Redwood Hills Goat Milk Kefir, Nancy's plan kefir
When the bad guys take someone out in the movies, they wipe out everyone that's in the way. They don't care about collateral damage. That's what an antibiotic does - it kills all the bad bacteria (and the good bacteria) that it comes across. Your body is a living organism - and it's full of other other living organisms. Some people think that sounds gross, but we think it's fun! You're always carrying friends with you. Probiotics are the opposite of antibiotocs - they are friendly bacteria that are living in your digestive system. When you eat probiotic food, it adds more of the good bacteria. It's the opposite approach of the bad guys - you're adding more good guys to win the day.
What do probiotics do? They are believed to benefit your digestive tract, and since that is a major part of your immune system, it is supposed to benefit your immune system as well. The strongest evidence is that it helps with diarrhea, but it is credited with helping to prevent disease and improve overall health, including skin infections, irritable bowel syndrome, ulcers, tooth decay and periodontal disease. It may also help with lactose intolerance.
Where are they? They naturally live in your body, but you can also find probiotics in fermented food. We eat them a lot less than we used to. You can find them in yogurt, kimchi, natural pickled foods, kombucha, unprocessed miso, cheese, and kefir. Kefir is a cultured milk drink that tastes like creamy drinkable yogurt - it also comes in flavors if that is what you prefer.
Can you eat too many probiotics? Dr. Weil says no. At MindfulEats, we believe in moderation so we don't recommend going nuts on the probiotics. You've got lots of other things you need to eat like fresh fruits and vegetables.
Can you get probiotics in a supplement? Yes. But we prefer getting nutrients in whole foods rather than supplements, so just eat it.
Bottom Line - You need bacteria in your system, and it's good to have friendly bacteria crowding out the bad bacteria. Think of it as a party. MindfulEats thinks you should add more probiotics to your diet.
What to do - Eat More Probiotic Food
- Figure out what kind of fermented foods and cultured dairy products you prefer since they are rich in probiotics. Many foods list the strain of bacteria - a common one is Lactobacillus acidophilus in yogurt. You can find probiotic foods in the dairy section of your store (yogurt, kefir, cheese) or in fermented foods like tempeh, kombucha, miso and pickles. Homemade pickles are delicious!
- Eat a variety of different bacteria strains - add some bifidus to your acidophilus. You can find varieties on packaged foods. The happy microorganisms have different qualities but they're all friendly, so eat up and let them mingle and have a party.
- Stock up on them and indulge daily. If you haven't been eating probiotic foods, you may want to start small - a couple tablespoons a day and build up.
- If you have taken an antibiotic, it cleared out bad and good bacteria, so you may want to eat more probiotics to re-seed your digestive system with friendly microorganisms.
Want to learn more? National Institutes of Health - National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine's Introduction to Probiotics, a very readable blog post from Whole Foods, Dr. Weil
What I ate: vegetable juice, goat milk kefir, coffee, sauteed salmon + bok choy + spinach, brown rice, macadamia nuts, cafe au lait, 10 nachos + cheese, brown rice + bonito flakes rice ball, whole wheat spaghetti + soy sauce + sesame oil + tatsoy, 60 oz. water
Exercise: none
