In recent years, researchers around the world have begun to uncover the health benefits of the trillions of bacteria, collectively referred to as microbiota, that live in our gut. Recent studies have found a healthy gut can increase the effectiveness of chemotherapy and lower obesity risk in youth. This is because our body’s microbiota communicates closely with our central nervous system and immune cells. Between 70 and 80 percent of our immune cells are located in our gut.

A new study published in The Journal of Experimental Medicine has found that spinal cord injury patients who maintain a healthy gastrointestinal tract by taking probiotics may have a better recovery.

To conduct the study, researchers performed an experiment on mice that had spinal cord injuries. One group of mice were pretreated with antibiotics to alter their gut microbiome to be unhealthy. Another group of mice was given probiotic doses that contained lactic acid-producing bacteria to activate an immune cell known to inhibit inflammation, also known as the regulatory T cell. Results showed that the mice who were given probiotics not only showed less spinal damage, but also regained more movement in their limbs.

The researchers say these results show that T cells have the ability to prevent additional damage to the spinal cord post-injury and promote neuron growth, which could make for a quicker recovery.

Ways to maintain a healthy intestinal tract include eating yogurt, soft cheeses, miso soup and sourdough bread — all foods known to contain probiotics and help balance the amount of good bacteria in your belly.