Here's the deal with milk based probiotics..

Besides (cow) milk products being loaded with mucus- yogurt included- humans do not have the capability to completely break down the large proteins found in cow's milk.  For example, beta-casein has the ability to trick the immune system into attacking and destroying the insulin-producing beta cells of the pancreas; Read: DIABETES.

http://www.nzfsa.govt.nz/policy-law/projects/a1-a2-milk/a1-a2-report.pdf

I have made my own yogurt for the past 30 years. I won't drink a glass of milk, but every day I eat three heaping teaspoons before eating anthing else in the morning and I feel great! I use yogurt frequently in my recipes. I have recommended eating yogurt to people who have lots of digestive problems and they report great results.

If you make yogurt with cows milk it becomes much more digestible than milk because the bacteria partially digests it for you. By experience I can confirm that the research cited above is correct. If you have a painful intestinal infection , just take a cup or two of yogurt and violá!...the pain disappears!

I believe eating yogurt is preventive medicine. It's not all there is to having good health, but it's a valuable part of it.

By the way, to ilbacio214...you can also make yogurt with goat's milk and if I'm not mistaken it might even work with soy milk.

I'm all for eating yogurt!

Jill Paer

I just read that if you are not a fan of yogurt, fermented foods like sauerkraut, kimchi, miso and kefir can help too.  If all of these foods are too pungent for you, you can consider taking a supplement that contains the lactobacillus and bifidus probiotic strains.  Just make sure they are living cultures and are  only active at cool temperatures, so those found in bars and vitamins do not work.

There are other choices out there like sauerkraut, kimchi and kefir that contain active bacteria.  If these are too pungent for you, try a supplement.  Probiotics are living cultures and are only active at cool temperatures, so vitamins and energy bars are ineffective.

It has been well documented that a good source of probiotic bacteria in the diet is a helpful and natural part of the food chain.  Modern diets with the over-load of caffeine, sugar, preservatives, and overly-processed foods lead to reduced levels of probiotic bacteria.  This encourages an environment for putrefactive bacteria to dominate in the intestines. 

 I use a product that contains an active source of lactobacillus bacteria and a natural source of vitamins, minerals, amino acids and ensymes which is produced through a natural, organic, fermentation process.  It has made a huge difference in my bowel health, and the bonus is that I have actually been able to get my son to use it as well.

Probiotics are definitely a big part of intestinal health.

Christy Mother Earth's Farm Where good things come from for the body and soil.

You can also get the healthy bacteria from other sources than yogurt.  Sauerkraut, kimchi and kefir also have them.  If they are too pungent, you can take supplements that contain the lactobacillus and bifidus probiotic strains.  Probiotics are living cultures and they are only active at cool temperatures, so those found in energy bars and vitamins are not helpful.

A few  years ago I got food poisoning at a family Christmas party. It was bad enough I ended up in the hospital on pain killers and Cipro for a few days. Well the Cipro killed all the bad bugs, but it got the good ones too. Wish the doctor had known at the time that a good probiotic would have counteracted that.

   I started going to a naturopathic doctor after that incident. He put me on a probiotic to build my system back up. I've had to take the Cipro a time or two since for other reasons, but it doesn't cause the painful 3 or 4 days of gut pain anymore like it did in the hospital.

Probiotics have my vote.

Observe the world as though you were a child and enjoy the wonder of it all.

You can also get the health benefits of probiotics from kimchi, sauerkraut and kefir.  Just remember that probiotics only work when they are at a cool temperature.  Vitamins and energy bars don't cut it.