Probiotics, probiotics, probiotics……. that word is freakin’ everywhere anymore it seems like. What to take? What to eat? What to avoid for optimal gut health? Whats it all even mean??
STOP THE INSANITY
Just take a pill. Now, breathe….
Maintaining optimal gut health really is a “thing”. The gut is directly linked to the brain (a story for another time) and, for millennia, this Chinese knew that health begins in the gut.
The reality is, that our modern lives wreak havoc on the natural bacteria that reside in our intestines. These little guys are responsible not only for healthy digestion but all kinds of things ranging from neurotransmitter regulation to a healthy immune system.
As usual, I believe in making things EASY with the best products available. In order to not add gut health ton one more thing on my list to think about, I take 2 pills daily of Jarro-Dophilus. There are other brands, but this consistently gets high marks. Its more on the expensive side, but with supplements you truly get what you pay for.
The TWO MOST IMPORTANT THINGS when shopping for a probiotic are:
- Buy it out of a refrigerated case at your favorite store. If not, make sure that it says “shelf stable” on the bottle otherwise those cute little bacteria die in the bottle.
- Absolutely essential that they are “enteric coated” so that they survive your gnarly stomach acids and make it into your intestine.
If you don’t follow those 2 simple rules, the reality is that (real talk) you are just going to have expensive poop without the medicinal benefit.
Bacteria are our friends!