Pro-Biotics, What are they anyway?

I hear that getting some type of stomach bug is par for the course when traveling in the Far East. I was no exception. No more details, enough said. Antibiotics are an amazing thing, but in addition to killing off the harmful bacteria, they also get rid of the good bacteria. Did you know that your body contains literally billions of bacteria and other microorganisms?

 
Probiotics is not a medical term, but rather a commercial one used to refer to dietary supplements or foods that contain the beneficial or good bacteria that are normally found in your body. According to the Mayo Clinic, you don’t need to take a supplement of probiotics  to be healthy, but consuming these probiotics in addition to what already exists in your body may provide a healthful boost to digestion and help to protect your body against harmful bacteria (that antibiotics kill off). According to the Mayo Clinic, additional research needs to be done, but “probiotics may help:

• Treat diarrhea, especially following treatment with certain antibiotics
• Prevent and treat vaginal yeast infections and urinary tract infections
• Treat irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
• Reduce bladder cancer recurrence
• Shorten the duration of intestinal infections
• Prevent and treat inflammation following colon surgery (pouchitis)
• Prevent eczema in children.”

So, after my time in China and Central Asia, and two different bouts with harmful microorganisms that wreaked havoc on my stomach, I’ve decided to try a supplement of probiotics. I’ll get back to you in a week and let you know if I feel a difference. In the meantime, I’ll continue to eat my yogurt with Zoe’s Granola for breakfast or lunch because it’s a much yummier way to get some of those good probiotics as well as the fiber and protein I need to energize me throughout the day. Have you tried probiotics? What have you found?