The Probiotics FAQ

May 2006: Articles

Are you new to the world of all-natural food and probiotics? For some of us, all the science involved can be intimidating– but knowing is the first step to improvement!

This FAQ is for anyone interested in learning more about the “friendly bacteria” that live in our bodies– and it’s written so anybody can understand it! Knowledge is free– read this for yourself, or share this with someone you love, to learn and live!

What are probiotics, and how are they connected to cultured foods?

Probiotics the common term for a family of bacteria (lactobacillus), that’s extremely beneficial to human health. They
are found in abundance in common cultured foods, but are sadly missing from many other
foods due to processing techniques. Many of the products Delightful Health carries contain this bacteria; these
foods and ingredients are designed to replenish your body with these organisms.

Probiotics live in the intestinal tract, and not only help us to properly digest and absorb nutrients that are
key to our survival, but also manufacture B vitamins, produce substances that inhibit harmful (or pathogenic)
bacteria, and strengthen our immune systems.

What does the term ‘Intestinal Flora’ mean?

The intestinal flora is a commonly used metaphor that describes the bacteria living in our intestines. Everyone
lives with this intestinal flora– without it, we’d die. People whose intestinal flora lacks certain bacteria (such
as those found in cultured foods), often suffer from Candida, weak immune systems, poor sleep patterns,
and many other ailments (both physical and emotional).

What makes out Intestinal Flora Unhealthy?

Factors that disrupt the balance of your Intestinal Flora include:

What are the Warning Signs of an unbalanced Intestinal Flora?

There are many signs, and they vary according to a person’s genetic makeup, current diet, and stress levels.

These are a few:

Why can’t I find enough of these bacteria in a normal, healthy diet?

There are many reasons. In the food industry plants and animals are sprayed or treated with chemicals that destroy
these helpful bacteria; animals are often fed with grains that have been chemically altered, and most
of our crops are grown in soil that’s been stripped of all the beneficial organisms necessary to survival.

Worse yet, the Western food industry has,for many years, over-processed food
and usually populates products such as milk and bread with engineered ‘filler nutrients’
that are not only harmful to the intestinal flora, but have no nutritional value whatsoever.

Because of this, we need to re-populate our intestinal tracks by eating natural foods that contain the
bacteria we need. This is where cultured foods and ingredients become an important part of
any healthy lifestyle.

Do cultured foods make a good weight loss program?

Probiotics are recommended for helping you lose weight because they aid your body in the digestion process,
but they aren’t a weight control program in themselves. The first step to losing weight is always
altering your eating habits, but this must be accompanied by exercise and– most importantly– the right
motivation to achieve your goals!

Many ‘quick fix’ diet programs not only produce temporary effects at best, and still worse,
are harmful to your health. Anyone seriously interested in losing weight should be doing it for
their own happiness, and should consider carefully the long-term benefits of the food he or she eats.

Cultured foods are a great tasting way to get healthy, and to continue enjoying your health for years
to come.

Can Probiotics fit into an active lifestyle?

Probiotics taste great, and are actually recommended by many sports trainers because they reduce
muscle inflammation and help athletes process carbohydrates more efficiently, making them ideal
for professionals and hobbyists alike. These cultured foods can even come in the form of
sports bars, and many other cultured foods make great, lightweight snacks to bring to the office or gym.

How difficult are cultured foods to prepare, and do they taste good?

These foods come in so many forms they can accommodate nearly any taste; yogurt is a great example of a
cultured food that millions of people enjoy every day. If you have children, you can make some
sweet tasting probiotic snacks, and cooking with cultured foods can range from the simple to the
complex, depending on your skill level.

Even though preparing cultured foods can be simple, anyone who wants to get healthy– or stay healthy–
should try not to eat out often (this helps save money too!). Cooking, eating, and cleaning are such
important parts of our daily lives that are essential to being both healthy and happy!

What are the physical benefits of probiotics?

There are many benefits; here’s a list:

What are the other effects of a cultured food diet?

Cultured foods can have a lasting impact on impact on your mental well being through the secondary
effects they provide. They increase energy, which contributes to ending depression. They improve sleep
functions, which can lead to reduced stress levels and far less daily anxiety. In general, people who eat
a lot of cultured foods enjoy life much more because of these and many other effects (who couldn’t
do with more natural energy and enthusiasm, for example).

There are many other factors that contribute to mental illness; probiotics can aid in changing the
physiological environment that contributes to them.

Living a satisfying life is both a mental and a physical challenge for all of us. Eating and enjoying cultured foods
greatly improves the way your whole body works, and this contributes to your overall happiness!

Can I eat anything other than cultured foods to stay healthy?

Yes, but it’s important that you avoid all food processed through inorganic means. An
all-organic diet is much healthier.

Cultured foods replenish your body with the bacteria and nutrients you need to survive; eating
over-processed and inorganic foods will only contribute to their removal. People who eat only organic
foods live happier, healthier, and longer lives.

Ceylon black teas, green teas with Polyphenols, and other natural teas are also great sidekicks to the
cultured food diet (and much healthier than coffee). We provide a complete catalog of all the ingredients–
and helpful advice– you need to get on the right track to improving your health.