I'm sure you've heard me rant and rave about probiotics for so long now. They are something that I see as non-negotiable in my diet and here is exactly why...
LET'S START BY ASKING "WHAT ARE PROBIOTICS?"
Probiotics are living microorganisms that when we ingest them can provide health benefits to not only our overall health, but our gut health too.
WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN PROBIOTICS AND PREBIOTICS?
Probiotics are the living bacteria and prebiotics are the foods for the bacteria to live off - basically fibre. So, think of it this way, if your diet isn't containing enough prebiotic foods (such as sweet potato, garlic, onions, leeks etc) then the 'good bacteria' doesn't have anything to live off.
Always ensure that if your probiotic supplement doesn't contain prebiotics too, then you want to ensure you have a healthy diet containing plenty of prebiotic foods to keep those microorganisms alive.
WHAT ARE SOME NATURAL PROBIOTIC FOODS?
Usually the best kind of probiotic foods are fermented ones such as yoghurt, kefir, sauerkraut, kombucha, tempeh, miso soup plus so many more. I recommend incorporating some of these into your diet daily.
WHAT ARE SOME OF THE HEALTH BENEFITS OF PROBIOTICS?
Number one is of course they help balance our digestive system. If we have too much 'bad' bacteria in our gut (through diet, lifestyle, antibiotics etc) then we can struggle with our immunity, hormone balance, digestion plus many other things. This will also improve health conditions such as IBS, Crohn's disease etc.
Believe it or not, they can also enhance our mood as at least 70% of our serotonin levels are made in the gut. Studies have shown an improvement in depression, anxiety, stress and overall mental health.
Studies have also shown a reduction in LDL cholesterol levels and blood pressure. This can have a huge improvement in heart health.
Did you know that certain skin problems can start in the gut? Taking regular probiotics can show an improvement in skin conditions such as eczema, psoriasis and rosacea.
Probiotics can also boost your immunity as well. So much of your immunity is controlled by your gut health that if it's not 'happy' then it can contribute to a low immune system.
They can also help during pregnancy too. Probiotics have been linked to benefits like fewer pregnancy complications and also a reduced risk of eczema in babies.
So, surely they are enough reasons to start taking a daily probiotic. I adore the GLOW powder from The Beauty Chef combined with one of their Inner Beauty Boosts. The Beauty Chef products contain both pre and probiotics and so you can be sure you're getting all that you need.
I also love the Advanced Nutrition Programme's Skin Youth Biome as a very high quality and well formulated probiotic designed especially for gut health.
I hope you've found this post useful,
Thank you so much for reading,
Lots of love,
Emmaline x