Friendly flora are tough and determined bacteria that want to “colonize” the gut and GI tract. This is a great thing because these friendly bacteria make and give your body vitaminsK, B12, and other vitamins, and stimulate development of some necessary GI tract tissues. They are the important “colonizers” you want to stake out claims in your GI tract, because they actually prevent “bad” bacteria, the bacteria that are pathogenic, from moving in by grabbing up space and nutrients. So, if there are more friendly flora colonizing, there will be less of the bad pathogens to take hold. The normal friendly flora have other ways to ward off bad bacteria as well, by making substances such as fatty acids and peroxides that can stop or kill the bad bacteria. And, the normal friendly flora stimulate the making of some natural antibodies — things that also prevent infection or invasion.