My guest this week is Dr. Shekhar Challa. Dr. Challa is a Board- Certified Gastroenterologist with 25 years of experience and the author of 3 books, including his most recent, Probiotics for Dummies.
Dr. Challa answered my questions about:
- What probiotics (and prebiotics) actually are;
- Why are probiotics especially important for pregnant women and their babies?
- Illnesses that are associated with dysbiosis (improper balance of good to bad bacteria in the gut)
- What are some foods that contain beneficial bacteria? Can we get enough beneficial bacteria from food?
- How can you find a high quality supplement?
In reading Dr. Challa’s book, I was surprised to find that in many studies, probiotics have shown to improve a variety of health conditions – and not just those directly associated with gut health. We’ve probably only scratched the surface, but research points to probiotics being useful in preventing or treating a variety of illnesses including asthma and allergies, weight gain, even cancer and depression.
Dr. Challa has even developed a video game to educate players about the importance of probiotics. You can get it free at http://microwarriorsvideogame.com/ (Sounds like a Science project the kids will enjoy!)
Probiotics for Dummies also features recipes for foods you can make at home to get more good bacteria into your gut as well as recommendations for choosing a good probiotic supplement.
Note: Dr. Challa has generously offered to answer questions you may have after listening to the interview. Please leave them in the comments below!
Related reading:
- Health benefits of kefir
- Breastfeeding and yeast infection
- Homemade lacto-fermented salsa
- Funky fermented food
- Raw milk yogurt in the slow cooker
