Probiotics play an important role in keeping us healthy

They begin to populate our body shortly after birth, and continue to enter through the food we eat, the things we touch and the air we inhale,

They can be found in layers of our skin and internal organs and especially in the stomach and intestines. Species of human microbiota vary in relation to their residential sites in the body, the environment and the food they live on. For example, bacteria from lactic acid can live and grow in the intestines without need of oxygen while skin microorganisms can live on fatty acids from the sweat glands. 

Different types of human microbiota also perform different functions for the host body. For example, some microorganisms that live in the intestines assist digestion by creating enzymes not produced by the human body and also synthesise some vitamins and nutrients. Others help promote the functioning of the natural immune system and increase the efficiency of white blood cells. Therefore, the presence of these healthy microorganisms, known collectively as “probiotics bacteria”, in our digestive tract will assist normal digestion of our body or even improve it. In other words, probiotics help increase the efficiency of our digestive system.

“Our need for probiotics varies from person to person, both in terms of types and the amount needed, due to differences in our health conditions and lifestyles. People who often eat traditional fermented foods such as Chinese century egg, Korean kimchi, Japanese natto, Thai fermented rice noodle, as well as cultured milk and yoghurt will naturally take in more probiotics than those who have western food, which is mainly composed of meats, flours, bread and potatoes. Emotional factors, such as stress and anxiety, as well as gender and age also result in the differences in probiotic needs,” explained Assoc Prof Lee Yuan Kun, a lecturer at the Department of Microbiology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, during the recent academic seminar on microbiota, sponsored by Dutch Mill, as part of the 8th Asian Conference on Lactic Acid Bacteria (ACLAB 2015).

With all these factors and additional differences in geographic locations, surroundings and ways of life, probiotic needs of people in different provinces, regions and countries can be unique. It is therefore important to choose specific types of probiotics to suit each area and its people. Doing so will ensure a well-balanced variety and the most desirable functioning of probiotics in our body.

Today, in Finland and Denmark, patients, and especially children, are encouraged to up their intake of probiotics after taking anti-biotic medication, which disturb the body’s microbial balance. If these probiotics quickly rebalance after taking antibiotic medication, the body’s functioning won’t be affected. However, if the imbalance is prolonged and the body receives non-probiotics or harmful microorganisms, the body can be more prone to diseases and functional failures. For example, antibiotic medication taken to treat diarrhoea also eliminates probiotics in the digestive tract, thus deactivating the body’s normal immune system. If the body receives another bacteria at that time, that person can, for example, become allergic to certain foods he/she has previously eaten without any side effects. However, in the longer term, if the person doesn’t change his or her lifestyle behaviour, the probiotics will repopulate gradually, leading to restoration of the immune system and elimination of the intruding microorganism.

Understanding probiotics and how they work to promote our digestive and excretory systems should help us to observe our lifestyle behaviour as well as changes in our health conditions. Applying this knowledge in our everyday life will help us to ensure proper daily intake of probiotics in combination with a healthy diet and regular exercise for better efficiency of the digestive and excretory systems and, in a longer term, better physical and mental health and well-being overall. 

 

Supine exercises and hot poultices ease back pain, says expert

DEUTSCHE PRESSE-AGENTUR

 

Exercises in a supine position can often help relieve back soreness, says Reinhard Schneiderhan, orthopaedist and president of the German Spinal League. 

Example: Lie on your back and place your legs on a chair. Lift your head and shoulders up off the floor and stretch your arms forward. The palms should face away and the backs of your hands towards your head. From this position, move your upper body forwards and push your hands with arms stretched past your legs. Repeat this exercise 10 to 15 times.

Heat can also relieve back soreness. Take a bath at 37 degrees Celsius and add balm, lavender blossoms, sage, rosemary or thyme to boost circulation and calm stress-related tension, Schneiderhan says.

A hot poultice is easily made and can help. Boil and mash potatoes and wrap them in a tea towel, and apply this to the sore spot of the back