Oscar Wilde once said that if we always got the things that we wanted in our lives, we wouldn't experience the happiness that we now understand and enjoy. There are lot of things that we don't understand about life, and in not being able to do so, there is wisdom in not attempting to either.
Just as in philosophy, so this applies to the world of biology and health as well due to the fact that while germ (er, bacteria) are considered to be harmful in general, there are bacteria that are actually good for you.
Maybe it's not something that can be understood but has to be accepted as well… however, what we're talking about here is the study of probiotics.
A First Glance at the study of Probiotics
With its original Greek meaning being "for life", this study of microorganisms that are friendly is about understanding how they positively affect the host's body when present in adequate amounts. With the emphasis on the adjective "adequate"…
In most cases, these microorganisms are introduced to the body while some of them already exist in our stomach. There are certain microorganisms that are said to belong to this group of probiotics and they are Lactic acid bacteria (LAB), bifidobacteria, yeast and bacilli.
And with the addition of special live culture, these microorganisms are normally present in foods such as yoghurt, soy yoghurt, tempeh, miso, dietary supplements, fermented and unfermented milk.
Yet one should not forget Eli Metchnikoff, who was the founder of this study if you will, and who brought it out to light in the years surrounding 1953, and after which several scientists have taken it to new levels every year since then.
Perhaps you might not be so aware of this term (probiotics) but in understanding the nature of antibiotics (medication used to destroy harmful bacteria), you should understand that this study chooses to use friendly bacteria to strengthen the subject's body.
And there are several other benefits that are involved with probiotics too…
Benefits of Probiotics
After Metchnikoff proved that probiotics is indeed a worthy study to pursue and apply in the field of medicine, research over the years have indicated that there are a large number of benefits that are associated with the probiotics (as opposed to the antibiotics) approach.
Here are some of these benefits that have been uncovered over the last few decades:
1) Improves urogenital health
2) Prevents the growth of harmful bacterial under stress
3) Improves mineral absorption
4) Manages lactose intolerance
5) Improves immune function and prevents infections
6) Works in the prevention of colon cancer
7) Lowers cholesterol and blood pressure
8) Improves Irritable bowel syndrome and colitis
9) Aids in the treatment of the Helicobacter pylori infection (Peptic Ulcers)
And these are just a few benefits that have been discovered while there's no doubt that this approach of treatment has worked well with patients over the last few decades, and will continue to do so in the long run.
In Closing
Thank God that we do not know everything – and there isn't a hard and fast rule for Life, and perhaps when you see this example of probiotics, it's obvious that there is a good and bad side to everything – even bacteria! And while you might not understand, there is irrefutable evidence that you must accept!
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
We start life with a healthy supply of probiotics (assuming that our mother has a good supply) and things often go downhill from there. We used to live in a society we’re we automatically were exposed to a continual barrage of bacteria – good and bad.
Now, we forbid our children to play in the dirt or get their hands dirty and even fruit straight from the tree has to be washed incase a sparrow coughed on it. Our system – when it’s functioning well – can cope with all these things. But as we sanitize everything, so we are losing our good bacteria along with the bad.
Probiotic supplements are a convenient way for people to build their supply back up. Even better, is to eat fermented foods that are high in beneficial lactic acid bacteria.
Eat enough lactic acid bacteria and you’re bound to find some of them were probiotics.
I agree that there is a good and bad side to everything – good doesn’t exist if
there is no bad..as well as there is no positive if there is no negative…
I enjoy reading your blog…