Beginner's Guide to Taking Daily Probiotics
Probiotics may not seem like the sexiest topic of conversation, but I promise that after a couple months of consistently taking them... you'll feel much sexier yourself.
What are probiotics?
Probiotics are live bacteria and yeasts that are healthy and essential for our bodies to function properly. We are often accustomed to hearing the word “bacteria” attached to negative topics such as infection and illness, but there are lots of friendly bacteria that we should welcome into our diet.
Many common ailments can be triggered by an imbalance of good and bad bacteria and yeast in our bodies, which is why taking supplements can help your body find equilibrium.
One of the biggest aha moments I've had in my own wellness journey was discovering the power in taking daily probiotics. For as long as I can remember, I've always had abdominal discomfort, regularity and bloating issues. In the past it was such an issue that I could only wear fashion styles that didn't put any pressure on my abdomen.
Traditional doctors always told me the same thing, you need to eat more fiber. But no matter how much fiber I added to my daily diet, I never saw any improvements.
Finally I went to a holistic doctor who recommended probiotics. At the time probiotic supplements weren't nearly as common as they are now and I had never heard of them. After consistently taking probiotics for a few weeks, I noticed considerable improvements in my abdomen comfort, energy levels and overall wellbeing. Yay for probiotics!
Avocado is a prebiotic and makes for a great breakfast.
9 Ways Taking Daily Probiotics Improved My Wellbeing
Establishes a Morning Routine
I truly believe that a great morning routine can set a positive tone for your day, and ultimately help you be more productive. Taking my probiotics along with my daily supplements in the morning helps me remember to drink more water and eat a healthy breakfast. My favorite quick healthy meal is avocado toast, works great for any time of the day!
Regularity is Key for a Happy Tummy
As I mentioned earlier, for most of my adult life I’ve suffered from abdomen discomfort. One of the main causes was chronic constipation and irregular bowel movements.
Over the years I tried so many over-the-counter treatments including psyllium husk, Benefiber, Miralax, Metamucil and even Fiber Cookies. Some of these provided temporary relief, but they were not long term solutions and weren’t very effective. It wasn’t until I tried probiotic capsules that I really started to see lasting improvements.
Vaginal Health
On the market you’ll see all kinds of probiotic supplements that target specific genders and age groups. For women they also make probiotics that contain healthy bacteria for vaginas. When you have an imbalance of bacteria and yeast in the vagina, it can cause things like yeast infections and vulva itchiness, and overall discomfort. You can purchase both oral probiotic supplements and vaginal suppository probiotics.
The Best Travel Hack
Traveling is an excellent way to satisfy your wanderlust, but it can be tough on your digestive system. Sitting for long periods of time in a car or an airplane can trigger constipation. I always bring my probiotics with me when I travel to keep my digestive system running smoothly.
Immune Booster
Taking regular probiotics can help your body battle sickness. Probiotics have been known to boost the immune system by preventing the growth of harmful bacteria and assisting in the production of natural antibodies in the body.
See my feature in The Bircher Bar immunity boosting article.
Helps with Weight Loss
If a person has an imbalance of healthy and harmful bacteria in their digestive track, their body is not working at full-capacity to break down foods in the gut. Taking probiotics can help enhance your metabolism and studies suggest that it may even reduced belly fat. My favorite probiotic blend for reducing sugar cravings and boosting metabolism is made by Moon Juice.
My morning routine consists of vitamins, omega-3 fish oil and probiotics.
Probiotics Found Naturally in Foods
While I don’t recommend completely relying on foods to give you all the probiotics you need, you can still incorporate them into your diet to boost your intake. Probiotics occur naturally in fermented foods such as:
yogurt
kefir
sauerkraut
kimchi
What are Prebiotics?
Prebiotics are a particular type of dietary fiber that serves as “food” for the healthy probiotics. Luckily this fiber can be found in some of our favorite foods, and you can also buy prebiotic supplements. They even sell capsules that are a combo of prebiotics + probiotics in one pill.
Prebiotic foods:
avocados (yay for avocado toast!)
bananas
jicama (super yummy on a salad)
apple cider vinegar
broccoli
garlic
onions
cauliflower
kale
celery
lentils
brussel sprouts
Probiotics in Your Skincare
So far we’ve talked about probiotics as pills, in foods and vaginal suppositories. Lastly, you can try topical probiotics on your skin. The benefits of using probiotics externally include reinforcing the skin’s barrier to keep out bad bacteria and environmental damage such as pollution and free radicals.
Because of their anti-bacterial properties, probiotics on the skin have been known to help with acne, eczema and rosacea. You can finds all kinds of high-quality probiotic skincare products such as:
