Right now, inside of you, is a team of living bacteria. Certain strains of bacteria are responsible for different health effects, but many of them also share the same functions. Lactobacillus paracasei is one such strain with powerful benefits. Let's get familiar with this strain and examine the research behind it. (more…)
When someone mentions probiotics, they’re referring to actual bacteria that live in your gut. Your gut is populated with all kinds of microorganisms — some good and some bad. In order to keep a healthy balance, good bacteria needs to keep the harmful variety in check. But, due to modern diets and lifestyles, the good guys can drop in numbers, allowing for what you might want to think of it as a hostile takeover. One particular probiotic strain, Streptococcus thermophilus, is an important strain that may support colon health, support […]
If you’re familiar with probiotics, you may also be familiar with the fact that there are many different strains of beneficial bacteria. One strain, Lactobacillus rhamnosus, may not be one you’re as familiar with, but it still holds some very impressive health benefits. This strain, among all the others, exist in what is called our “microbiome,” which basically consists of the microbial genes that reside in your system. Good bacteria and bad bacteria live here, but it’s the helpful kind that keeps the harmful variety in check. (more…)
There may be a good reason why many common household cleaners claim to "smell like pine." This connection to pine oil and good health is as old as the hills, and its related to the germ-deterring, disinfectant properties of the oil. (more…)
The hemicellulase enzyme breaks down hemicellulose, which is a type of cellulose and a key component of the cell wall in all plants. Different forms of plant hemicellulose include glucans, galactans, xylans, mannans and pentosans. Common fiber-rich breakfast cereals, for example, have a large amount of hemicelluloses (2 to 12%). Hemicellulase is needed to break down these fiber-rich components, and because it is not produced naturally in the human body, we rely on microorganisms that live in the human digestive tract to produce it for us. (more…)
