Probiotics: More Than Just Yogurt (NAPSA)—Probiotics are one of today’s latest buzzwords in digestive health. Grocery stores across the U.S. have become destinations for health-conscious shoppers seeking “friendly” bacteria in foods like yogurts and cereals. Yet with all these new probiotic-fortified foods, drugstores may actually be the better source for probiotics that can positively impact your health. Research supports the potential health benefits of probiotics, but many of the fortified foods found in supermarkets may actually be less effective than we think. For example, an 8-oz. serving of probiotic yogurt typically contains 1 billion beneficial bacteria, which is only one-tenth of the amount found in some probiotic supplements. “In order to get enough of the good stuff, probiotic supplementation becomes necessary when we can’t rely on the enhanced foods alone,” says Dr. William Sears, nationally renowned pediatrician and best-selling author of more than 30 parenting books. Probiotics 101 Your intestines, where nearly 75 percent of your overall immune health resides, need a deli- cate balance of good and bad bacteria to properly digest food. Diet, stress, travel and even some med- ications like antibiotics can unfortunately cause bad bacteria to flourish. “A lot of my patients’ immune health problems stem from Helpful Tips to Get Your Immune Health in Check When choosing a probiotic supplement, makesureit has a clinically proven bacteria strain like Lactobacillus GG [LGG] foundin Culturelle. e Practice a healthy lifestyle and be sure to incorporate fruits and vegetablesinto your diet. e Ask your doctor about other typesof important supplements, including multivitamins and omega-3s. e Always consult your doctorif you are concerned about the effects of supplements or have any questions. @ imbalances in the digestive tract, which can create a host of potential concerns. More than ever, I’m finding that moms are turning to probiotics to help their families naturally build and restore their bodily supply of friendly bacteria,” explains Dr. Sears. You don’t have to wait until something goes wrong to take probiotics. While Europeans have been using them to safely boost their immune health for years, Americans have only recently discovered this nutritional secret. Core Health Begins with LGG It has been well documented in manyscientific studies that certain good bacteria promote good health. Some probiotics are more suited for specific conditions than others, and common types of bacteria include Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium. Although probiotic supplements are offered over the counter, Dr. Sears advises you to consult your doctor about finding the right strain for you. “I always look for products containing at least 10 billion bacteria at the time of consumption—the amount most recommended in clinical research. I often recommendLactobacillus GG [LGG] to my patients becauseit is the most widely researched strain in the world,” he says. Unlike some of the other strains frequently found in probiotic-fortified foods, LGG, which is only found in capsulated form in the supplement Culturelle, is one of the few probiotics that survives the strong acids of the stomach and intestines and then has the ability to colonize in the intestinal tract. More than 250 studies specifically on LGG show benefits ranging from aiding digestive issues to reducing the red, itchy skin associated with eczema. According to Dr. Sears, “Everyone can maintain a standard of optimal health by maintaining a healthy core. The proper functioning of your digestive system is vital to your over- all immune health and wellbeing, and taking a probiotic supplement like Culturelle helps protect your core from theeffects of harmful bacteria.” Visit www.culturelle.com or www.askdrsears.com for more information.
