Most of us are more than familiar with the term antibiotic as it is a medication we are often prescribed when we have an infection or bacteria that has negatively affected our health. But probiotics are fairly new in the health and wellness field, which may make you wonder what exactly they are and how they can help you feel your best.

What Are Probiotics?

Probiotics are supplements or foods that contain bacteria or some other microorganism that is thought to be beneficial to your health. This may sound backwards to you, but your body actually needs some bacteria in order to function efficiently.

This is primarily true when it comes to your digestive system as it relies on hundreds of bacteria to help it properly process the foods you eat. Sometimes these healthy bacteria are destroyed by medications you take, which makes replacing them necessary in order to continue to digest the foods you consume regularly.

Probiotics also help treat a variety of conditions such as diarrhea, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and vaginitis. In addition, they boost your immune system so that you’re able to fight whatever bugs and viruses are currently going around.

How to Get Probiotics Regularly

You can get probiotics into your body two different ways: by taking supplements and by eating foods that contain them. Probiotic supplements can be found in most any health food store or pharmacy, giving you easy access to them. And if you’re unsure which ones will benefit you most, talk to your primary doctor for some direction. This also ensures that they won’t aggravate any current medical conditions you may have (for example, they’re not recommended for individuals with pancreatitis).

Another way to get probiotics naturally is by eating foods that have these healthy bacteria in them. This includes yogurt, cheese, and other foods marked as “containing live cultures.”

What are your thoughts about probiotics? Do you take them and, if so, which ones?