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Intestinal flora is made up of "healthy" bacteria such as acidophilus found in yogurt.  Flora is required to break down the foods we eat.  

Antibiotics kills the beneficial bacteria that live within the intestinal tract creating severe side effects and repercussions for digestion and immunity.  Fortunately, a great deal of research has shown that the addition of healthy bacteria to one's diet can prevent the undesirable side effects of antibiotic therapy, including diarrhea, digestive problems and vaginal yeast infections. 

Human health needs the presence of healthy bacteria in  the digestive tract and the vaginal mucous membranes.  Probiotics is the replenishment of this healthy bacteria.  

The human gastrointestinal tract, as well as your whole body,  is a paradise for microorganisms (germs).  The warm, moist, food-filled environment is ideal for sustaining life.  In fact, at least 400 kinds of microorganisms are found in the gastrointestinal tract.  The total amount of healthy bacteria in your intestines weighs about "three pounds".  

Although healthy bacteria are harmless to us, they kill off germs such as escherichia (particularly E. coli), klebsiella, enterobacter, pseudomonas, salmonella, serratia and bacteroides.

If harmful germs grow too rapidly, fairly serious consequences can result.  Diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis (rheumatoid arthritis of the spine), colitis, diabetes, meningitis, myasthenia gravis (a neuromuscular defect that causes muscular weakness and debility), thyroid disease and bowel cancer are the result of significantly altered intestinal flora.

In order for healthy bacteria to be effective against germs, they must be present in extremely high quantities.  If you taken antibiotics, you may want to consider probiotic therapy.  If you prefer, you could have a comprehensive stool analysis to check the level and proper balance of intestinal flora.

In addition to digestive disorders, probiotic therapy appears to help many other conditions. Because the healthy bacteria break down lactose (milk sugar) into more easily digestible simple sugars, healthy flora can treat lactose intolerance.  Several studies have shown that healthy flora can help reduce serum cholesterol.  Research has also shown healthy flora to be helpful in vaginal and urinary tract infections, chronic liver disease, herpes simplex of the mouth, constipation in hospitalized patients, and acne.

Antibiotic therapy, poor diets, and even emotional upsets and psychological pressures all play a role in reducing the number of healthy bacteria in our body.  Antibiotics, one of the most commonly prescribed class of drugs in the U.S., eradicate colonies of healthy bacteria at the same time they eliminate disease-producing germs.  When populations of healthy bacteria are depleted, harmful microorganisms like the Candida albicans fungus can gain a foothold.  Diets high in fats and sugars create an intestinal environment favorable to the growth of unhealthy microorganisms. They can be difficult to dislodge once they become entrenched. Some research has shown that emotional distress diminishes healthy flora, perhaps by effecting subtle changes in the body's chemistry.

Lactic acid producing microorganisms have been called a "second immune system" because they put the brakes on growth of disease causing bacteria such as salmonella, various types of diarrhea and even virus-caused flu.  Healthy bacteria has more killing power than penicillin, streptomycin or terramycin.  

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