If the intestine is in balance, we feel better. This is what emerges from numerous studies on the intestinal flora, on which today there are broad consents, which identify in the microbiota the key factor of the resilience-immunity equation. In essence, psychologically resilient individuals tend to have a more robust immune system, but the most interesting aspect is the discovery that some specific bifidobacteria and lactobacilli have positive cognitive effects and are therefore able to promote resilience, increasing the capacity of the organism to activate the immune system. Among the numerous works on this subject, a study published by the journal “Brain, Behavior and Immunity”, a spokeswoman for the Psychoneuroimmunology Research Society, explores the concept of psychological resilience by relating it to immunity and identifying in the microbiome (genetic heritage of the microbiota) the variable able to determine the response of each individual to physical and psychological stress. The researchers – coming from the MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, from the Mt Sinai Hospital in New York and from the University College Cork in Ireland, agree in defining resilience the process that allows individuals to adapt to and overcome them. A process favored by individual qualities such as self-control, optimism, and social relations.
But what is intestinal microbiota?
It is the set of microorganisms, above all bacteria, which coexist peacefully with the human organism functioning as a barrier against pathogens, regulating nutrient absorption, vitamin, and energy production and immune defenses. A sort of organ in its own right, characterized by a delicate balance able to influence our state of health: it has been proven, in fact, that alterations of the microbiota (dysbiosis) – caused for example by a poor diet or by taking antibiotics – they also have a negative impact on resilience, thus increasing the vulnerability of the individual.
Support comes from associations between probiotics and prebiotics. When the immune system is tested, probiotics can offer valuable support. Lactobacilli and bifidobacteria, in fact, help to rebalance the intestinal flora, thus stimulating the body’s natural ability to defend itself from aggression. In particular, the association of these lactic ferments with prebiotics, such as inulin – capable of stimulating the growth of beneficial strains – and lactoferrin, an antimicrobial glycoprotein that instead inhibits the growth of pathogenic strains, help to bring back the bacterial flora intestinal to its natural balance.
This type of preparation is easily found on the market in the form of vials or sachets.
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