In recent years there have been more than 1700 studies completed on gut microbiota and probiotics. From this, a much greater understanding of the role of your gut microbiota on your everyday health and wellbeing is becoming more understood. We know that you need the correct ratio of “good” and “bad” bacteria. We are gaining a good understanding of which strains of probiotics work best with which conditions.

What are probiotics?

Probiotics are simply, live microbial agents that have been shown to improve health. You can find them in supplemental forms and in some foods such as milk drinks, some yoghurts and some fruit juices. Fermented foods such as sauerkraut, kefir, kim chi, are also considered to provide some probiotic activity. The right strain of probiotics plays an important role for good health and wellbeing. Knowing the right strain to take for the condition being treated will help to improve the overall outcome in treating the condition for which you are taking them.

How do you know if you need probiotics?

Poor dietary choices, ongoing stress, restrictive diets, illnesses or the use of anti-biotics can all disrupt the healthy balance of gut microbiota. You may be thinking 'I don’t have any gut issues, what’s the fuss?'.

Here are some reasons you may need or benefit from to taking probiotics:

• Improved general health and wellbeing.
• Digestive issues such as indigestion, diarrhoea, constipation, bloating.
• Recent course of anti-biotics.
• Recovered from digestive issues such as gastroenteritis.
• Travelled overseas.
• Suffering from Irritable Bowel Syndrome.
• Depression or anxiety.
• Stressful lifestyle.
• Trouble taking off weight.
• Recurrent bacterial or fungal infections.
• Recurrent urinary of respiratory tract infection
• Food intolerances or allergies
• Skin conditions such as eczema of psoriasis
• Elevated cholesterol
• Sugar cravings
• Poor sleep

Which are the best probiotics?

Research has found that some strains are more beneficial to certain health conditions than others. For probiotics to work they need to remain stable in both gastric acidity and bile salt environment. They need to be able to adhere to the mucosal lining of the gastrointestinal tract and be able to multiply in it. Before choosing a probiotic it is useful to talk to a health professional to help you choose the right one for you.

  You can join Mr Vitamin’s Naturopath Janne Ramsay as she takes you through an informative and fun presentation on the basics of healthy digestion healthy gut microbiota and the use of probiotics.. Discover how your digestive system directly impacts your health.

Naturopath Janne Ramsay

Janne Ramsay Naturopath has a special interest in digestive health. Janne is passionate about the ongoing developments in gut health and the use of probiotics and the role they play in your health. She has a strong belief that good digestion and good liver function are soulmates to achieving good health. 80% of illnesses are linked in some way to digestive health. To achieve good health and wellness in 2016 make an appointment with Janne to review your health and learn more about maintaining better wellness and energy………. Learn more about Janne here...