What Exactly Is Intestinal Floral?

Those hundreds of billions of bacteria live in our intestines ... and yet we have not even been presented. Here are some things to learn about our intestinal flora.

• Flora intestinal bacteria that help us
• What is the gut?
• How to encourage a healthy balance of intestinal flora?
There are thousands of billions! More than one kilogram in total, and over one thousand different species. Often, the idea seems repulsive, because we are used to treat bacteria as enemies to be eliminated. However, the intestinal flora that shelters in our body is very important and even necessary to our existence.

What is the gut?
The primary role of the intestinal flora is purely tract. Indeed, some elements of our food can be digested without their intervention - such is the case of certain fibers. The bacteria will then consume and digest, producing the passage of nutrients we need, like certain vitamins.

Moreover, the bacteria in our gut flora have a very important role in immune because we protect and pathogens (which cause illness). The presence of all bacteria useful indeed makes the survival of other germs harder: the food is harder to find, just as places to stay. In addition, the intestinal flora changes the pH of the intestine which thus becomes a hostile place for germs. This role explains why treatment with antibiotics, made to eliminate certain bacteria and thus unbalance the intestinal flora, promotes the occurrence of diarrhea, sometimes severe. As "good" bacteria are eliminated in part, this leaves more scope for "bad" so we can make them sick.

How to encourage a healthy balance of intestinal flora?

Two factors favor the intestinal flora: prebiotics and probiotics.

Prebiotics

These molecules are not digested in our intestines will be consumed by the bacterial flora. It is therefore important to eat enough. You'll find in fruits and honey, but you can also find food supplements containing prebiotics.

Probiotics

They are simply bacteria or yeasts, whose species are beneficial, and which theoretically will settle in the gut once we have swallowed. It is now possible to find many products, especially milk, fortified with probiotics. Beware though, it is difficult to ensure that they survive the passage through the stomach ... If your gut is unbalanced and you suffer from disorders often intestinal, consult your doctor about dietary supplements containing probiotics.