5 Tips for Enhancing The Power of Your Probiotics
Did you know that over 70% of your immune system is located in your gut? It’s true! Plus, the bacteria in your gut microbiome can also affect other parts of your health, such as your digestion, cognitive function, and even the look and feel of your skin. Needless to say, your gut plays an important role in your overall health, which is why it’s so important to make supporting and nourishing it a priority in your day-to-day life.
One of the best ways to support your gut health is by taking a probiotic supplement. However, simply adding a probiotic to your daily routine isn’t always enough. After all, not all probiotics are created equal, and not all bodies or lifestyles are either. Thankfully, no matter who you are or what your day-to-day life looks like, there are tips and tricks you can implement to help your body get the most out of your chosen probiotic supplement.
A Quick Guide To Probiotics
Before we jump into those tips and tricks, let’s make sure we are all on the same page about what probiotics are and what they are supposed to do. And to understand that, you first have to understand a little about the gut microbiome, which is the home of trillions of bacteria, fungi, and other microorganisms that reside in your digestive tract. Many of these microbes are beneficial to your health, helping with things like immune function and digestion. To maintain a healthy gut, your gut microbiome must contain a large, healthy number of various strains of beneficial bacteria, which is where probiotics come into play.
In short, probiotics are living good bacteria that are similar to the ones naturally found in your body, which means that they can help support your gut microbiome by helping restore and maintain balance. They can be found in certain types of food, such as yogurt and many fermented foods, as well as in the more convenient form of supplements.
Tips For Enhancing Your Probiotics Power
Now that we’re on the same page about what probiotics are and why they are important, it’s time we share some of our favorite tips and tricks for enhancing the power of these gut-supporting bacteria so you can make sure your body is getting the maximum benefit possible.
1. Choose A High-Quality Probiotic
There are hundreds of probiotics available in the market today, and not all of them are created equal. This means that it’s important to do your research and ensure you are choosing a high-quality option that will give you the most bang for your buck. In general, to make sure you are getting the most high-quality probiotic possible, you’ll want to look at a couple of key things:
- All Natural Ingredients. Look at the ingredients list and see what’s on it. It’s common for probiotic supplements to contain a few additional ingredients that help nourish and support the living microorganisms in the supplement, but do your best to stick to a product that contains only natural ingredients as artificial ingredients can do more harm than good.
- Safety and Quality Certifications. Check the label or do some research online to see if the company and product have certifications that prove that it is safe and effective. Certifications like the FDA’s Good Manufacturing Process (GMP), Non-GMO, and Certified Organic are some of the most common ones to keep your eye out for.
- Colony Forming Units (CFU). The potency of a probiotic supplement is measured in Colony Forming Units or CFUs. Essentially, the CFU shows you the number of bacteria cells that the supplement contains, and, generally speaking, the higher the CFU for a supplement, the better. Generally, it’s recommended that you choose a probiotic supplement that has at least 1 billion CFUs per serving.
- Probiotic Strains. The strains of probiotics included in a supplement also make a difference. To ensure you are getting a product that is going to be as effective as possible, it’s best to choose one that contains a strain (or strains) that have been thoroughly researched. Some of the most widely researched types of probiotics include Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium, Bacillus, and Saccharomyces boulardii. Whether you choose a product that contains a combination of probiotics or only a single strain is completely up to you and will depend on what specific aspect of your gut health you are looking to support.
- Shelf Life. Since probiotic supplements contain living microorganisms, it’s important to pay attention to their shelf life and compare it to the manufacturing date listed on the bottle. After the shelf life of a product has passed, the probiotics it contains will begin to die, which means that the supplement will start to lose its potency and become less effective. Generally speaking, the shelf life of a probiotic supplement is between 1 to 2 years.
2. Proper Storage and Handling
Once you’ve chosen a high-quality probiotic supplement, you must store and handle it properly so it maintains its potency. A glance at the product label should give you storage instructions, but in general, research has shown that lower temperatures and dry environments tend to be the most conducive to the survival of these health-boosting bacteria. Most companies that produce probiotic supplements recommend storing them in a cool dry place.
3. Timing and Consistency of Probiotic Consumption
The time of day you choose to take your probiotic supplement matters, but the best time depends greatly on the strain of probiotics you’re taking. Researchers have found that timing doesn’t make much difference for strains like Saccharomyces boulardii, but other strains, like Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium, are best taken about 30 minutes before you eat. With that being said if you find it difficult to remember to take your probiotics at the right time each day, rest assured that consistency is arguably more important than timing. Some studies have found that consistent consumption of probiotics can positively impact the gut microbiome, regardless of the time of day they were taken or if they were taken before or after a meal.
4. Support Them with Prebiotics
Probiotics are enhanced when taken alongside prebiotics, which are non-digestible carbohydrates that are commonly found in fibrous food items like vegetables, legumes, and whole grains. When you start adding probiotics to your daily routine, you can help ensure they have everything they need to thrive by also consuming prebiotic-rich foods throughout the day. Some probiotic supplements will include some prebiotics in their ingredients list, but if you are looking to get the most out of these beneficial microbes, then it’s best to include foods like garlic, oats, onions, avocados, peas, asparagus, and whole grains in your meal plans so you can make sure those probiotics and all the other beneficial bacteria in your gut microbiome are being properly nourished.
5. Follow a Whole Foods Diet
Speaking of food, your gut and the probiotics you use to support it thrive when you incorporate plenty of healthy, whole foods into your diet. This means that you should steer clear of ultra-processed food items that include added sugars, trans fats, and synthetic ingredients and stick to whole, natural, minimally processed foods like fruits, vegetables, legumes, and whole grains as often as possible. Not only will this help the microbes in your gut thrive, but it will go a long way toward keeping the rest of your body healthy as well.
Support Your Gut with New Earth
Your body, especially your gut, is important for your overall body health. Here at New Earth, we understand the importance of having high-quality, effective supplement options when it comes to gut health. That’s why we’ve put in the time and effort to create a variety of gut health supplements—including probiotics—that you can choose from. Go ahead, browse our line of gut-supporting supplements today, and choose the one that works best for your lifestyle.
The best part is that you can put any of our products to the test risk-free with our 90-day money-back guarantee.
At New Earth we are on a mission to positively impact the health of every body and soul we come in contact with. We specialize in producing third-party certified, organic whole food supplements including a variety of probiotics, and digestive support. Our supplements feature a rare, yet highly nutritious superfood, Aphanizomenon flos-aquae (AFA). Also known as organic Wild Microalgae®, AFA is a unique type of microalgae that is available in many forms including tablets, capsules, and powders all designed to help you on your journey to holistic wellness. The best part? We offer a 90-day money-back risk-free guarantee on all of our products. Visit our website to learn more.
