Make Your Body's Bacteria Work for You

I'm Dr. Mike Roizen with a surprising tip about belly fat that can help you be younger. Your body has trillions of critters that live inside your intestines most of them are beneficial. They break down food, help you absorb nutrients, boost your immune system and fight bad germs.

But one study found that the wrong viruses or bacteria in your gut could make you fatter. In that study, obese people were three times more likely to have a virus called AD-36 in the digestive tracts. Other digestive bacteria also triggered bigger appetites and a tendency to store more calories as fat.

But there are some evidence that good bugs called pro biotics can help you slim down. For some extremely overweight people who had weight loss surgery, a probiotic supplement helped them to lose weight faster.

It's easy to cultivate good bacteria in your gut. Eat fruits and foods with prebiotic fibers, such as bananas, asparagus, onions, garlic. Other great sources are apples, barley, berries, flaxseed, even beans. You can also get probiotics by eating low-fat yogurt with spore forms to survive your stomach acids. Most live cultures don't. Or if you're confused, take a probiotic supplement.

For more ways to make yourself thinner, watch all of our smart tips. They're right here.