Recently, commercials have been popping up touting the benefits of acidophilus yogurt; a yogurt with live, active cultures designed to regulate the digestive system. This article will explain the health benefits of acidophilus and how it can ease stomach distress, keep your immune system strong and heal problematic skin conditions.
What Causes Digestive Imbalance?
If there is a shortage of good bacteria in your gut, you may experience a wide variety of troubling symptoms ranging from constipation to autoimmune disease.
Common causes of decreased gut bacteria are:
- Stress
- Long Illness
- Prolonged Use of Antibiotics
- Use of NSAID Pain Relievers (Ibuprofen, Celebrex)
- Food Preservatives (Read the Study on Splenda)
- Alcoholism
What is Acidophilus?
Acidophilus are live microbial organisms, which occur naturally in the human digestive system. They are the good bacteria that crowd out viruses, fungus and yeast and keep the bowels regular.
What are the Health Benefits of Acidophilus?
The health benefits of acidophilus are many. When you begin feeding your gut foods rich in probiotics or an acidophilus supplement, it can ease stomach distress, strengthen your autoimmune system and clear up skin conditions.
Eases Stomach Distress
- Constipation
Millions of people suffer from constipation. It may be caused by stress, inadequate hydration, food intolerances, poor diet and/or inadequate gut bacteria. Certain yogurts or other food sources of acidophilus may help with mild constipation. Severe cases may need more help. Read on to learn more about acidophilus supplements.
- Crohn’s Disease
Though the cause of Crohn’s disease is still unknown, much evidence points to an imbalance of good bacteria in the gut as the possible culprit. Since Crohn’s disease affects the lower part of the small intestine, it can interfere with nutrient absorption. Supplementing the diet with acidophilus has been shown to be very effective in easing Crohn’s disease symptoms.
- Chronic Diarrhea
Chronic diarrhea is commonly caused by inflamed or damaged lower intestines. Inflamed intestines cannot properly absorb water, which results in diarrhea. Crohn’s disease, irritable bowel syndrome and food intolerance are the common causes of chronic diarrhea. Probiotics can help.
Keeps Immune System Strong
According to research, certain strains of probiotics have been known to increase T-cell production of TNF-alpha. This is a key immune system activity marker. Regular use of probiotics can help prevent colds and flu and has even been shown to decrease incidents of cancer, especially of the colon.
Improves Skin Health
An imbalance of flora in your gut can lead to more problems than just stomach distress and a sluggish immune system; it can also lead to problematic skin conditions. When gut bacteria is low, it can interfere with the body’s ability to absorb nutrients from food. It can also cause an increase in bad bacteria, both which can cause skin problems. Though skin conditions such as eczema, psoriasis, adult acne and rosacea can be caused by varying factors, intestinal bacterial imbalance is a common denominator.
Adding an acidophilus supplement to your diet can help ease these common skin conditions and may even clear them completely.
Prevents Yeast Infections
Women with frequent yeast infections often turn to over-the-counter remedies for relief. The problem with that is though the symptoms may disappear for a time, the underlying cause is never addressed. Yeast overgrowth is caused by candida overgrowth in the body.
Women who experience frequent yeast infections may find permanent relief by adding a probiotic supplement to their diet. Acidophilus may even be used vaginally to relieve the discomfort associated with yeast infections.
Food Sources of Probiotics
Food sources of probiotics are a great way to maintain healthy gut flora. Common sources are:
- Yogurt
- Kefir
- Buttermilk
- Blue Cheese and Other Aged Cheeses
- Sauerkraut
- Kimchi
- Soy Sauce
The Benefits of Acidophilus Supplements
Some wonder about taking a supplement vs. the natural way to get good bacteria. The truth is if you’re severely deficient in natural gut bacteria, you’ll never repopulate your gut with healthy bacteria from food sources alone.
An acidophilus supplement such as Solaray Multidophilus 12 20 billion is a strong probiotic supplement that can help treat these conditions naturally.
Are There Any Side Effects of Acidophilus?
The most common side effect of acidophilus is diarrhea. This usually clears up after a few days. You may also experience slight flu-like symptoms if you’ve never used acidophilus before. This is caused by the good bacteria crowding out yeast and bad bacteria from your body.
Acidophilus Contraindications
Anyone with short bowel syndrome or using intravenous catheters might experience infection from probiotics. Check with your doctor before using.
Acidophilus has many health benefits. When you take them in supplement form, it can help regulate your digestive system, clear up your skin and keep you from getting sick.
If there’s anything more frustrating than suffering from GERD, it’s suffering from irritable bowel and GERD at the same time. If you do suffer from both conditions, you are likely very aware of how important it is to eat properly with your conditions in mind. However, you may not yet know how to treat your conditions with herbs that will benefit them both.