What is a probiotic?

Probiotics are friendly bacteria that we need for good health and vitality. Probiotics beneficially affect humans by improving the balance of flora in the digestive system. The word probiotic actually means "for life": pro + bios = "for life".

Did you know that the human digestive system contains over 400 different species of micro-organisms? On average, an adult human carries about 3 to 4 kgs of bacterial gut flora. This represents an enormous number of bacteria. The reason we have so many bacteria inside us is because we require them for many beneficial actions within the body.

Why do we need probiotics?

In order for us to maintain a healthy digestive system we need to ensure that we have lots of "good" bacteria. These friendly bacteria have a number of important roles:

• Improving your digestion;
• Producing vitamins;
• Relieving symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS);
• Detoxifying chemicals;
• Producing nutrients to repair the gut lining;
• Increasing resistance to infections and regulating the immune function;
• Preventing the overgrowth of bad bacteria.

Are all probiotics the same?

Taking a probiotic supplement every single day will promote good health and assist in the prevention of disease, however not all probiotic supplements are created equal. Different probiotics have different effects within the body – there are many probiotic products on the market, but they are not all the same.

Why strain matters

It is important to check the strain of the probiotic you are taking. Probiotics differ according to genus (e.g. Lactobacillus), species (e.g. acidophillus), and strain (e.g. NCFM). While all probiotics are considered safe and friendly in a broad sense, not all probiotics possess enough health benefits to be considered therapeutic. This is why it is important to use the right strain for the job you have in mind. At Ethical Nutrients we carefully select the strains of good bacteria used in our products based on scientific research, so that you can be sure they have a therapeutic effect.

If you are supplementing with the correct strain of probiotic, the next question is does the probiotic survive the passage through your stomach to the intestines where it is required? The ability to survive digestion is an important feature of a good probiotic. At Ethical Nutrients we choose strains of good bacteria, for example the NCFM strain of Lactobacillus acidophilus, which is acid and bile resistant and hence have the ability to survive digestion.

Do I really need a probiotic?

Very few people can truly say that their diet and lifestyle is perfect. This is just a fact of living in the world today. We can, however, still strive to get the most of life by having a healthy diet, exercising regularly and by considering the many benefits of probiotics.

The number of 'good' bugs in your digestive system can be imbalanced by a wide range of factors including:

• Excess alcohol intake;
• Consuming too much dietary fat;
• Eating a low fibre diet;
• Excess stress;
• Exposure to toxic substances;
• Eating too many processed and unhealthy foods;
• Gastro infections;
• Antibiotic use.

Inner Health Plus is a probiotic supplement that will help support your general wellbeing, digestive health and immunity. If you have been taking a course of antibiotics a probiotic such as Inner Health Plus may assist in maintaining the balance of good bacteria. With 25 billion bacteria in ever capsule you would need 22 tubs of yoghurt to get the same amount of good bacteria as in just one capsule of Inner Health Plus.

Take the Inner Health Plus Test Today!

Inner Health for Kids: Inner Health for Kids is for every child, everyday to support general wellbeing and digestive health. This is the probiotic to use to restore digestive balance in kids after antibiotic use.

Condition specific probiotics

Other probiotics in the Ethical Nutrients range address very specific health concerns and will reduce the symptoms and manage the particular condition. These are the different probiotics available from Ethical Nutrients and their benefits.

• IBS Support: IBS Support is for managing the symptoms of medically diagnosed Irritable Bowel Syndrome.
• Inner Health Immune Booster for Kids: Inner Health Immune Booster for Kids may assist in maintaining a normal, healthy immune system in children – especially if they are exposed to lots of colds and 'flus at childcare or school.
• Ethical Nutrients Travel Bug: Ethical Nutrients Travel Bug is for the prevention and management of traveller's diarrhoea. This is the probiotic to take with you if you are travelling overseas and want to avoid getting any tummy bugs!
• Ethical Nutrients Gastro Relief: Ethical Nutrients Gastro Relief is for the relief or treatment of diarrhoea in adults and children. This probiotic can help to reduce the frequency and severity of diarrhoea.
• Ethical Nutrients Eczema Shield: Ethical Nutrients Eczema Shield, taken by mothers during pregnancy and breastfeeding, may help to reduce the incidence of eczema and food allergies in their infants and children.

Thanks for reading! We hope this advice makes a difference in your life or that of someone you care about. This informative article will be available on a monthly basis, covering a wide range of health solutions. Sign up for the newsletter.