Friendly Flora Boosts Immunity

Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania have shown that disruption of the friendly flora¹ in your digestive tract can cause adverse changes to your immune system in other areas of your body.  The researchers focus on how repeat use of antibiotics weakens your overall immune system and makes you much more at risk for new infections.

As it turns out your friendly flora send a signal called peptidoglycan that communicates to the neutrophils of your immune system.  It tells them to be ready and prepared – a sort of wake up call or condition of alertness.  When friendly flora are knocked down by antibiotic use then this signal declines and so does the function of important front line troops of your immune system, setting the stage for easy infection.

Any person with digestive imbalance and weak immunity should take friendly flora (acidophilus).  Any person who has been on antibiotics needs to replenish their friendly flora so as to prevent a secondary infection (bacterial or Candida).