Using Good Bacteria for Better Health
Good and Bad Bacteria
As we all grow up, we think of all bacteria as bad. We classified it as . Of course, our mothers had a very big role in this classification, we all heard the saying "Wash your hands, there are a lot of bacteria outside, you will get sick" when we came from outside as children. However, you may need to reconsider your perception of bad bacteria in your mind for the sake of your health, especially your gut health. The human gut is vast and mysterious, like the Milky Way Galaxy. It hosts approximately 100 trillion bacteria. The term “Gut Flora” is used to describe the biography of these bacteria that live inside you.
The role of good bacteria is to balance the bad kind. This balance ensures that your overall gut health remains at a high level. In addition to aiding digestion, good bacteria block dangerous organisms that can cause infections, such as Salmonella and E. coli. Good bacteria also strengthen the immune system and suppress uncontrolled inflammation. Some research even suggests that their role in gut health may improve brain function. But sometimes, this balance between good and bad bacteria is disrupted. For example, factors such as following a typical Western diet high in saturated fat, sugar, and empty carbohydrates, and exposure to environmental toxins such as pollution can lead to too much bad bacteria developing in the gut and causing an imbalance. Additionally, overuse of certain medications, especially antibiotics, can disrupt the balance of good bacteria along with bad bacteria. When bad bacteria take over the body, good bacteria can no longer do their job.
In such a situation, good bacteria need help, and this is exactly where probiotics come into play. Probiotics—fermented foods like yogurt, kale, or supplements—bring better types of bacteria to your gut. It helps maintain the balance between good and bad bacteria and keeps your intestines healthy. Ongoing research shows that probiotics have benefits far beyond those for the gut, and will be discussed later in this report. This suggests that it may help treat or prevent many common ailments, as we will explain.
When you think about it, the idea of eating millions of bacteria for better health may not sound like much. The medical field disagrees on this issue anyway, with some medical people suggesting that some of the health benefits of probiotics are exaggerated.
Your gut microbiota may be complex, but some solid research shows that probiotics, especially from food sources, are a simple way to strengthen your gut and your health.
Probiotic and Antibiotic Connection
The relationship between antibiotics and gut microbiota is complex. Antibiotics can control the bacteria in your gut, good and bad, but overuse of antibiotics—in high amounts over long periods of time—can lead to depletion of good bacteria. Overuse of antibiotics can also exacerbate widespread resistance to antibiotics, a growing problem that can reduce antibiotic effectiveness. Depletion of good bacteria through the use of antibiotics is a real problem among older people who are more prone to infection and therefore antibiotics may be used regularly. Some doctors try to compensate by recommending that patients consume probiotic foods such as yogurt or kefir, a yogurt-like drink, or take probiotic supplements while taking antibiotics. Still, others believe that gut microbiota will return to normal after antibiotics are used. If you are prescribed an antibiotic, discuss this with your doctor and always ask whether antibiotics are necessary to treat your disease. Alternatives may be available.
Types of Probiotics
Probiotic is formed by combining the words "pro" in Latin and "biotic" in Greek. and it means for life. There are hundreds of ingestible bacteria classified as probiotics, but most consist of two main genera: Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium. There are many subspecies of these two species. Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium are often abbreviated as L. or B. and are then referred to as individual species. It is combined with the name of the r. For example, the acidophilus species in the genus Lactobacillus is written as L. acidophilus.
Different probiotics have different functions. Let's take a closer look at these two main types and their common types, the fermented foods they can be found in, and their primary role in maintaining a healthy gut. Fermented foods have gone through the process of converting sugars into alcohol or organic acids. They help create this environment in the intestine, where good bacteria thrive and bad bacteria are suppressed.
Lactobacillus: These bacteria help produce lactose, the enzyme needed to break down lactose, and sugar in milk. They also ferment carbohydrates in the intestine, producing lactic acid. Lactic acid is important as it helps create an acidic environment in the digestive system and blocks many harmful microorganisms. Lactic acid also increases the absorption of minerals such as calcium, copper, magnesium and iron.
Beneficial Lactobacillus species include:
• L. Acidophilus: This species protects the intestine. It helps maintain the integrity of the digestive tract, ensures proper nutrient absorption, and supports healthy digestive and immune function. It is often used to relieve cramps and diarrhea caused by viruses or bacteria such as Salmonella and E. coli. It is found in many dairy products such as yogurt and kefir, and other fermented foods such as miso and tempeh.
