Renew Your Gut Health, Renew Your Life

This post is sponsored by Renew Life® Ultimate Flora™ Probiotics, all opinions and thoughts are my own.

 

Hi, friends!  Recently I’ve been asked about the supplements I’m taking in my pregnancy.  I shared some of them in my last pregnancy update, but today I want to take some time to talk about probiotics.   Probiotics are the “good bacteria” in the GI tract that promote optimal digestion and immunity.  Not to be confused with prebiotics, which is fiber found naturally in certain foods that feed the good bacteria in your GI tract and helps them stick around.

Probiotics are naturally found in fermented foods such as yogurt, kombucha, kefir, kimchi, and sauerkraut. More recently, they’ve also been added to foods that they aren’t naturally found in, such as chips.  Probiotics are also available in supplement form which I regularly take and recommend to my clients.  This is simply because most of us don’t eat enough of those foods to truly re-inoculate our GI tract of good bacteria.  Stress, weight gain, illness, and use of antibiotics can wipe out our natural population of immune-boosting good bacteria or “probiotics.”  High-quality probiotic supplements such as those by can be helpful to re-populate your GI tract and promote optimal health.

How do bacteria in the GI tract promote immunity? You probably didn’t know that 70% of the immune system is actually located in the gut.  If you think about it, this makes sense.  We are continually exposing our GI tract to foreign invaders by eating multiple times a day,  every day. Locating the majority of the immune system where we are most vulnerable makes the greatest sense, therefore, good digestive health is a vital part of maintaining your immunity and overall health.  There is nothing worse than being sick in the summer when everyone else is out having fun.  Paying attention to your GI health can help you stay on the go this summer!

Taking a daily probiotic may also help maintain the delicate balance of gut bacteria so you can avoid feeling uncomfortable – especially, during your summer adventures!  You may not know this about me, but there was a time when I really struggled with digestive discomfort.  All through college and grad school, I had foul smelling gas at all times of the day.  I faithfully took digestive enzyme supplements every day. Unfortunately, though, I still felt I had to avoid certain public places and events.

I vividly remember specific instances of being mortified: at a sorority event, one on one client meetings, in elevators, and at mass.   I was lucky though, it turns out I didn’t have any food sensitivities or serious GI conditions, I merely had an imbalance in GI bacteria which was fixed within a month of taking high-quality probiotics.  Years of embarrassment ended just like that, I was amazed and so relieved.  It’s been about four years now, and as long as I keep up with probiotics supplements and probiotic rich foods I don’t have any issues.

The benefits of a healthy and strong gut go beyond digestive comfort (or social comfort) and immunity though.  Optimal digestive health also promotes:

• Better stamina, helping you focus and expend energy better.
• Mood improvement, 95% of your body’s happiness-inducing serotonin is produced in the gut.
• Decreased stress hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline.
• Improved sleep. (YES!)

Taking a probiotic is just one very simple thing you can do to promote a healthy body that feels great and is ready to take on every summer adventure.  From my experience, I believe the quality of the probiotic is significant.

You may have noticed I’ve never actually partnered with a supplement brand before.  This is because I’m extremely cautious when it comes to my supplement recommendations. When Renew Life Ultimate Flora Probiotics reached out to me, I did some of my own research on their product line.  I was incredibly impressed to find out that their line of products does not just meet, but instead, they actually exceed all my standards of quality I look for in a probiotic.

For instance:

• Their Extra Care 30B and Women’s Care 25B formulated probiotics are made with up to 3 times and 2.5 times more good bacteria, respectively, than the leading brand, as well as multiple studied strains to support digestive balance and harmony, reflecting the natural diversity of your gut.
• The Extra Care 30B and Women’s Care 25B products also have targeted release capsules that ensure the probiotics survive your stomach acid and therefore more probiotics reach the intestinal tract where they are most needed.
• The Extra Care 30B product has a potent formula with 12 specially selected Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus strains to help restore digestive balance and support immune health.
• The Extra Care 30B product has 30 billion live cultures per capsule guaranteed.
• All capsules are vegetable capsules which are dairy and gluten free.

I was also very excited to learn that are found at Target!  Cue excitement!  As if you needed another reason to go there right?  I won’t lie, I don’t even need a reason to go to Target I just go to go.  I hate shopping in all places and all stores, but Target, it’s the one store that I willingly and excitedly go to.  What don’t they have that I definitely need? But, just in case you do need a specific reason. Did you know that Target is the #1 retailer for natural cleaning products and is now a top considered destination for all things natural/organic/better for you?  Target keeps us in style and healthy. Can you spend less than 10 minutes there?  I doubt it!

I take probiotics at night before I go to bed as part of my bedtime routine.  The digestive system is actually in recovery and repair mode at night, so this feels right to me.  Probiotics are convenient because they can really be taken any time of the day though, without or without food.  They should be stored in a cool, dry place.

I’ve been taking the prenatal probiotic, which has added iron, folic acid, and vitamin C.  I also take a prenatal vitamin, along with a few other supplements.  Please be sure to check with your doctor that the combination of your prenatal vitamin and prenatal probiotic are a good fit, so that you aren’t getting too much or not enough of anything.  After pregnancy, hopefully, during breastfeeding, I plan to switch to the Women’s Ultimate Flora Probiotic .  Mr. Hungry is currently taking the Extra Care Ultimate Flora Probiotic.

If you want to help feed all those good bacteria you are putting into your gut and encourage them to stay around and flourish, eating a variety of prebiotic foods is a great idea.

The following foods are rich in prebiotic fiber:

• Leeks
• Onion
• Asparagus
• Dandelion Greens
• Bananas (especially green bananas)
• Chicory Root Fiber (not recommended in pregnancy)
• Apple
• Artichokes
• Oats
• Legumes
• Leafy Vegetables
• Barley
• Whole Grains
• Jicama
• Garlic

For more inspiration, check out this post with over 30+ prebiotic fiber-rich recipes!

 

Have you ever taken a probiotic?

 

What’s your favorite part of your bedtime routine?

 

The statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. All information presented here is not meant as a substitute for or alternative to information from healthcare practitioners. Please consult your healthcare professional about potential interactions or other possible complications before using any product. The Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act requires this notice.

Thank you to for sponsoring this post!