Food for
thought -
Probiotic
foods
The human body contains miniature ecology of microbes, collectively
known as gut flora. This ecology is delicately balance and can
sometimes get thrown out off equilibrium by a wide range of
circumstances such a use of antibiotics or other drugs, excess
alcohol, stress, disease, or exposure to toxic substances. Antibiotics
have become a part and parcel of our lives, in that they are
prescribed for almost any common ailment, they could also kill off
friendly and essential gut bacteria, severally impairing digestion and
assimilation of nutrients at a time when your body needs most. While
antibiotics make your illness in the short term, they could eventually
cause more health problems in the long term.
Long term usage of antibiotics prevents the replenishment of
beneficial gut bacteria, potentially leading to other united ailments.
A system devoid of friendly bacteria could be a breeding ground for
future illness. Symptoms of decreased levels of gut micro flora are
wide and varied, from simple halitosis to toxemia and gastric
infection. The only way to combat the side effects of antibiotics is
by supplementing it with probiotics.
Probiotics
are live micro organisms mostly of the lactobacillus and bifid bacterium
species, and yeast, which help maintain the balance of the essential micro
flora. Hydrocarbons are broken down by probiotic bacteria which split
the food down to its most basic elements. This eases the strain under
digestive system and allows for almost total absorption of nutrients.
Probiotics, thereby, dramatically increase overall nutrition and enhance
rapid cellular growth and development. Another important function of
probiotic bacteria is maintenance of a proper pH balance in the gut. They
also generate important enzymes and increase the availability of vitamins
and nutrients, specifically vitamin B, vitamin K, lactase, fatty acids and
calcium. These friendly bacteria produce specific proteins that act as
antigens. These are then available for the immune system to use in
battling different disease conditions. Probiotics helps eliminate toxic
wastes from the body by working in symbiosis with the digestive system.
Scientific understanding of probiotics and their potential for preventing
and treating health conditions is at an early stage, but definitely moving
ahead.
Another method to increase and maintain a healthy balance in bacterial gut
flora is by increasing the amount of prebiotics in the diet. Distinct form
probiotics prebiotics are non digestible foods that make their way though
our digestive system and help good bacteria grow an flourish. Prebiotics
keep beneficial bacteria healthy. As probiotics to be found most active in
the small intestine and prebiotics are only effective in the large
intestine, the combination of the two is found to have a synergistic
effect.
Foods
like curd, yoghurt and miso (soybean and barley paste), fermented like
dhosa, dhoklas, idlis, and soy beverages are high in probiotics. Bananas,
garlic and onion help the body repopulate levels of good bacteria in the
intestine. Certain pickles, sauerkraut, aged cheeses and cottage cheese
also contain these beneficial bacteria. Including a significant proportion
of prebiotics food in the diet has also been demonstrated to support are
healthy gut system and works wonders in combination with probiotics.
Dietary sources of prebiotics are soybeans, artichokes, whole oats,
unrefined wheat and unrefined barley.
Probiotics are not magic remedy to prevent or cure disease but are a safe
alternative as the beneficial bacteria are already a part of the digestive
system. They offer a quick and easy first line of defense along with the
healthy diet do not forget to include some in your diet today.
