Inside the gastrointestinal (GI) tract of every human there are small bacteria that make up what is known as our intestinal flora. There are approximately 100 trillion living bacteria throughout the entire length of the GI tract; from your mouth all the way down to your colon and rectum. Some of these species are beneficial, keeping harmful bugs in check, while others can be detrimental to our health. Is your gut flora benefiting your overall health?

• Help maintains the natural balance of organisms in the intestines.
• Prevent gas, diarrhea and cramping associated with antibiotics.
• Beneficial in treating acute diarrhea.
• Protects against vaginal yeast and urinary tract infections.
• Stimulates the development of the immune system.
• Helps make vitamins such as B12, folic acid, biotin, riboflavin and Vitamin K.
• Beneficial in the prevention of eczema in babies.
• Certain strains of probiotics have been found to be beneficial in reducing symptoms associated with Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS).
• Food allergy prevention.
• Maintains and builds the lining of the gut wall.
• Anti cancer activity in the gut, bladder and cervix.

• What Probiotics are Being Used?
  One of the first things you should look for on the label is the full name of probiotics being used including genus, species and strain. Research has shown that not all strains of probiotics are created equal and each have their own benefits. For example Lactobacillus (genus) rhamnosus (species) GG (strain) is much different then Lactobacillus (genus) reuteri (species) RC-14 (strain). Only certain strains/species of probiotics have been researched. Please refer to the chart below to see some of the most common strains and their benefits.
• CFU/ml
  Colony Forming Units or CFU is an estimate of viable (living) bacterial or fungal numbers. In other words, the number of live organisms in your probiotic supplement. The CFU is a great method for comparing different probiotics. You want to take probiotics that contain higher amounts of CFU's. For example, if one probiotic contains 5 billion CFU/ml and another contains 15 billion CFU/ml, you might consider taking the more concentrated probiotic.
• Storage Information
  Probiotics should be stored in the refrigerator and be kept away from heat, air and moisture. Probiotics will generally last up to 2 years in the fridge (10-20 years in the freezer) and up to 6 months outside of the fridge as long as it is not above 84 degrees Fahrenheit. A good guide when it comes to purchasing a probiotic is to take note to where the product was located in the store. If it is exposed to heat or moisture you are going to want to stay away from that product. Also if ordering online it is a good idea to contact the manufacturer to see how they ship the product to you. It would be best to consider an expedited shipping method and freezer pack service when ordering off the Internet.
• Expiration Date
  Although the organisms inside your probiotics can survive for a long time, a quality probiotic will contain an expiration date. Remember that the organisms inside your probiotic are alive and throughout it's shelf life some of the species will begin to die off. Most manufacturers are only listing the CFU's at the time of packaging. Make sure, when purchasing your probiotic, you buy the freshest, highest quality product you can find.
• Read the Other Ingredients
  If you have allergens to soy, wheat, dairy, or other dietary restrictions make sure you pay attention to the other ingredients contained in the probiotic you are taking.