Written by Menswear Style in Food & Drink on the 2nd August 2019

You might have heard the term probiotics before. It’s one of those words that gets used a lot but people don’t really know what it means. Probiotics are live microorganisms that promote healthy bacteria in the gut, and they’re great for your overall health. There is a lot of research into the bacteria in your gut at the moment and the results suggest that if you have an imbalance or a shortage of the good bacteria, it can damage your health in so many different ways, but probiotics can help with that.

You can get probiotic supplements but they aren’t always necessary because there are a lot of common food sources. You’ll find probiotics in any kind of fermented foods like yoghurt, sourdough bread, and sauerkraut. You can also drink a fermented tea drink called kombucha which is very popular for people that are trying to increase their probiotic intake. You can buy kombucha online and it’s a simple way to introduce plenty of probiotics into your diet. But is it really worth doing in the first place? If you’re still not convinced that you need to add probiotics to your diet, have a look at some of these amazing health benefits that they bring.

Improve Digestive Issues 

If you have digestive issues, they can have more of an impact on your life than people realise. Often, digestive issues are caused by an imbalance of bacteria in the gut, but probiotics can really help with that. If you’re experiencing a lot of digestive issues, you should try adding some probiotics to your diet and see if that makes a difference. In most cases, it should clear the problem right up. However, if the symptoms persist, that might be a sign of a more serious problem so you should consult your doctor.

Improve Mental Health 

Managing your mental health properly is so important but it’s often difficult to know what the best way to do that is. But a lot of recent studies show that there is a strong link between mental health and gut health, and it goes both ways. That means that if you’re stressed out and anxious all of the time, your gut health will suffer. But poor gut health can also make those mental health issues worse, so you become stuck in a vicious cycle. Adding probiotics could help to break that cycle, so if you’re looking for new ways to improve your mental health, you should give it a try. However, it’s important to remember that mental health issues are very complex and there isn’t a quick fix. Probiotics aren’t going to deal with your mental health issues completely, but they may help a little if they’re used as part of a more comprehensive treatment plan.

Improve Heart Health 

Looking after your heart health is so important and probiotics could help there as well. High cholesterol levels are a big problem when it comes to heart health but studies show that some probiotics help to produce lactic acid reducing bacteria which lowers your cholesterol levels. The bile in your gut is primarily made from cholesterol and it can be reabsorbed into your bloodstream and increase your cholesterol levels. But the right probiotics can help your body to break down that bile and stop it from being reabsorbed so it’s easier to manage your cholesterol levels. Consuming probiotics can also reduce your blood pressure slightly, which also helps to improve your heart health. However, you can’t use probiotics as a substitute for healthy eating habits. It’s important that you watch what you eat and don’t have too much fat and salt if you want a healthy heart. Probiotics can help but they don’t give you a free pass to eat whatever you like.

Reduce Symptoms Of Allergies 

If you suffer with allergies, you know how frustrating it can be. But probiotics can help to reduce those symptoms, especially in things like eczema. Studies show that children, in particular, saw far less symptoms of eczema when they were consuming probiotics regularly. The children of mothers that consumed probiotics during pregnancy were also less likely to develop eczema in the first place. Probiotics have also been shown to reduce the reaction of people with a dairy allergy. These studies are still in their early stages and it is not yet clear exactly what the link is, but initial results show that probiotics could be useful in tackling allergies.

We discuss how to Improve Digestive Issues, Improve Mental Health, Improve Heart Health, and Reduce Symptoms Of Allergies in this blog post about Why Probiotics Should Be Part of your Diet.