Yes, probiotics have amazing benefits for your gut health, BUT it’s not a miracle maker and can make the situation worse if taken without guidance. In most cases, probiotics will not counter the effects of a poor diet and lifestyle.
For example, taking probiotics will make the situation worse if you have dysbiosis, meaning: a quantitative or qualitative imbalance in your gut flora, or microbiota. I’ll explain it further, this imbalance means you have more harmful microorganisms (bacteria, fungi…) than good microorganisms, in short. SIBO (Small Intestine Bacterial Overgrowth) and SIFO (Small Intestine Fungi Overgrowth) are examples of dysbiosis.
A few indicators that you may have dysbiosis:
👅 Thick, permanent coating on your tongue
💥 Stomach or intestinal pain
🎈 Bloating and flatulence
⏳Indigestion
🔥 Acid reflux
🥫You eat too much processed food
👤You lead an irregular lifestyle (e.i.: sedentarism, unrestful sleepless nights, rushed meals...)
😩You experience excessive anxiety, stress (this is a cause AND a symptom)
🤚🏽 If the condition persists, it might lead to low-grade inflammation, aching joints, skin issues.
❓WHY
So, the use of probiotics in a case of dysbiosis is not recommended, as it will worsen the condition of your gut flora. In Ayurveda, this undesirable accumulation of unfriendly microorganisms with (and due to) undigested food particles is called aam, or toxins. Toxins is everything in excess that our body can’t process in an efficient manner, leading to a host of diseases with “unknown” causes.
✅ WHAT TO DO
The best thing to do is to increase your PREbiotic consumption. Meaning, start eating clean foods, as natural as possible, fruits and vegetables rich in soluble fibers to start feeding the healthy bacteria in your gut and starving the bad bacteria to death. Yes, that is how it works.
Don’t be afraid to ask for help, consult with an Ayurvedic practitioner, holistic dietician or nutritions for proper guidance.
To a balanced life!
Namaste,
Grazie Prokopetz, Doctor of Ayurveda
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