really shouldn’t.
There are many bacteria in our gut that perform essential functions and can offer us protection against a lot of issues.
So much so that in many cases you can avoid artificially made chemical concoctions and depend on bacteria that are already in your gut.
Take for example tummy ache in kids.
Anyone who’s ever had kids can attest to the fact that it’s a common enough issue.
Now, tummy ache can be due to various causes. Some of them, like appendicitis, gall bladder problems and hernia need instant attention from expert medical care professionals.
However if it’s due to more common issues like gas or bloating, may I suggest a round of probiotics?
A simple enough dose of Bifidobacterium infantis in conjunction with some other probiotics should relieve gas and bloating (which are both symptoms of Irritable Bowel Syndrome).
Instead of a yucky oral medicine, these probiotics are available in very attractive forms, for example as citrus flavored pearls(2). Taste is very important in persuading children to take them regularly.
A common enough problem faced by many teens is acne. Research indicates acne vulgaris to be associated with a type of bacteria known as Propionibacterium acne.
Thus far, researchers have been able to conclude that a healthy microbiome is key to keeping the acne-associated bacteria at bay.
A healthy and balanced microbiome is also key to ensuring that bad bacteria do not thrive on your skin.
During teen age, hormonal changes occur. Such changes almost inevitably result in excess sebum production which in turn will block pores.
In such a situation a balanced microbiome will ensure bad bacteria does not thrive, which should stop most acne symptoms from manifesting.
Vaginal and urinary tract infections are common and frequently embarrassing problems for women.
Now of course there are conventional treatments available for both but numerous studies show they may not be very effective always.
As before, regular probiotic consumption has a lot of potential to succeed where antibiotics may fail.
For example a preparation that combines Lactobacillus acidophilus and Lactobacillus brevis(1) should prove very effective in reducing UTI’s and vaginal issues.
In addition, such preparations almost invariably have many other positive effects like anti-aging and dealing with Irritable Bowel Syndrome.
And for all you men out there who keep eating red meat and worrying about rising cholesterol, there’s a probiotic solution for you as well!
Well, that doesn’t mean you should eat red meat till you drop, but you can keep consuming a reasonable amount while banking on a probiotic like one including Lactobacillus fermentum(1) while also helping with Irritable Bowel Syndrome symptoms and generally boosting immunity.
So, that’s about it.
I’ve taken up a number of typical issues for various demographics and explained the probiotic options there are for those. Probiotics are out there, growing in stature and offering easier solutions to many (not all though) issues and in some cases even outshining antibiotics.
Now, you choose.
