It seems like every day on the news there’s some new fad or trend that is the latest and greatest thing in healthcare technology. A few decades back the Atkins diet took the world by storm and carbs were a no-no but high fat was all the rage, and even in the 2000s Gwyneth Paltrow tried to convince people that steaming one’s’ lady parts was a good idea to kill germs. Prebiotics & probiotics is not one of these fads!
Rather than trusting your health to ill-informed celebrities and fad diets, treat your body the way that nature meant for it to be treated by giving it what it needs in healthy amounts.
If you need help getting your wonky stomach realigned, don’t try what’s trendy, try what will actually help you in the long run.
Prebiotics: What Are They?
Even though our stomachs were built tough and have an army of good bacteria inside of them waiting to defend us, the truth is that sometimes they misbehave.
Bacteria falls out of alignment, which can cause your bowel movements to become irregular, stomach cramps take hold and you feel like a mess.
Prebiotics can help. If you’re not sure what they are, prebiotics are fibers that work in your stomach to help move food along. You can take an herbal supplement such as Gundry MD Prebiothrive to help you get what you need.
Chances are, though, the foods that you’re already eating regularly contain prebiotics, like onions, garlic and bananas. These are foods that do not digest, so they move undigested to the small intestine until they can be fermented in the colon.
Prebiotics promote healthy digestion and work with the preexisting “good bacteria” in your gut.
Overall, prebiotics can help you feel more energized and help the worst symptoms of your stomach issues be put to rest. The more regularly you take them, the better the long-term effects will be.
So What Are Probiotics?
Although they sound like they could be the same things, probiotics are different from prebiotics. Probiotics are live bacteria — good bacteria, but bacteria nonetheless — that work inside of your stomach.
Already full of bacteria as it is, your stomach is constantly at war as probiotics combat the “bad” bacteria to help get your system back in alignment.
You can lose probiotics by taking an antibiotic, for example, or if you have been sick recently and your immune system is weakened.
In any case, probiotics have numerous health benefits to help your stomach and your overall feelings of well-being. Some benefits include:
- Treatment and prevention of loose stools and diarrhea
- Lowered anxiety and stress levels
- Heart-healthy and good for your ticker
Should I Be Taking Them?
As no two people are exactly alike, you need to consult your doctor or healthcare professional before putting anything new into your body, supplements included.
That being said, beginning treatment of pre and probiotics can play a huge role in helping to maximize your health. There are benefits to each while taken separately, but when taken together the effects are boosted.
While prebiotics fertilize the soil and prepare it for planting, so to speak, probiotics act as the seeds in the soil.
You’ve noticed that your plants flourish and look healthier and more vibrant after you’ve laid Miracle-Gro over them; the same principle applies to pre and probiotics.
Where Do I Find Them In My Diet?
Although a supplement can help to give you what you need if you have a strict diet, thankfully there are many places to find these in the foods you eat. Some of the best places to find probiotics in your diet include:
- Yogurt (this is probably the best and most well-known probiotic food)
- Dark chocolate (and yes, there are plenty of other health benefits in dark chocolate too!)
- Pickles, sauerkraut and other fermented foods
To find prebiotics in your food, check places like:
- Onions, garlic and leeks
- Apple skins (and skins from other fruits and vegetables)
- Oats
A Google search will give you plenty of results, but adding these to your diet is not difficult, even if you’re a picky eater. And even if you are a picky eater, that’s another reason that supplements are available to help you as well.
If you’re a rookie in the pre-and-probiotic world, knowing the benefits of both can help you decide if you want to start taking one or both regularly. Gut health is directly related to overall bodily health, so keep all your bits and pieces as happy and healthy as you can.
You can find much more information on living a holistic lifestyle in these free magazines and on our YouTube channel.
Bio: Paisley Hansen is an avid student of health and fitness and overall well-being. She has devoted herself to the field, loves acquiring new knowledge about anything related to health and fitness, and leads a very healthy lifestyle for her family to follow.
In recent years she has decided to share much of her knowledge in this field. When she isn’t writing she can usually be found reading a good book, outside with her family or at the gym.
Hometown: Bend, OR United States Occupation: Freelance writer Interests: Fitness, exercising, health, healthy eating, beauty, fashion, wellness, motherhood.
