You inherit your unique population of Gut bacteria (Microflora) at birth from your mum.
It is unique to you, just like your fingerprint. Your microflora makes up 50% of who you are and 90% of your total DNA. You can’t eradicate them otherwise you’d die. Your microflora (Gut Bugs) are essential to maintain life. Their content, diversity and specific type of the microflora impacts your health in several areas such as:
Digestion
Immune System
Mental Health
Allergies, Inflammation
Metabolism
However, the balance in diversity and type of bugs can easily be disrupted by factors such as:
Antibiotics
Stress
Infection
Diet and Lifestyle
This is where probiotics can make a difference to restore balance and improve health outcomes.
Currently there is strong scientific evidence that shows it is the strains of probiotics that determine their benefit in a number of health areas.
1. Digestion
Specific strains of probiotics assist to maintain healthy gut flora. Some relieve symptom such as bloating, intestinal pain, reflux and normal bowel function. They reduce malabsorption issues.
2. Immune Health
Selected strains of probiotics help reduce the occurrence, duration, and severity of colds.
3. Allergies
Certain probiotic strains reduce the frequency and severity of allergy symptoms such as clocked, itchy nose, watery eyes and sneezing.
4. Mental Health
Specific probiotic strains can reduce the affects of stress, hence ameliorate anxiety. They are responsible in the production of neuro-chemicals to improve moods and alleviate depression and reduce migraine attacks.
5. Weight issues and metabolism
There are certain gut bugs within the micro-biome that can cause weight gain. Specific probiotics strains may assist weight control and control body and abdominal fat.
In summary, you depend on your microflora (gut bugs) for good health and probiotics can restore balance.
