Staying well has always been important but the pandemic heightened our awareness of the benefits to a strong immune system. Now is the time to boost your immunity as cold and flu season begins with COVID still lingering. An ever expanding number of studies have found that the balance or imbalance of bacteria in your gut are directly linked to overall health and disease. More than half of the cells that make antibodies used in combating sickness are found in your intestines and other organs in your gut. They work to protect against pathogens, toxins and stress. Immune systems are a network of many parts that contain proteins, cells, tissues and organs that are found throughout your body. Probiotics are beneficial bacteria which aid in your body’s ability to digest food, fight the cells that cause diseases and boost your immune system. By ensuring that you have a strong, healthy gut with a proper balance of good bacteria and other organisms in your intestines you are able to reduce your chances of getting sick.
Even people with robust immune systems will sometimes have health issues. Often a doctor will offer antibiotics. While it is amazing that these medicines are frequently able to fix the issue they often wipe out the good bacteria and are associated with unpleasant side effects. One common side effect is diarrhea which happens as a result of the balance of good and bad bacteria in your gut being negatively affected. Probiotics not only help to prevent diarrhea but also to minimize the severity.
As people age the diversity and amount of bacterial species in the gut is often reduced. Age can also play a role in weakening your immune system as can antibiotics that you may require to manage other health issues. By using probiotics to help improve your body’s immune response it will be easier to fight off certain infections including the common cold. Probiotics are also useful in reducing the impact should you end up with something like a cold. Many factors in our daily lives and environment including pollution, stress, prescriptions, sugar and food additives in your diet, tap water (chlorine and fluoride), alcohol, tobacco, and poor sleep can affect the colonies of beneficial bacteria in your gut at a much quicker pace than your body is able to replace them without the aid of a probiotic. The health of your gut affects way more than just your tummy and actually impacts your blood sugar, brain health and heart health. Various studies have indicated that there is a link between changes in the gut microbiome and several serious illnesses including dementia, Parkinson’s, Type 2 diabetes and Alzheimer’s Disease. By incorporating a daily probiotic you can help make sure that your gut has plenty of good bacteria to help lower your chances of becoming unwell and even can help to lower your cholesterol.
People of all ages can bolster their immune systems with a daily probiotic. Studies have found that children who take probiotics saw less incidence of flu-like sickness and well as reduced lengths of times their experience symptoms. Luckily, NOVA has you covered with a formula specially for your little ones. It comes in a powder formula making it easy to add to smoothies, oatmeal etc.
Candida is a fungus which can cause yeast inflections or oral thrush. Candida can be found living in your mouth normally but if too much builds up it can cause you to experience unpleasant white tongue. Probiotic bacteria is able to inhibit the adhesion of unwanted microbes and impact immune responses as well as oral microbiota.
Vitamin C is well established to be a great way to strengthen your immune system and is hailed as helping to prevent colds and flus and lowering blood pressure. By combining you vitamin C intake with a daily probiotic you can improve your bodies nutrient absorption.
Buddha has been quoted as saying “To keep the body in good health is a duty…otherwise we shall not be able to keep our mind strong and clear.” Many factors contribute to overall wellness but certainly your immune system is an essential component which can greatly benefit from a daily probiotic.