Health Hotline Magazine | May 2019

NATURAL GROCERS

B E YOND PROB I OT I CS By Lindsay Wilson

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FOR A HEALTHY GUT MICROBIOME, PROBIOTICS ARE JUST THE BEGINNING

Scientists have long known that bacteria live in humans, but it wasn’t until 2007 that researchersbegantogainatrueunderstanding of not only the vast numbers of bacteria that we house (they number in the trillions), but just how complex the relationship between humans and bacteria is. And the research has only begun to scratch the surface. Just this year, researchers discovered and isolated more than 100 brand new species of bacteria from the intestines of healthy people. i One of the major revelations from the discovery of the microbiome is how it has the ability to shape health, for better or worse.

These bacteria influence everything from gut health to immunity and metabolism to brain health, and how diverse and well balanced they are determines how healthy we are. Hand-in-hand with that knowledge, probiotics have risen to the top as must- have supplements to support a healthy balance in the gut. It’s true that a quality probiotic supplement is key to help restore and/or maintain bacterial harmony, but as researchers discover more about the gut microbiome, they are also discovering more about what these bacteria need to thrive, and probiotics are just the beginning.

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