What is the Immune System?
Everyone is talking about the immune system right now, but do we really understand what it is? The immune system protects the body against disease or other potentially damaging foreign bodies. When functioning properly, the immune system identifies a variety of threats to our health including viruses, bacteria and parasites which it can distinguish from the body's own healthy tissue. The immune system attacks these foreign bodies to keep us healthy. It is not always 100% successful especially when our bodies are exposed to new threats no matter what type of bug it might be.
About 70% of the immune system is housed in the walls of the gut, so keeping the gut as healthy as possible is going to be important to having a healthy immune system.
How probiotics support your Immune System
Probiotics support the immune system in the gut by providing bacteria that support a healthy biome. Eating foods such as yogurt and some fermented foods will assist your gut in generating good bacteria for a balanced healthy microbiome. Introducing scientifically proven probiotic strains in the form of probiotic supplements can also support a healthy immune system.
But it is not just the gut you need to look after. The mouth is the gateway to the rest of your body and it is where most of the bugs that come into your body pass through first – whether by breathing them in or being introduced by things you put in or near your mouth (like your hands). So, taking probiotics that can also support the health of the mouth and throat makes sense to act as the “first line of defence’ against unfriendly bugs.
Blis Technologies Professor John Tagg discovered specific strains of ‘friendly’ bacteria that have advanced ways of crowding out the bad bacteria, his work focuses on Streptococcus salivarius which is the most abundant bacteria in the mouth. It normally resides in the mouths of healthy people and it is one indication of healthy immune function and natural resistance to bad bacteria that enter through the mouth.
BLIS Probiotics BLIS K12™ is a specific strain of Streptococcus salivarius that not only crowds out bad bacteria but discourages bad bacteria taking hold in the mouth and throat and supports the immune defences in the upper respiratory tract.
Everyone has Streptococcus salivarius bacteria but not many have a lot of beneficial BLIS K12™ so for most of us, a supplement is going to be a good way to increase the levels of BLIS K12 we have in our oral cavities.
Will taking a probiotic supplement allow me to fight off more diseases?
Taking probiotic supplements without taking several other steps to support your immune system will not be enough to make you invincible against bad bugs. Your immune system needs a good balanced diet, low levels of stress, good sleep, exercise, relaxation and calm. But most of us, with busy lives cannot manage to do all those things all of the time. So, taking a probiotic supplement can add support and help but it is certainly not a one-time solution.
Blis Technologies have combined BLIS K12™ and HN019® + La-14® to create UltraBLIS – a unique combination of advanced oral probiotics and gut strains that supports the immune system in the gut and the oral cavity.
Bifidobacterium lactis HOWARU® Bifido HN019 and Lactobacillus acidophilus La-14® are both scientifically tested strains that provide essential immune-supporting bacteria to the gut. You can read more about UltraBLIS here >
Always read the label and use as directed. If symptoms persist see your healthcare professional. BLIS Technologies, Dunedin. TAPS PP5768.
