bacteria Tag

Common Probiotics Can Reduce Stress Levels, Lessen Anxiety

COLUMBIA, Mo. – Probiotics, or beneficial live bacteria that are introduced into the body, have become increasingly popular as a way to improve health and well-being. Previous studies have shown a direct correlation between gut microbes and the central nervous system. Now, researchers at the University of Missouri, using a zebrafish model, determined that a common probiotic sold in supplements and yogurt can decrease stress-related behavior and anxiety. Studying how gut bacteria affect behavior in zebrafish could lead to a better understanding of how probiotics may affect the central nervous system in humans. Their results recently were published in Scientific...

Healing Your Skin With Food

Skin problems, such as acne, aren't an uncommon health concern/complaint among both genders and can occur at any age, from early teenage years into adulthood. In the past year, I've talked to more than a handful of people who have experienced acne at some point in their life and have been on acne medication to help treat it. Some have had success and become acne free, some experienced no change at all and some have even experienced a temporary change until coming off the medication (which usually isn't intended for long term use) only to see their acne flare up...

Gut bacteria could be key indicator of colon cancer risk

In a paper published by the University of North Carolina the authors suggest that the balance of healthy versus pathogenic bacteria in our gut is an important element in the development of colon cancer. This is only the latest in a continual stream of research over the past decade showing the importance of a healthy gut flora. But the benefit doesn't extend to just the bowel. A quick survey on the database of the National Institute of Medicine will quickly show that these probiotic organisms are not only good for the gut, but are equally important in the proper health...

Dandruff: The Real Root Cause

Dandruff is a hyper-proliferative affliction of the skin of the scalp, meaning that for some reason the skin has a rapid rate of turnover and flakes off in excessive amounts. Although emboldened with it's own scientific name, Pityriasis Simplex Capillitii (complete with no less than eleven syllables and a double 'ii' thrown in for good measure), the term 'dandruff' is really more of a wastebasket diagnosis, meaning that any number of factors can cause it. But even if they don't fess up directly, those dandruff shampoo manufacturers are betting that it's caused by a fungal infection. Just go take a look...