Many dairy products now include probiotics to “regulate your digestive system.”

Probiotics are essentially healthy bacteria; and have been naturally occurring as “active yogurt cultures” for centuries.

Probiotics are believed to restore the digestive system’s natural balance of bacteria sometimes destroyed by antibiotics, and help stabilize gut function to prevent diarrhea, constipation, irritable bowel, bloating and urinary tract infections.

A new study suggests that probiotics also help strengthen the immune system, reducing a need for antibiotics, and offering protection against upper respiratory tract infections such as the common cold, congestion, some ear infections and types of sore throat.

The exciting part about this new respiratory tract study, according to researchers and biologists, is that probiotics may be a drug-free natural product that can potentially boost and enhance the human immune system.

This does not mean that people should go overboard and start taking large doses of probiotic supplements; more research is needed.

However, it seems to be a good reason to include yogurt, kefir and other products that include probiotics or “active yogurt cultures”  as part of a balanced and healthy eating plan.