Yoghurt for a Healthy Gut

Specific bacteria - the so-called probiotics - support our natural intestinal flora. They optimise digestion and speed up the passage through the gut. They can help a poorly gut flora to regenerate and to rejuvenate. Such helpful bacteria can be found in natural yoghurt and yoghurt with added probiotic bacteria.
Research has shown that - after eating probiotics - more immuno-competent cells can be found in the body. Probiotic yoghurt contains such a high number of these bacteria so that many of them can survive the stomach's acidic environment. To ensure a sufficient supply to re-build the gut flora, you have to eat probiotic yoghurt every day and for a longer period of time - approx for 4 weeks.
Natural yoghurt, cottage cheese and quark are doing the same job, but cost less. Also high-fibre vegetables, pulses and legumes as well as whole grains will help the gut.
If the intestinal flora has been seriously damaged - e.g. after taking antibiotics - eating these products will not be enough. In this case, you should get high strength probiotic remedies (health food stores) and take them for 4 weeks. A good supplement should contain a daily dose of 10 billion probiotic lacto- or bifidobacteria. This equals the bacteria contents of approx 50 yoghurts. Experts are of the opinion that the reconstruction of intestinal bacteria after having finished taking antibiotics is a must. However, conventional medicine rarely takes this into consideration.