Probiotics;

Making yogurt a part of your everyday diet may keep the doctor away--that is, if you eat enough of it and if it contains plenty of the right stuff. While many of us go out of our way to avoid exposing ourselves to bacteria and to kill any we do come in contact with, the truth is that swallowing certain bacteria could actually enhance your health. The beneficial bacteria are called probiotics and are often present in yogurt, kefir (a drink made with fermented milk) and milk cultured with Lactobacillus acidophilus.Probiotics is a term for good bacteria, eaten in food or taken in supplements, that have been shown in clinical studies to benefit humans by preventing the bad bacteria you come in contact with from causing illness or disease, explains Manfred Kroger, Ph.D., professor emeritus of food science at Penn State University in University Park, PA. "Good bacteria help stabilize our bodies' daily processes." About a dozen bacterial species have specific strains that have been identified as probiotic. Find out which probiotic strains are the most beneficial and where to purchase them.
One important note to remember is to try to find a yogurt or product with as little sugar in it as possible due to the fact that sugar is not beneficial to helping the intake of friendly bacteria and sugar enables the bad bacteria to flourish in the intestines. If a low sugar product is unavailable, try taking a probiotic supplement in capsule form. There are many fine products at the vitamin shop, just pick one that comes closest to your needs!