Got Allergies? Get Probiotics!

Eczema, asthma, constipation, diarrhoea, cramping, runny nose, itchy eyes, post nasal drip, fatigue, acne, headaches, joint pain, heartburn, itching, sinusitis, rashes, difficulty concentrating, difficulty sleeping, what do all these health complaints have in common? They can all be symptoms of allergies.

An allergy is an inappropriate immune reaction; in other words, the body is overreacting to an allergen (the substance the body thinks is bad and wants to defend itself against). Everyday we can come into contact with allergens via our environment e.g. pollens, perfumes, cosmetics, cleaning products, and via our digestive system e.g. wheat, dairy, nuts.

The gut acts as a barrier to the outside world. The cells lining the gut are held together by “tight junctions” that prohibit particles from food passing unselectively into the blood stream. Probiotics, the beneficial bacteria that live in our intestine, are also essential to help keep the gut lining healthy and keep the tight junctions tight. If probiotic numbers are reduced this maintenance job can fall to the wayside.

When food particles get through the gut wall and into health feature places they shouldn’t be an immune red alert is triggered. This is why we may have ‘allergic’ reactions to foods that we used to be able to tolerate well.

Many factors can reduce probiotic numbers, including antibiotics, caffeine, alcohol, low fibre diets and stress. Keeping probiotic numbers at healthy levels is beneficial for maintaining the health of the gut. Probiotic supplementation should be considered as part of your daily ‘health insurance policy’ alongside your multivitamin and other daily essentials.

The Nature’s Way® Primadophilus® range has a probiotic formula for every family member