Bacteria are tiny one-celled organisms that aren’t only present in your body, but all over the planet. In fact, bacteria are actually important to the survival of our planet. There are a lot of different types of bacteria, some good and some bad. It’s important to understand the difference between the two.
At Shine Health and Wellness, our expert team helps you keep your body as healthy as possible, especially when it comes to bacteria. Dr. Kimberly Shine specializes in functional medicine to get your gut, and the rest of your body, in good working order.
Is all bacteria bad?
The simple answer is no, not all bacteria are bad for you or your health. When you hear about bacteria, it’s usually in a bad way. Bad bacteria are notoriously known for causing health issues, with some of the main types being:
- Streptococcus pneumoniae
- Staphylococcus aureus
- Escherichia coli
- Clostridium
Although these bacteria are inherently bad for you, they’re in your body all of the time. The good bacteria that are also present work to keep these bad bacteria manageable, so they don’t cause problems in your gut or other areas of your body.
There are actually billions of good bacteria that reside mostly in your gastrointestinal tract. These bacteria help you absorb vital nutrients and break down your food that you eat. They’re also responsible for making important vitamins that affect your overall health and wellness.
What types are good for you?
There are several different types of bacteria that are considered good for your health. Many of them are found in different types of foods, or in supplements known as probiotics. The types of good bacteria that you’re likely to find include:
- Lactobacillus acidophilus
- Bifidobacteria
- Streptococcus thermophilus
- Saccharomyces boulardii
Lactobacillus bacteria is probably the most prevalent type of good bacteria used in probiotics. It’s found in food products like yogurt and soy products that have been fermented. This type of bacteria can help you fight off diarrhea and other GI tract problems.
The benefits of good bacteria
Good bacteria are vital to helping keep your body healthy and to keep the bad bacteria in check. Probiotics are supplements that contain large amounts of healthy bacteria to improve your gut health and keep the harmful bacteria to a minimum.
There are a lot of benefits to good bacteria, including improving the health of your gastrointestinal tract. However, the benefits span more than just this part of your body, and they include:
- Strengthening your immune system
- Improving your mental health
- Elevating your energy
- Lowering your cholesterol
- Boosting weight loss
- Keeping your hormones regulated
Good bacteria can also improve the health in your mouth and gums as well as to help you live longer. Basically, good bacteria is vital to the healthy function of most of the cells and systems within your body. Without it, bad bacteria would take over, resulting in sickness and disease.
When you’re ready to take control of your gut health, don’t hesitate to book an appointment online or over the phone with our expert team at Shine Health and Wellness today.