• L. Fermentum: This species is commonly found in miso, pickles, tempeh, kimchi, and sauerkraut. It is found in fermented foods. It produces antioxidants that help neutralize toxins in the gut during digestion, such as those produced by Shigella and Clostridium.
• L. Brevis: This species produces lactic acid, which helps synthesize vitamins D and K. It is usually found in pickles and some yoghurts.
• L. Bulgaricus: This species also produces lactic acid. Food sources include Swiss cheese, pickles, sauerkraut, and yogurt.
• L. Plantarum: This species makes the natural antibiotic lactoline and produces L-lysine, an antiviral amino acid. It is found in many types of cheese, kefir and sauerkraut.
• L. Rhamnosus: This type of lactose It helps digestion, protects the small intestine and also produces lactic acid. It is often found in dairy products such as yoghurt, cheese and kefir.
• L. Reuteri: Found in both the intestine and mouth, L. reuteri may help reduce oral bacteria that cause tooth decay. It is also thought to help fight inflammation. Yogurt and kefir are good sources.
Bifidobacterium: This type of bacteria lives in the mucus lining of the large intestine and the vaginal tract. Its main job is to stop disease-causing bacteria and yeast. It increases the absorption of iron, calcium, magnesium and zinc, as well as working to control acidity or alkalinity (pH), which protects against bad bacteria.
Beneficial Bifidobacterium species include;
• B .animalis:This species aids digestion and may help strengthen your immune system. It is usually found in yogurt and most probiotic cheeses such as Swiss, provolone, Gouda and cheddar.
• B. Breve: This species lives in the digestive tract and vagina, its main function is to fight infection-causing bacteria. and to provide protection against yeast. It also helps the body absorb nutrients and digest plant fiber. Yogurt and sauerkraut are good sources.
• B. Infantis: This species stimulates the production of cytokines (substances secreted by cells in the immune system) that kill bad bacteria such as Clostridium, Salmonella and Shigella. It is added to some baby food formulas and can also be found in foods such as yogurt, kefir, and cheese.
• B. Longum: This species invades your gastrointestinal tract and breaks down carbohydrates. It also suppresses hostile bacteria and yeast, helping protect against gastrointestinal problems such as diarrhea and nausea while taking antibiotics. It is found in fermented foods, especially yoghurt.
Probiotics as a Healer
The use of probiotics as medicine is a process of thousands of years, but this However, the scientific process behind this condition is still in its infancy. This is because all probiotics behave the same way. is not to be found. For example, just because a particular species of the genus Lactobacillus helps prevent a particular condition does not mean that another species of Lactobacillus or other species such as Bifidobacterium will provide the same benefit. Also, what may work for one person may not work for another. Additionally, a product with a single type of bacteria may not be as effective as a product with one or more. Most studies include only preliminary animal studies. Any human studies show only an association, not a cause and effect relationship, and do not address the issue of appropriate dosage, as there is no recommended daily intake for probiotics. However, the results at least point in a positive direction, showing that probiotics may have a wide range of health benefits beyond the gut. Here's a summary of the latest findings.
Allergies: The study, published in the March 2017 issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, conducted an experiment on 173 healthy adults suffering from mild seasonal allergies. During the height of spring allergy season, half took a supplement containing both Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium and the other half took a placebo. After eight weeks, those in the probiotic group reported fewer allergy-related symptoms than the placebo group. According to researchers, this effect may be related to the ability of probiotics to strengthen the immune system.
Arthritis: Probiotics may help patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) by reducing inflammation. In a 2014 study in the journal Nutrition, 46 people with RA were divided into two: half received a placebo, while the others took a daily supplement containing the probiotic L. casei for eight weeks. Afterwards, those in the probiotic group had lower levels of inflammation biomarkers in their blood compared to the placebo group. Another study published June 23, 2016 by Arthritis & Rheumatology found that mice treated with probiotics had less severe, fewer RA symptoms and fewer inflammatory conditions associated with RA.
Blood pressure: Regularly used probiotics can increase your blood pressure. Researchers, normal and high
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