Let’s talk about your gut…..and I’m talking about your insides.
Did you know that 70% of your immunity lies in your gut? Yeah that’s a large number. What that means is that if you don’t have enough good bacteria in there you are more likely to get sick…and nobody likes that.
Sooo, what is the best way to improve gut health and immunity?
First of all you have to start with a healthy diet and good hydration. Then you have to add in probiotics. In case you have never heard of probiotics, they are live bacteria that is good for your health, especially your digestive tract. Think of probiotics as good guys in your system; and the more good guys you have the less likely the bad guys are to take over your body and make you sick. Pretty simple, right?
Well, most North American diets lack probiotics and most people do not have enough. So, how can you get your hands on probiotics? First, start with probiotic rich foods. Below are some of my favorite ones that you can easily find in the grocery store.
- Kefir
- Yougurt
- Sauerkraut
- Kimchi
- Pickles
- Tempeh
- Miso
- Kombucha Tea
By introducing these foods into your diet you will immediately be doing your digestive tract justice. However, food alone is not enough (unless you eat A LOT of it), especially if you are sick or want to strengthen the immune system. This is when a probiotic supplement comes into play. There are a ton on the market and I have tried a lot of them and have narrowed it down to 3 brands that I like and use for different purposes. I also like to switch them up as they all have different strains of good bacteria. For that reason alone you sometimes have to experiment with different brands before finding the ones that work best for you.
These are the brands that I use and love:
Bio-K is definitely an acquired taste (since it tastes a little sour) but once you are used to it, it’s really not that bad. I personally quite enjoy the taste and it has a ton of good bacteria. You take it with food and store in the fridge.
Genestra HMF Powder is probably the most versatile with my family. My kids love it and we all see the difference in immunity as well as digestion. It is taken twice a day with food. However, this formula also has to stay refrigerated.
Usana Health Sciences Probiotic is my go to when traveling since it doesn’t need to be refrigerated. Even though I find it the weakest out of the 3 it is a top quality probiotic that you can have with you on the go. And we all know how important it is to keep up with the health of your digestive health when traveling; especially in countries where water and food quality may not be what your stomach is used to.
So these are my go to probiotics. However, find the one that works for you and use it on a regular basis and your body will thank you for it.
Please comment and let me know which probiotics you love. Also feel free to ask any questions you may have about them.
Stay Fabulous,
Maria, xox
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