Billions of health-promoting friendly bacteria naturally reside in our intestinal tract. These friendly bacteria are collectively known as probiotics - meaning “for life” - and are essential for our digestive health and natural immune systems. Probiotics maintain digestive health and comfort by digesting particular substances in the diet and by enabling efficient nutrient and mineral absorption.
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Seen here are microscopic photographs of "friendly" bacterial strains, Bifidobacteria, Bifidobacteria longum and Bifidobacteria bifidum lining the intestines. |
Probiotics support immunity by stimulating the body’s natural defences and by lining the intestines with a protective layer of friendly bacteria that bars harmful substances in the gut from entering the body.
A normal healthy gut has a good balance of friendly probiotic bacteria over bad pathogenic bacteria; however, this balance is fragile and disruptions are common, particularly by factors such as stress, dietary habits, environment, medication (e.g. antibiotics) and ageing.
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| 1. Friendly bacteria or Probiotics (shown as clear) form a protective barrier for pathogen (shown as dark) defense by lining the mucosal cells of the gut. |
2. Unfriendly bacteria (Invasive Pathogens) lay in wait to invade the mucosal cells in the gut. Pathogens can then infect other areas and organs, lower the immune system and be detremental to overall intestinal health |
Disruptions to the balance of friendly bacteria in our gut can compromise the Digestive and Protective roles they play and lead to poor digestion, lowered natural immunity and conditions such as diarrhoea, constipation, excessive gas, bloating and thrush (yeast infections).
Medical studies show that replenishing the gut with probiotics is a natural way towards a healthy lifestyle.
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