There are two absorption systems in your body. Food
that is easily broken down is absorbed into your upper intestinal
tract. If you cannot absorb a particular food, it goes to the lower
intestinal tract (colon), where bacteria (in your colon) ferment it to
smaller products that can be absorbed. Your colon is loaded with
good and bad bacteria. Examples of bad bacteria are clostridia that
are kept in check by good bacteria. If you take an antibiotic that
knocks off the good bacteria, the clostridia can overgrow and cause
horrible bloody diarrhea and you can die if you are not given special
antibiotics, specific to kill clostridia, such as metronidazole and
vancomycin.
The good bacteria break down soluble fiber to form chemicals such
as short chain fatty acids that are absorbed into your bloodstream and
travel to your liver where they block the liver from making
cholesterol and help to prevent heart attacks. These short chain fatty
acids also reduce inflammation, so they help to control the horrible
bloody diarrhea and ulcers caused by Crohn's disease. They also reduce
swelling and pain of arthritis, diabetes and psoriasis, and some
studies show they may even improve your immunity to help you to kill
germs.
One example of friendly bacteria is lactobacilli, found in
live-culture yogurt. However, lactobacilli do not thrive in your
intestines and disappear if you don't eat yogurt every day. Most
commercial yogurts do not contain live cultures; check the labels if
you seek this benefit.
Foods that cannot be absorbed in your upper intestinal tract pass
to your colon and form the food for the huge colony of friendly
bacteria there. These include whole grains, beans, seeds, vegetables
and nuts. The part of these foods that encourages the growth of good
bacteria is most likely the soluble fiber.
So probiotics are living microorganisms, the good bacteria, that
live in the colon and reduce inflammation and help prevent and treat
Crohn's disease, psoriasis, arthritis, and perhaps even certain types
of cancers.
Prebiotics are the nondigestible food ingredients that cannot be
absorbed in the upper intestinal tract and travel to the colon to
encourage the growth of these good bacteria. A healthful, high-fiber
diet will include a wide variety of these foods.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
 Dr.
Gabe Mirkin has been a radio talk show host for 25 years and
practicing physician for more than 40 years; he is board certified in
four specialties, including sports medicine. Read or listen to
hundreds of his fitness and health reports at
http://www.DrMirkin.com
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