There are many triggers for diarrhea, such as stress, spicy foods, rich meals, traveling or taking antibiotics, to name a few. Rather than take an unpleasant constipation drug, many Americans would rather find a more natural cure.

Some people may turn to fiber cereals to firm up their stools, while others prefer probiotics supplements to restore some of the beneficial bacteria to their systems. Many people are wondering, “How exactly does something like probiotic bacterium work?”

friendly bacteria
The bacteria in our bodies live mostly in the lower small intestines and the colon. In fact, there are well over a trillion bacterial cells in our bodies; even more than human cells!

Not only is this bacteria plentiful, but it’s also very diverse. Some estimates say there are more than 1,000 different species, types and strains of bacteria coexisting peaceful in our bodies, including probiotic bacteria.

Advocates of probiotics yogurt and probiotic capsules say these helpful microbes assist us in completing digestion, producing vitamins and bolstering the immune system.

Early research on probiotic bacteria concluded that the friendly bacteria must be able to attach itself to the gastrointestinal lining if it were to have any affect on the human host. It was also found that, as probiotic microbes age, they became less effective at sticking to the lining of the intestinal tract as well.

probiotic foods
Without probiotics in the intestines, food-borne pathogens could escape into the rest of the body. However, more recent research suggests that the probiotic acidophilus and lactobacillus gg work via “competitive inhibition.”

Dr. Robert Martindale of the Oregon Health and Science University asserts that, as with any living thing, bacteria must compete to survive. Therefore, it would make sense that probiotics naturally work to destroy harmful bacteria that threaten their survival.

Now that you know how good bacteria work with our immune and digestive systems, you may wonder how to get your hands on more of these friendly microbes. You can find them in probiotic foods like yogurt (Dannon Activa, Stonyfield Farms), cereal (Kashi Vive), enhanced cottage cheese or milk (Horizon) and refrigerated sauerkraut.

probiotic products
You may wish to simply take one of the probiotics supplements out there. There are many to choose from, including: Dr Ohhira Probiotics, Ultimate Probiotic, Probiotic Primal Defense, Culturelle Probiotic, Align Probiotic and Natren Probiotics.

You can generally get a month’s supply for around $15 to $20 from a pharmacy, health food store or online.