What is common between the Roots of a tree and the Intestine. Yes, they both provide the nutrients that are needed for LIFE !!!! It is no wonder that Hippocrates, the Father of Modern Medicine stated more than 2,500 years ago that ‘Death sits in the Bowels’ and ‘Bad Digestion is the Root of all Evil’. What he probably meant back then was that our health is not just determined by the Heart, Liver and Kidneys…but may, in fact, be controlled by an organ that is most neglected – THE INTESTINE.
So, why the Intestine? Because the intestine is not just about the last meal that you ate. It helps in providing all the nutrients and energy from the food that you eat and is equipped to keep you protected. Why? Because a whopping 70% of the body’s immunity is found there. It is the largest immune organ and therefore decides what would happen to you if you were to have that mouth-watering snack on the roadside. Would you be sick or would you fight that dreadful virus? Taking care of our intestine is one of the best choices that we can make to keep ourselves healthy. But how do we do that?
You would be fascinated to know that the intestine is heavily influenced by the natural bacteria (almost 100 trillion) that live inside it. They work wonders in the intestine by breaking down the hard to digest foods, giving us the nutrients that we need and building our immunity. They regulate bowel movement so that the waste from our body can be easily removed.
However, when the balance is disturbed, the intestinal movement is affected and constipation may occur. This encourages the growth of harmful bacteria and their toxins and waste from the intestine reach our blood stream making us sick. Not only that, the decline in good bacteria can result in diarrhoea, indigestion, flatulence and also weaken our immunity increasing our risk of disease.
Probiotics which literally mean “For Life” help to maintain the balance. They help in increasing the good bacteria and thereby improve digestion and immunity. These bacteria are tested for their safety and health benefits and are commonly available in the form of Probiotic dairy foods. As more and more people become concerned about their intestinal health, probiotics have found their way to the breakfast table of many homes in India.
Here are some of the many reasons why you must include probiotics as a part of your diet –
1. Help in digesting the food that you eat
Probiotics have unique ways of breaking down the hard to digest foods so that you can get all the nutrients from them. This will give you the energy to feel healthy and active.
2. Helps build immunity
Probiotics when consumed as a part of the daily diet help in the proper functioning of the immune system that keeps us protected from disease and infection.
3. Reduce the risk of infections
What bothers us most about the change of weather is the fear of catching a common cold. An interesting study done on athletes at the Loughborough University in UK and in the elderly in Japan showed that regular consumption of a probiotic drink reduces the risk significantly.
4. Pregnancy
It is the most wonderful feeling to become a mother – why then do you need to suffer from indigestion, constipation and bloating. Include probiotics in your diet and reduce the risk.
5. Antibiotics
Have you ever wondered why you come down with diarrhoea after a course of antibiotics – it’s simply because antibiotics kill both the good and the bad bacteria disturbing the balance. Probiotics can counter the harmful effects by replenishing the good bacteria.
6. Ageing
As we age our intestines age too – its ability to digest food and absorb nutrients reduces over time- probiotics are perfect for the elderly with weak digestion and poor immunity.