Summary: Taking antibiotics can do short- and long-term damage to your gut health.Antibiotics might be considered a "necessary evil," because while they are critical for killing harmful bacteria, they also kill beneficial bacteria -- resulting in other undesirable side effects. Fortunately, there's a way to restore the good bacteria balance: probiotics. It's important to look for a probiotic product that performs clinical research on how many live cultures make an impact on one's health. It's also essential to "feed" good bacteria and allow them thrive by eating plenty of plant fibers (vegetables, fruits). Desiree Nielsen, BSc, RD, joins Andrea and Lisa to explain why probiotics are imperative for overall health and particularly useful as a way to combat the side effects of antibiotics, as well as which strains of probiotics do what.
