Probiotics & Prebiotics: Fighting Bugs with Better Bugs

Most people don’t think much about their gastro-intestinal tract until they begin to feel sick — but you should. Probiotics and prebiotics are what we’re talking about, folks, and you need to know the basics of these powerful tools to keep your GI tract bug — and symptom — free.

Probiotics help to digest foods and are living microorganisms, often referred to as “good bacteria.” Prebiotics are ingredients found in food that provide fuel for the good bacteria in the GI tract.

Allergies, diarrhea, reduced immune response and lactose intolerance are just a few of the symptoms that a healthier GI tract can help. Incorporating foods that contain probiotics will go a long way to making you feel much better. A key SuperFood with loads of healthy probiotics is yogurt. That’s no surprise — it’s all over advertising these days — but when purchasing yogurt make sure it’s not loaded with sugar or additives. The more natural, the better.

Prebiotics add strength to the performance of the probiotics. They are also a key element in many SuperFoods, such as whole grains, onions, bananas, garlic, and honey.

You can take supplements for probiotics and prebiotics, but since they are found naturally in many foods, it’s always best to get your nutrients that way. And, with  more and more being added to foods like yogurt, muffins, drinks and nutrition bars, it’s easier than ever to get the nutrients you need. You can’t really get too much of these helpful “bugs,” so take it upon yourself to increase your probiotics and prebiotics in food nutrition, and health will prevail inside and out.

A healthy GI tract plays a major role in the prevention of so many diseases and uncomfortable symptoms that it is well worth it to boost your consumption of these powerful organisms.