December 14, 2018

There is a lot of talk about the microbiome, so what is it exactly, and how does it impact us?

The microbiome is essentially the lining in our gut. And as you can imagine, it’s taken a lot of abuse over the last few decades, with escalating amounts of additives, preservatives, GMOs and things like artificial colors and weed killers like glyphosate added to our food supply. Any one of these issues impact us – in fact, studies are done  on their individual impact. But it’s the collective impact that has a lot of doctors, from pediatricians to those who specialize in women’s health, scientists and researchers standing up and taking notice.

The best way to think about all of this is to think of your digestive tract like a series of pipes. When real food flows through those pipes, they run smoothly. Add things like glyphosate , preservatives, artificial colors and ingredients, artificial growth hormones and antibiotics used on the animals we eat….then, all of a sudden, the stuff flowing through our digestive pipes is full of a lot of non-food substances.

And the microbiome takes the abuse. It does its best to process it all for us, but all of that extra unnatural “stuff” really messes with the lining of the digestive tract.  Think of our digestive system as the foundation for our health and wellness – a happy gut, means all of our bodies’ systems are happy too. In other words, if our microbiome gets abused, our health tends to suffer.

It’s so important to be mindful of what is going through your digestive pipes. For some, that means staying away from a lot of artificial and processed foods, others add organic and whole foods into their diets and even more (yes, I am now one of them, given all that I’ve learned!) add probiotics and supplements designed especially for your gut.

There is no magic pill, and as much as we want to control everything in order to protect our health, that isn’t always possible. So I always say, “don’t make the perfect the enemy of the good” and do what you can where you are with what you have. And for me, that starts with the little things, like MegaFood® MegaFlora®. This is MegaFood’s signature probiotic, designed to support intestinal health, immunity and bowel regularity.* It includes a blend of 14 unique strains of probiotics to provide 20 billion active bacteria that help restore and maintain the balance of healthy intestinal probiotics.* This works wonders on your digestive tract!* Plus, it is tested free from gluten, dairy and soy.

I’ve been a fan of MegaFlora for years, but I am so excited to share that MegaFood is actually launching a complete Shelf-Stable Probiotic very soon! In addition to a Digestive Health*, there will be four new probiotics within this line: Women’s Health*, Mood*, Energy* and Immune Defense*. The strains found in these formulas have been chosen based on their resistance to stomach acids as well as their role in gut health.

The Shelf-Stable Probiotic collection includes:

• MegaFood Digestive Health* —Provides a balance of healthy microflora to support daily digestive health*
• MegaFood Mood* —Helps support gut health and reduce stress and fatigue*
• MegaFood Women’s Health* —Helps support gut microflora and urinary tract health*
• MegaFood Energy* —Helps support healthy energy production and intestinal microflora*
• MegaFood Immune Defense* —Helps support a healthy immune function*

They’re calling it “probiotics with a twist” and I’m certainly excited to explore these incredible new products, made with real, whole foods in true MegaFood fashion. Especially because so many of us are on-the-go, with the new Shelf Stable Probiotics line you can travel with them and use them anywhere.

While we wait for MegaFood’s exciting innovation in probiotics, focus on progress instead of perfection.  Don’t beat yourself up when you slip up, just support yourself as much as you can.  And remember, little healthy changes, when done repeatedly, can have a big impact! Your gut will thank you!

*This statement has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

This post was created in partnership with MegaFood®. I’m proud to work with brands that care about the health of its consumers and the planet. As always, all opinions and text are my own.

Photo by Juan Camilo Navia via UnSplash