During our lives, the balance of this gut good bacteria is challenged by many things – what we eat and drink, the medications we take (particularly antibiotics), the environment we live in, the toxins we encounter and the amount of stress we experience.

If we live a high-stress life in a city, eat a diet high in sugar and processed foods, with lots of alcohol and we take antibiotics regularly, this can reduce the levels of good bacteria in our gastrointestinal tract and create ‘dysbiosis’ (imbalance), where the bad bacteria have taken over.

To help avoid this imbalance, it is useful to always keep our levels of good bacteria ‘topped up’ and there are two ways that we can help to support these good guys and ‘crowd out’ the unfriendly types.

Firstly, eating fermented foods such as sauerkraut, kimchi and kefir can help to ensure that our friendly (good) bacteria remain topped up. These foods were traditionally eaten by our ancestors before refrigeration was invented and are a valuable addition to a modern diet.

Alternatively, for those who choose not to eat fermented foods or who are looking for a quick and easy substitute for our native good bacteria, friendly bacteria supplements, often referred to as probiotics, maybe a useful option.