KEFIR AND IMMUNE HEALTH

WHAT IS THE LINK BETWEEN KEFIR AND IMMUNE HEALTH?

The immune system protects the body from pathogens (viruses, bad bacteria, fungi, etc.) helping us to stay healthy and, when we do get ill, fight the illness so we return to good health.

When the immune system is running smoothly, we won’t notice it’s there; we only notice our immune systems when it stops working properly. For example, because it’s weak, can’t fight a particularly aggressive virus or bad bacteria, or is the first time we’ve come into contact with them. That’s when we get ill.

There are a number of ways that you can support your immune system, and there are two ways that Kefir can help:

1. Naturally occurring vitamins
2. Gut health

HOW NATURALLY OCCURRING VITAMINS IN KEFIR SUPPORTS THE IMMUNE SYSTEM

To function normally, the immune system relies on essential vitamins and minerals, and one of the key vitamins is B12.

Vitamin B12 encourages activity of immune cells and is linked with the body’s process for determining adequate immune response when we’re ill.

Biotiful Kefir is a natural source of Vitamin B12, which contributes to the normal function of the immune system. So instead of taking vitamins and supplements, Kefir can contribute to a well-balanced diet to help provide this essential nutrient. For example, Kefir is delicious on its own, with cereal, and a wide range of recipes – check our Kefir recipes for inspiration.

HOW GUT HEALTH IS IMPORTANT FOR IMMUNE HEALTH

A healthy gut is linked with several benefits, including: improved digestive function, gut comfort, protection from pathogens, improved immune function and better metabolic health – which you can read more about in Kefir and the Link with Gut Health.

 In this section we focus on:

1. Pathogen protection, how your body resists infection from bad bacteria
2. Immune function, how your body recovers when it has gotten sick
3. Kefir and the role it plays in gut health and the immune system

PATHOGEN PROTECTION

When bad bacteria (pathogens) have entered the body, your gut is the primary defence against them. The good bacteria in your gut can not only stop bad bacteria from attaching to your gut wall – which would otherwise make you sick – but can also help to actively fight off any bad bacteria present in your gut.

IMMUNE FUNCTION

Having a healthy immune system also helps your body respond faster to infections or bad bacteria which can mean less intense symptoms or a faster recovery.

The digestive tract, also known as the gastrointestinal tract, is the series of organs that process everything we eat and drink, from when they enter the body to when they leave as waste. And 70-80% of your immune tissue is found in your digestive tract.

Therefore, it makes sense that if you have a healthy defense in your gut, you’re better protected from bad bacteria.

BRINGING IT ALL TOGETHER: KEFIR, GUT HEALTH AND THE IMMUNE SYSTEM

What we eat also feeds the trillions of bacteria in the gut, and these microbes play an important role in supporting a strong immune system.

Fruits, vegetables, legumes and whole grains are all great sources of fibre that help these good gut bacteria thrive. Both soluble and insoluble fibre support these microbes and our overall health.

Kefir is a fermented food, and naturally fermented foods made with live cultures, including Kefir, can give your body a dose of live microorganisms crucial to healthy digestion. And our Biotiful Dairy Kefir contains billions of gut-friendly bacteria.