Commonly referred to as 'friendly bacteria', probiotics are essential to your digestive health. When you have a good balance of probiotics in your body, you may not suffer the effects of irritable bowel syndrome among other digestive tract issues.
However, when this balance is off, you become prone to an array of health problems. First, your immune system becomes compromised and this may lead to infections.
Probiotics help fight harmful bacteria ensuring that your body is optimally healthy. To achieve a good balance of these friendly bacteria, taking them is critical. This is because the natural body quantities might reduce, exposing you to factors that cause ill health.
Best time to take probiotics
The best time to take probiotics is when your stomach has a low pH. This means that there should be less acid or digestive juices when you consume the probiotics.
To this end, taking them with meals and after meals is not ideal. Some people may advise taking them before or with meals; however, it is good to follow the specific recommendations given, if you are taking supplements of the same.
Probiotics are made in various ways using a myriad of good bacteria.
The best time is when your stomach has lowered activity and this could be at bed time and even after you wake up in the morning. The reason for this timing is to increase the chances of survival for the friendly bacteria. Too much acidity can kill them off and this would not be an effective consumption of probiotics.
Having said the above, some people may not be in a position to take them at night or even in the morning, experts advise that slotting some time during the day a few hours after meals is also good.
Experts also note that it is better to take them any time than not to take them at all. Once you know when to take them, you will want to know the dosage level; and even the sources of high quality probiotics.
Getting them from natural sources is ideal and below is an insight in this respect.
The best natural sources of probiotics
Unpasteurized and fermented foods are the best natural sources of good bacteria.
Therefore, you do not have to look into expensive options when you need a fast boost of friendly bacteria. Foods such as yogurt, sauerkraut, kimchi, tempeh, miso among others are good.
If you opt for yogurt, make sure it is labeled to have live and active culture therein. Other great natural sources of very high amounts of probiotics are fermented milk and kefir. All these foods are widely available in the market. Check at your local health food store or grocery.
What is the right probiotics dosage
When you are getting it from natural sources such as the foods mentioned above, it is crucial to eat your daily recommended serving.
There is no need to eat more than is necessary. For those who choose probiotics in capsule format, it is good to follow the instructions provided by the manufacturer. This is because different brands will have different specifications.
In general, one to two capsules for several days a week will be enough. Keep in mind that some people will supplement with probiotics to treat conditions such as yeast or stomach infections. Others will simply consume to boost their health as a preventive measure.
Above all, it is important to consult your doctor before embarking on any supplementation with probiotics. More so if you have existing health conditions and are taking prescription medication.
Who should take probiotics?
Ideally, every person will benefit from having enough probiotics in their system. Some people will wait to have health problems to start considering taking them.
Others will take them after they have gone through the hardships of taking antibiotics. Therefore, the best thing to do is to take probiotics as a preventive measure.
This can go a long way in keeping many health problems at bay. Your gut flora should function optimally and the sooner you realize the merits of probiotics, the better it is to start taking them.
Whether you start on natural sources or opt for probiotic supplements, there is a list of health benefits that you will tap into as mentioned below.
- Treat irritable bowel syndrome
IBS comes with great discomfort as well as bloating caused by excess gas. This is an indicator that your digestive system is not working as it should. Probiotics can reduce the inflammation while promoting better digestion. In turn, this will relieve the symptoms of IBS.
- Boost your immune system
Probiotics will provide the needed balance in your body. This way, your immune system will be reinforced. This will mean not suffering from infections regularly and having more energy and vitality overall. Studies have proved that supplementation with probiotics can reduce the chances of suffering colds by up to 40%.
- Reduce allergies, eczema and urinary health
Probiotics will help reduce allergies and cases of eczema. Overall, people who react to allergens will most likely have a reduced amount of probiotics in their system. Studies have also determined that probiotics will help reduce urinary tract infections in women.
Probiotics will also improve oral health, while reducing bad breath. For those who are looking for a boost in mood, it turns out that a good bacteria balance can inject the right mood reducing both anxiety and depression. Other benefits include aiding weight loss, reducing blood pressure and even bad cholesterol reduction.
In conclusion
As you can see, the merits of probiotics are many. However, you can only benefit when you take them at the right time. Taking them for prevention is best because it will keep at bay many conditions.
If you are treating a problem, taking them is also advised. It is never too late to add a good bacteria regiment in your daily diet. Start by eating foods rich in probiotics.
As mentioned above, avoid taking too much than is recommended. Too much of anything is detrimental. This is the only sure way to tap into all the wonderful benefits of these friendly bacteria.
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