Probiotics are all the rage!

It is my opinion that probiotics should be taken by everyone…even our kids, or should I say, especially our kids! Probiotics are good bacteria. We have good and bad bacteria in our gut and when the bad overtakes the good, havoc will ensue. By replenishing good bacteria, we are helping to support proper digestive health and it can also help boost your body’s immune system. 
Antibiotics, sugar, stress and the Standard American Diet (among other things) all contribute to bacterial imbalance in our gut. They decrease the good and increase the bad. Not a good combination. If you think the gut isn’t that important, think again. Throughout my nutrition education, we referred to the gut as the second brain. If your gut isn’t healthy, nothing is healthy.
Did you know…research is showing that bacterial imbalance in the gut is contributing to Type 1 Diabetes in children (amongst other autoimmune disorders)? Peanut allergies in kids and bacterial imbalance have also been linked together. THIS IS HOW IMPORTANT OUR DIET IS PEOPLE!
In an effort to improve the bacterial balance in our children, decrease sugar and processed food and supplement with a daily probiotic. I suggest switching out the type/brand of probiotic on occasion as each one has different strains of good bacteria. I also suggest a refrigerated or stabilized probiotic to ensure that you are getting live cultures. BTW…yogurt is NOT enough…especially if it is flavored!
The following pics show some of Dr. Heidi and my favorites. If you don’t feel well after starting a probiotic, you may be experiencing some “die off” of bacteria, which is a good thing. However, if you don’t feel better after about 4-5 days, decrease your dosage in half or switch brands. Typically, the more imbalanced your gut is, the more likely you may feel a little yucky when you first start them.