Most bacteria coexist with humans without harm. However, some bacterial species cause severe infection with potentially disabling or life-threatening consequences. Disease-causing bacteria are termed pathogens. The bacteria Neisseria meningitidis,...
Bacteria are microscopic organisms that can affect human health in many ways. Good bacteria play a vital role in the daily functioning of the human body, whereas bad bacteria or pathogens cause infections such as tonsillitis, pneumonia and...
When your child thinks of bacteria, she probably thinks of the ugly depictions of germs in TV commercials for cleaning products: slimy, green little monsters that are up to no good. In reality, bacteria is a very important aspect of health, and...
The vagina naturally contains bacteria, and the good bacteria helps keep the bad bacteria at bay, preventing infections. When the bacteria balances are disrupted, the harmful bacteria can multiply and cause infections, such as yeast infections or...
The human body encounters both good and bad bacteria daily. To microorganisms, the human body represents an attractive environment and source of nutrients. Bacteria that we call "good" helps us digest our food and protects us from bad bacteria...
Gastrointestinal infections are on the rise, according to MSNBC, having shown a 200 percent increase between 2000 and 2005. While the usual symptoms of diarrhea, nausea, vomiting and constipation can be annoying, intestinal infections can also be...
Intestinal infections occur in millions of people every year. In addition to uncomfortable symptoms that can decrease quality of life, untreated infections can lead to severe complications. Although intestinal infections can be caused by a variety...
The image of decaying food or foul odor from bacteria eating away your left over meal or food left in your refrigerator too long can make you lose your appetite. Yet not all bacteria are bad. In fact, certain strains of bacteria are essential for...
While occasional bad breath can strike anyone, true bad breath -- also known as halitosis -- can be an embarrassing condition that is difficult to control. Although there are hundreds of bacteria living in your mouth, research teams from The...
Stomach flu occurs when the bacteria in your stomach are out of balance. Bad bacteria has grown and multiplied, so now your stomach is overpopulated with bad bacteria. One way to treat your infectious diarrhea and restore your intestines back to...
With the advent of probiotics sold as health supplements, it has become common to refer to bacteria in the intestinal tract as "good" bacteria or "bad" bacteria. The average person hosts around 100 trillion bacteria in the gut, according to the...
The human intestines and vagina naturally contain bacteria. The role of the bacteria is to protect the body against bad bacteria, pathogens that causes infection and illness. Unlike antibiotics that cannot differentiate between good and bad...
Probiotics are friendly bacteria that live in your gut. Other than the famous probiotic-containing yogurt, other probiotic foods include kefir and sauerkraut. Probiotics have a number of potential health benefits. From improving your body's...
Probiotics are often referred to as "good bacteria." They are found in various foods, such as yogurt and kefir, and can be taken in supplement form. They resemble the beneficial bacteria naturally present in the human stomach. As factors such as...
Bacteria in the vagina is not a situation to be avoided at all costs. In fact, some degree of vaginal bacteria is normal, healthy and even necessary. Women's Health.gov reports that a healthy vagina contains a balance of "good" bacteria called...
What Are Probiotics? Probiotics are live microorganisms that are found in a variety of foods (e.g. fermented milk, yogurt, kefir, miso, natto, tempeh, kimchee, olives, sauerkraut, pickles, some juices and soy beverages) and dietary supplements...
Bacteria, both good and bad, live and thrive in your digestive tract and affect illnesses like ulcerative colitis. Probiotics are microorganisms referred to as "good" bacteria because they benefit the digestive system. There is no cure for the...
Activia is Dannon's "functional" yogurt -- the company claims that the patented Bifidus regularis probiotic helps regulate your digestive system, reducing the occurrence or severity of digestive complaints. You may have noticed an...
While it is normal and healthy to experience some gas every day, excessive flatulence -- which causes discomfort and embarrassment -- is not. The condition can be a sign of poor diet and digestion, food allergies irritable bowel syndrome, often...
Acidophilus are a form of bacteria common to the human body. Our bodies have both good and bad bacteria. Bad bacteria can cause sickness and disease. Good bacteria, on the other hand, can help prevent illness by creating anti-microbial substances...
A colon cleanse involves taking dietary supplements that, depending on formulation, will stimulate bowel movements, kill bacteria and eliminate water in the intestines. Over-the-counter colon-cleansing herbal supplements contain laxatives that...
The digestive tract naturally contains bacteria, approximately 400 species to be exact. Many of these bacteria promote good health by boosting the immune system, digesting food and counteracting any harmful bacteria that may enter the body. When...
Probiotics are strains of good bacteria sold in pill form and used as additives to foods such as milk and yogurt. These bacteria, which occur naturally in the digestive tract, support healthy immune function and fight bad bacteria. You can boost...
Drinking dirt might seem like a funny way to cleanse and detoxify the body, but it's a method that has been used for centuries to treat illness and promote well being. Bentonite was first identified in cretaceous rocks in Fort Benton,...
Your intestines contain a mixture of bacteria, yeast and other microorganisms. In addition to bad bacteria that cause infections and disease, there are good bacteria that keep your body healthy. One species of good bacteria is Lactobacillus...
Your body normally lives in harmony with bacteria -- as long as they're the right kind of bacteria. "Good" bacteria that live in the intestinal tract make up as many as 95 percent of the cells in the human body, author Gabe Mirkin, M.D., reports....
Everyone gets intestinal gas and most pass about 1 to 4 pints of it throughout the day, according to the National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse. Although gas is normal, you may seek relief if you think you pass gas too frequently or...
Yeast infections are characterized by an overgrowth of candida albicans, a type of yeast, on the mucous membranes of the mouth, vagina and even the intestines and anus. Yeast are naturally occurring organisms that usually live harmoniously in your...
As explained in an article from the "World Journal of Gastroenterology" in January 2010, probiotics are effective for a number of conditions, including diseases caused by diarrhea. They may be effective in reducing the risk of developing...
Bad breath can be avoided by maintaining good hygiene and watching what you eat. Learn some tips for keeping your mouth fresh and clean in this healthy shopping video.
