Probiotics: The Bacteria that Keep You Healthy

In today’s germ-phobic society, people tend to think of bacteria as bad guys, and it’s true that some bacteria are harmful to human health. That’s why antibiotics, antiseptics, and disinfectants are important to help prevent the spread of infectious diseases.

Unfortunately, trying to destroy all the bacterial bad guys has produced some unexpected consequences. It turns out that many bacteria are actually good guys and you need them to keep you healthy. When they've killed them with antibiotics and disinfectants, it can lead to intestinal dysbiosis, an imbalance of microbes living in the intestines. 

Dysbiosis can produce many undesirable symptoms, such as gas, bloating, belching and abdominal pain. It can also cause nausea, diarrhea and contribute to constipation. It results in cravings for sugar and simple carbohydrates and a loss of appetite for healthier food like fresh vegetables. 

A lack of friendly intestinal bacteria also makes you more prone to infections, especially yeast infections. It also paves the way for allergies, food sensitivities, leaky gut and perhaps even more serious problems like autoimmune diseases. More and more science is discovering links between the health of the intestinal biome and overall health, including both mental and emotional health. 

To fix this dysbiosis, you need to knock down the bacterial bad guys and replace them with bacterial good guys, also known as probiotics. Probiotics improve digestive function and protect against intestinal problems like irritable bowel syndrome and inflammatory bowel diseases. They strengthen your immune system and may even help to brighten your mood.

In this Sunshine Sharing Hour we discuss how dysbiosis may be contributing to your health issues. We talk about natural ways to get rid of the bacterial bad guys and rebuild a healthy intestinal biome.