Healthy immune system � the natural way

"A few years ago I was visiting Indonesia, and happened to be waiting on a footpath to meet a friend. Right next to me, a street vendor was selling food. She had a little toddler, and gave him a corn cob she had just roasted. The little boy licked it and nibbled it a bit, then dropped it on the busy footpath. A street dog came up and sniffed it before the mother shooed the dog away. Eventually she realised her boy was not going to eat the corn cob, so she brushed it off with her hand, and put it back with the others to sell"

David Niven Miller

To me, this boy looked healthy and active. Sure, in his circumstances he may have been exposed to a parasitic infection or more dangerous bacteria. But one thing he did have was a healthy immune system � developed through exposure to a good range of bacteria

Colds prevented with bacteria - study

A study (1) looked at just one bacteria - lactobacillus fermentum � and its effect on cold prevention. People took a supplement of these bacteria twice a day had less than half the number of sick days as those in the study who took a placebo

So far there's been little study of L. Fermentum, which is only one of numerous beneficial or probiotic bacteria. More and more research is showing that probiotics in general are immune-system enhancers, protecting you from viruses, bacteria, fungi and allergies. The richest sources of probiotics are in traditional fermented foods, like kefir , sauerkraut , rejuvelac , kombucha , miso and tempeh

If you buy probiotic supplements, it may not always be clear which strain you are getting, or how much. You will only be getting one or a couple of bacteria in a supplement, instead of dozens or hundreds of different good bacteria in many traditional home-prepared foods

Be aware that virtually all supermarket-sold foods are pasteurised, irradiated, or otherwise treated to kill all the live bacteria that they contain, including the good bacteria. For example, if you buy sauerkraut in a sealed jar, it has been pasteurised

(1) Oral administration of the probiotic Lactobacillus fermentum VRI-003 and mucosal immunity in endurance athletes. Cox, A. J. et al., British Journal of Sports Medicine 2008 Feb 13.