Suffering from frequent stomach cramps and watery stools? Your diarrhea may be a symptom of an underlying infection, food intolerance, an allergy or prolonged antibiotic use. Research has proven that a mix of specific probiotic strains like Lactobacillus reuteri, Lactobacillus rhamnosus, and L. acidophilus is highly effective in treating diarrhea in adults and children. The good bacteria in probiotics are essential for restoring the natural balance of the gut microbiome, keeping the intestine healthy and preventing digestive problems. Bacterial toxins and viral infections are common causes of an inflamed colon that causes diarrhea which is exactly why probiotics work effectively on diarrhea, regardless of the source.
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4 Specific conditions which can be naturally cured using probiotics:
- Traveler’s Diarrhea
When people travel they also explore different cuisines and culinary delights which may invite a gastrointestinal upset and infectious diarrhea. Probiotics can efficiently prevent infections caused by eating different foods and contaminated water.
- Diarrhea in Children
Children are more susceptible to diarrhea and hence several studies have been conducted for testing the positive effects of probiotics on children suffering from infectious diarrhea. According to an article published in the Pediatric Infection Disease journal, the most effective probiotic strains that can cut bouts of diarrhea in children are Lactobacillus reuteri, Saccharomyces boulardii and Lactobacillus rhamnosus. Research has found that children who receive timely probiotic intervention recover in a much shorter duration.
- Diarrhea Caused by Antibiotics
Antiobiotics are administered to destroy disease-causing bacteria but in the process they also end up killing all the beneficial bacteria that are essential for a healthy gut. Antibiotics disrupt the balance of good and bad bacteria in the intestine and this leads to gas and diarrhea. Several research studies conducted on antibiotic-associated diarrhea have shown that a regular intake of probiotic supplements can significantly prevent the occurrence of diarrhea even with a heavy dose of antibiotics.
- Clostridium Difficile-Associated Diarrhea
Clostridium difficile leads to bowel inflammation and causes diarrhea in that keeps recurring.
These bacteria can have life-threatening effects on the colon but Saccharomyces boulardii is one specific probiotic strain that can keep you protected from the harmful effects of this pathogenic bacteria.
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How to Use Probiotics for Maximum Effectiveness?
The stomach acids present in an empty stomach make it difficult for the live bacteria in probiotics to survive which is why they should be taken along with meals. The food works to protect the live bacteria in probiotic supplements even in the presence of gastrointestinal juices and bile. If you are suffering from diarrhea, you should consume probiotic foods along with other bland foods like rice and bananas. Avoid taking probiotic foods with hot drinks or spicy foods as live bacteria are highly vulnerable to heat. Probiotic supplements are scientifically formulated to restore the intestinal flora and so they work effectively in preventing and treating diarrhea. If you are taking antibiotics it is best to keep a gap of two hours between antibiotics and probiotic supplements. If diarrhea is not an issue right now, you can prevent it by making probiotic foods and supplements a part of your daily life.
Benefits of Probiotics
Here are 10 ways in which making probiotics foods and supplements a part of your daily diet can benefit you besides aiding digestion, absorbing nutrients and boosting immune function.
- Aid in the overall functioning of the body and provide energy to the brain
- Probiotics replenish the good bacteria that build your bones & strengthen your skeletal system.
- Reduce the risk of developing skin ailments like eczema
- Prevent the growth of harmful microbes that cause urinary tract infections
- Neutralize cancerous cells & control the growth of free radicals
- A daily dose of probiotics is proven to reduce the risk of kidney stone formation.
- Stimulate the production of vitamins like B1, B2, B6, B12, folic acid and biotin
- Probiotic bacteria boost bowel movement and alleviate the symptoms associated with irritable bowel syndrome.
- Probiotics restore the depleting levels of beneficial bacteria to ward off bacterial infections.
- Reduce the incidence of allergies and seasonal infections
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How Do Probiotics Maintain Better Gut Health?
The gut is a delicate ecosystem that is responsible for optimal well-being, since it is connected to other vital systems that affect immunity, energy, mood and even behaviour. In practically every living being, a large part of the immune system is located within the digestive system, which relies on the gut micro flora to fight off harmful invaders and promote proper functionality of all the vital systems in our bodies.
The gut has helpful and harmful bacteria alike, and a balance of both is necessary to ensure proper gastrointestinal health. Probiotics are the beneficial microbes that help maintain this balance, by encouraging the growth of good bacteria and fighting off bad ones. Ideally, the optimum gut balance should consist of 85% probiotics and 15% pathogens.
Abundance of good bacteria has a host of other health benefits too, from producing various vitamins and essential fatty acids, stimulating the production of anti-cancer cells and processing a large number of nutrients, to restricting the growth of disease-causing organisms – all this, above and beyond increasing the efficiency of the digestive and immune system.
