The Good News Cont.!

As promised, here's the rest of the Fox News story that sings the praises of a probiotics regimen!

Good Bacteria vs. Bad

But with literally trillions of bacteria residing in the digestive tract, how do you know which ones are the good guys and which are the bad?

According to Renew Life’s so-called experts in digestive care, the two most prevalent probiotics are lactobacilli, which make up the majority of the probiotics in your small intestine, and bifidobacteria, which make up the majority of the probiotics in the large intestine.

Lactobacilli help regulate the immune system, digesting nutrients such as proteins, carbohydrates and milk sugars; and produce compounds and acids that create an unfriendly environment for harmful bacteria. Lactobacilli are also the most prevalent in the vagina and help guard women from yeast infections.

Bifidobacteria, on the other hand, is located in the large intestine and are present in much higher in numbers. This is because there is less constant movement in the large intestine compared to the small intestine, which makes it easier for harmful bacteria to build up and multiply.

Bifidobacteria also ferment soluble fiber and produce compounds including short chain fatty acid, vitamin B and K. However, studies show that the population of bifidobacteria significantly declines with age and with unhealthy lifestyle practices.

"If its balance and function is thrown off by a poor diet, lack of proper hydration, overuse of antibiotics, overweight conditions, constipation and lack of exercise, you are setting yourself up for chronic illness and premature aging," said Pennesi.

So what are different kinds of ways you can get more healthy bacteria in your body?

Here are Pennesi's Top 3 recommendations:

— Consult with your health care professional and take a high quality probiotic supplement

— Enjoy foods with Fructo-oligo-saccharides (FOS), which feed the healthy flora (probiotics) of the body, like bananas, onions, garlic, artichokes, barley and tomatoes.

— Eat more kefir, sauerkraut, tempeh, umeboshi plum and yogurt that have the "live active bacteria" label on it.

However, Pennesi cautions that not all probiotics products contain both lactobacilli and bifidobacteria.

"The best thing to do is find a breakdown of what probiotics are in the product. I encourage people to use the phone numbers on the packaging and contact the company who manufacture the product. Most are happy to answer your questions", she said.

Minimizing the use of synthetic antibiotics, as they kill off healthy bacteria in the body, is also a great way to keep your healthy bacteria counts up.