How to Replace Good Bacteria

You may have heard that some bacteria are good for you. In fact, "good bacteria," or probiotics, benefit the immune and digestive systems and can protect against disease-causing microorganisms, according to the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM), which is part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). If you are taking antibiotics for an infection, you may experience a loss of good bacteria. Just as chemotherapy kills both bad and good cells, antibiotics can kill both bad and good bacteria. You have several ways to replace good bacteria.

Instructions

• 1

  Speak to your doctor about probiotic therapy. If you are taking antibiotics that result in side effects such as cramping and diarrhea, your doctor may suggest trying to replace good bacteria by eating certain foods or taking supplements.

• 2

  Eat foods that are known to contain good bacteria. NCCAM lists yogurt; soy beverages; miso a Japanese soy paste; fermented milk; and tempeh, an Indonesian fermented soy product, as examples of foods containing probiotics.

• 3

  Ask your doctor about taking probiotic supplements. Dietary probiotic supplements are available in various forms, including capsules and powders.