Probiotics For Dummies

Probiotics are beneficial, live microorganisms (in most cases, bacteria) that are similar to those found naturally in the human intestine. Also known as "friendly" or "good" bacteria, probiotics are the cornerstone of any successful health program because they restore a healthy balance between friendly and bad bacteria in the intestinal tract, a balance that is critical for the health of the entire body. Probiotics are associated with treating everything from IBS to certain forms of cancer, allergies, eczema, and even the effects of aging.

Probiotics For Dummies reveals how taking the right probiotics?in the form of food and supplements? as part of a total health program benefits one's overall health, as well as improving specific conditions. This hands-on, essential guide features 20 probiotic recipes and gives you a step-by-step plan for infusing probiotics into your diet to improve the health of the GI tract, alleviate allergies and asthma, restore reproductive and urinary tracts, bolster the immune system against disease, enhance weight loss, and more.

• Advice on how to ingest the right probiotics
• 20 probiotic recipes from breakfast to dessert
• Information on naturally occurring probiotic compounds as well as the effectiveness of supplements

Probiotics For Dummies gives you everything you need to make informed decisions about adding probiotics to your daily diet.

Introduction 1

Part I: Living in the Microbial World 7

Chapter 1: Getting a Handle on the True Nature of Bacteria 9

Chapter 2: Looking at Bacterial Behavior in Your Body 19

Chapter 3: Discovering Prebiotics and Probiotics 31

Part II: Preserving and Improving Health with Probiotics 45

Chapter 4: Starting with the Obvious: Digestive Health 47

Chapter 5: Exploring Allergies and Probiotics 65

Chapter 6: Getting to the Bottom of Urinary Infections 75

Chapter 7: Using Probiotics in Women’s Health 81

Chapter 8: Understanding Children’s Health and Probiotics 87

Chapter 9: Applying Probiotics to Other Health Issues 93

Chapter 10: Exploring the Promise of Probiotics 105

Part III: Adding Probiotics to Your Lifestyle 113

Chapter 11: Filling Your Diet with Probiotics 115

Chapter 12: Cooking Up Delicious Probiotic-Rich Meals 125

Part IV: The Part of Tens 153

Chapter 13: Ten (Or So) Ways Probiotics Promote Good Health 155

Chapter 14: Ten Misconceptions about Probiotics 161

Chapter 15: Ten (Or So) Famous Bacteria 167

Index 175

Dr. Shekhar K. Challa is president of Kansas Medical Clinic. Board Certified in Gastroenterology, he is an award-winning author and co-creator of the first probiotic video game (MicrowarriorsVideoGame.com).

Find out more about Dr. Challa at DrChalla.com.