Our modern lifestyle is typified by a hectic schedule, irregular meals, not enough rest, stress and exhaustion from work. These unfavourable factors give rise to a long list of diseases affecting our digestive tract, with symptoms like stomach ache, diarrhea, vomiting, nausea etc which are signals for more serious diseases.
The intestinal tract is that portion of the digestive system connecting our stomach to the anus, covering the small intestine, large intestine and the rectum.
Function of:
1) Small intestine - absorption of chyme (semifluid mass of partly digested food from the stomach).
2) Large intestine - condense the remaining digestive waste of the food.
3) Rectum/anus - eliminate the waste via feces out of our body system.
As more than 90% of the nutrients needed by our body are absorbed in our digestive tract, we must take great effort to preserve its wellbeing. The most effective approach in preventing diseases affecting the digestive tract is to observe a proper dietary habit.
This include:
- ensuring hygienic condition of the foods before they are served
- reducing consumption of raw and cold foods
- ensuring our drinking water is properly boiled or filtered
- have meals at regular hours.
Probiotics
The intake of probiotic formulations is a proven solution to preserving long-term healthy condition of our intestinal tract. By maintaining the population of the friendly bacteria at a sufficiently large number, it will reduce the presence of harmful bacteria.
Probiotics mainly refer to Lactobacillus (lactic acid bacteria) and in part Saccharomyces (yeast).
Functions of Lactobacillus include:
- housekeeping of the flora colonies in the gut
- beef up the immune mechanism in the intestinal tract
- enhance the nutritional value of the food we eat
- support the synthesis of vitamins and production of enzymes
- reduce the content of cholesterols
- reduce the risk of colon cancer
- subdue the growth of tumour.
Conclusion
Probiotics are viable bacteria that benefit us provided the bacteria are taken on a daily basis, in "alive" form and in sufficiently large number.
Source: Keep Intestinal Problems at Bay via Proper Housekeeping of Flora Balance in the Gut, Shuang Hor Magazine, September 2011 Issue
If you want to discover an excellent probiotics product, please check out The Uniqueness of Shuang Hor Lacto-berry Probiotics. Or you may email me at laifuiping@gmail.com.