Anti-Aging Nutrient for Great Skin, Breath, Body Oder

What is the latest anti-aging nutrient that also helps get rid of any body odor (bad breath, stinky pits) and supports your immune system? Who would have guessed it would be Probiotics? Probiotics are good bacteria that live in our colon (large intestine) and play a vital role in keeping the body in balance. I have been reading more and more about the importance of good bacteria in our bodies and I am astounded at what I am discovering. It has made me think, “Everyone needs to know about the amazing benefits that these good guys have for our bodies!”
So how do probiotics benefit us? They are key in supporting the immune system and helping to regulate the bowels to prevent a build up of toxicity in the body. Probiotics are becoming so popular that articles about them are appearing in skin care magazines suggesting that skin care professionals advise food and supplements rich in good bacteria for clients with skin sensitivities. People suffering from acne and rosacea would highly benefit from adding good bacteria to their diet, as well as people looking for anti-aging since probiotics play a part in prevention. According to Skin Inc., “the skin reflects the inner ecosystem of the body.” That means an imbalance of good bacteria in the body (colon) can lead to an increase in toxicity in the body -- which is then reflected in your skin. Want beautiful skin? You need to first cleanse (colonic’s) “beautify” the inside, then by adding good bacteria.
An imbalance of GOOD bacteria in your body also leads to an overgrowth of BAD bacteria that can be pathogenic, produce odor in the body, or both. Bad bacteria thrives on rotting food that’s not being eliminated out of the body and when there’s not enough good bacteria to keep it in check, thus creating foul-smelling odor as a by-product. Odor can also come from the rotting food in your gut. So supplementing with probiotics is going to get that bad bacteria back into check which will help get rid of any body odor, including halitosis (chronic bad breath).
But probiotics are not just for those with body odor and who want beautiful skin. The majority of our immune system is concentrated in our gut, to protect us from pathogens we consume in our food or drink. “They [probiotics] help stimulate the formation of antibodies which protects us from infectious disease.” (Loree Jordan, Far From Poopin). So you want to support your immune system? Give it a boost by supplementing with probiotics. The good bacteria also produce the enzyme lactase in their by-products. Are you lactose intolerant? You could absolutely benefit from supplementing good bacteria in your diet to help digest dairy. “Some studies suggest that probiotics are effective in treating some forms of irritable bowel syndrome, a chronic digestive condition with no known cure. Other populations who benefit from probiotics are those with weak immune systems, such as babies, those with lactose intolerance, and the elderly who tend to use high levels of antibiotics that eventually erode the protective lining of the intestinal mucosa.” (Skin Inc.) Good bacteria are also key in the production of vitamins in the body especially Vitamins K, B1, B2, and B12. Probiotics also help in removing toxins out of the body and are instrumental in lowering cholesterol.
So pretty much EVERYONE can benefit from getting more good bacteria. If you’ve ever had to take antibiotics, you need to give the bacteria back to your body. If you have ever drunk coffee in your life time, you've killed the good bacteria.
I know you're now wondering where you can get these essential friends. Probiotics can be taken in supplement form which can be found at your local health food store. The Sacramento Natural Foods Co-op is an awesome place to check out if you don’t already frequent them on a regular basis; or come here to The Fountain of Health, we’ve got awesome good guys (aka probiotics). You can also find them in your yogurt. When taking probiotics it’s essential to eat fiber or supplement with fiber. Cleaning your colon gets rid of the bad bacteria so the good bacteria feed on fiber and that’s what helps them to thrive. Remember none of this advice does us much good unless we are eating whole foods such as 6 servings of veggies and 2 fruits a day.
To really drive home the importance of probiotics, the following is a partial list of problems associated with inadequate bowel flora (aka probiotics, aka good bacteria).
Chronic diarrhea
Constipation
Breast enlargement in men
Menstrual cramps
Severe bruising problems
Candida infections
High cholesterol levels
Chronic anemia
Chronic bladder infections
Intestinal gas
PMS
Dairy product allergies
Prostate problems
Chronic bad breath
Osteoporosis
Vitamin B deficiency

List courtesy of Loree Taylor Jordan, Author of Far from Poopin; When Sh*t Doesn’t Happen