by Randy Augsburger

Created on: February 14, 2009   Last Updated: December 11, 2010

The human body is full of countless bacteria, some harmful and many beneficial. Probiotics are microorganisms (mainly bacteria) that are the same or very similar to the good bacteria that lives in the human digestive tract or gut. They are available as supplements or can be found in foods you eat or can be added to your diet.

Probiotics work in your gut to break down various substances in your food so that your body can absorb them better. They also compete with harmful bacteria and are especially useful during and following a round of antibiotics, because antibiotics tend to kill both good and bad bacteria. In many cases probiotics work like a mulch in your garden by preventing the weeds (bad bacteria) from growing while your vegetables (good bacteria) get a head start.

Probiotics have many claimed health benefits, but much research still needs to be done.
Some of the maladies claimed to benefit from probiotics include.
- Diarrhea
- Irritable Bowel Syndrome
- Colitis
- Crohns Disease
- Colon Cancer
- Vaginal Infections
- Tooth decay
- Allergies and Skin Rashes
- High Blood Pressure and Cholesterol
- And many others
As you can see, probiotics have the potential to be a healthy addition to your diet.

Getting probiotics into your diet is easier than you might think. Two common sources are yogurt and soy sauce. If you are adding yogurt, make sure it say's "with live cultures" on the container. Soy sauce is made in part by fermenting soybeans. As you can see the word "fermented" or "cultured" is closely associated with these foods. This increases the good bacteria in them and makes them healthier for us.

Kefir is a good source to make at home. Kefir is fermented milk similar to yogurt but uses different yeasts and bacteria. The best way obtain a Kefir starter is to find someone who makes it and get one from them or search ebay to find one. Then you keep it alive much like sourdough bread.

Kombucha is another good source of probiotics. Kombucha is a fermented mildly alcoholic tea that is made much like Kefir. The Chinese called it "The immortal health elixir." Kombucha requires a starter like Kefir and it is best found online or from a friend.

Fermented vegetables such as Sauerkraut or Kimchi are also high in probiotics.

Probiotics can be a healthy addition to your diet. They may protect you from disease and help you recover from illness. If nothing else they are good food, you can make yourself.

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