Probiotics for Digestive Balance

One of my most asked questions is about which probiotic I use, so let’s get into it.

The importance of a healthy gut has been receiving more and more attention lately, and for good reason. We are just figuring out how big of a role the gut plays in all areas of health, wellness and happiness. It is nothing short of amazing because everything really is centered around the health of your gut, especially your mood (most of your serotonin is produced in your gut!). Think of it as the core of your well-being. Poor gut health is held accountable for numerous health problems.

Do you ever feel like your body is a little off? I know we’ve all felt this way at some point. When I feel bloated or have an upset stomach it alters my mood and can throw off my entire day. I feel sluggish, unmotivated, annoyed and not myself.

That’s when I know I need some more probiotics in my life.

Probiotics are microorganisms (microflora) that live in our intestines. They’re the friendly, beneficial bacteria that support proper digestion and support your immune system.

Everything starts with improving digestion, which is the most important role for probiotics. Making sure your gut is balanced with proper amounts of probiotics can help relieve occasional tummy problems!

They do reside naturally in the gut so we really only need to maintain and/or supplement when appropriate, if things are a little out of balance and the bad outweighs the good.

How do you know when you need probiotics?

• If you need extra immune support
• When your digestion is out of whack (this also starts with improving diet!)
• When you’re moody and day-to-day life is filled with stress, anxiety, irritability and depression, you may need to balance out intestinal flora

Many factors play a role in maintaining healthy intestinal flora. Your body will let you know when things are out of balance!

To prevent occasional digestive imbalance, I always recommend raw probiotics which are abundant in fermented plant foods like dairy-free yogurt, sauerkraut (as shown in my glow bowl above), kimchi and kombucha. These foods should be incorporated in your daily diet for an extra boost of friendly bacteria but sometimes they aren’t enough, especially when all the good has been depleted.

For this reason, I’ve started supplementing with Renew Life Ultimate Flora Probiotics, specifically the Extra Care 30 Billion as the formula is vegan, gluten free, dairy free, soy free and does not contain artificial or GMO ingredients. It’s a high quality, potent, powerful probiotic in a delayed release capsule for targeted delivery. The Extra Care has 10 scientifically studied probiotic strains including 18 billion Bifido bacteria and 12 billion Lactobacillus cultures to support both the large and small intestines.**

Probiotic supplements are a form of nutrition therapy to keep things running smoothly and support immunity every day!* I picked up the Ultimate Flora Extra Care probiotic at Target in the vitamin/supplement section for less than $20. Save $3 using this coupon!

I hope this has helped for anyone wondering about probiotics!

Would love to hear your thoughts – do you take probiotics or do you prefer to get them from food? Have you tried Ultimate Flora and if so, did you notice a difference? Let me know in the comments below!

* These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

♥