Your body has been making good bacteria – probiotics – since birth. As you age, your production of these bacteria, along with your immune system, is compromised. We all have probiotics in the mouth, the throat, the lungs, and the digestive tract. And these probiotics act as a natural antibiotic to destroy harmful microorganisms, or at least keep them in check. They also help breakdown undigested fiber from fruits, vegetables, milk, and sugar.
Our bodies need to maintain a balance of probiotics, so you can either take a supplement or you can rely on the foods you eat. Fermented foods (like sauerkraut, kefir, kimchi, or fermented and cultured vegetables) are loaded with probiotics.
Last Updated: August 16, 2018
Originally Published: July 31, 2012
