(Per Wikipedia, the best and most credible online source ever!):
Probiotics are live microorganisms which when administered in adequate amounts confer a health benefit on the host. Lactic acid bacteria and bifidobacteria are the most common type of microbes used as probiotics; but certain yeasts and bacilli may also be used.
Basically, probiotics are a “good” bacteria. I like my easy definitions better 🙂
Okay, so the reason I am bringing this up is twofold. First of all, I was contacted by GoodBelly a few weeks back, a company that makes probiotic juices. They offered me a few coupons so that I could take their 12 Day Challenge where I drink 8-ounces of their probiotic juice every day for 12 days. Currently, I am on day #5.
Being the eclectic mess that I am, I purchased all three types carried by my local King Soopers. What can I say, I like variety 🙂
Anyway, I’m not typically into food challenges: I am not vegetarian, I eat gluten, I eat dairy, I like chocolate, and I’ll never entirely cut sugar out of my life. Some of those food trends work for others, but not for me: I pretty much like to eat everything. Having said that, I will admit that I am 98% sure that probiotics became my best friend during the year I spent in South America!
Obviously, I need friends!
While traveling in the southern hemisphere, my stomach took a beating….and that is saying a lot because I have a stomach of steel! Literally, my fam refers to me as “the human garbage disposal.” No joke. Regardless, as you can imagine, a lot of the bacteria in the food and water down there absolutely wrecked my stomach, especially during the first month and especially in Bolivia. For my ex-boyfriend Steve, who has a sensitive stomach to begin with, the situation was even worse. He was popping Cipro and Immodium like candy! (I won’t even go into some of the places that he…. christened. I still hysterically laugh about them to this day, but alas, that’s a story for another day!)
Needless to say, we needed to figure out something to curb our his stomach ailments. After all, we couldn’t go running behind ruins every 10 minutes to relieve ourselves, you know?! I don’t remember how it happened, or maybe it was just because we are wicked smart, but somehow we stumbled upon the idea of drinking a probiotic yogurt every day. This in itself was a a little sketchy because dairy projects weren’t always refrigerated down there, but really, could the stomach situation get much worse? We thought no.
After we started doing the probiotic per day, we both noticed an immediate difference. My stomach issues entirely disappeared for the rest of our year, and Steve’s issues dramatically decreased. Granted, we don’t know if it was in fact the probiotics that tamed our tummy issues, but it was the only intentional change we made. Thus, we give all the credit to probiotics!
So you see? This is why I have an interest in probiotics! Thus far, I haven’t experienced a noticeable difference in my stomach while drinking GoodBelly, but it definitely isn’t hurting. I also wonder if someone with actual issues might benefit from it more than me? Not sure. I will say that the juice is tasty! 🙂
24 Comments
I could go on and on and on 🙂 as I went gluten free about 19 years ago and it changed.my.life. but Ill spare you the rant 🙂
That said, the addition of probiotics has really tremendously helped my 6 year old.
I was kind of a skeptic—till I saw them in action!
What kind of changes did you notice??
I was just exposed to probiotics a year or so ago and am definitely a believer. I don’t use them regularly but they’ve gotten me through some iffy problems. I also use them with enzymes which I’ve found definitely helps!
Now I’m curious… what type of enzymes?!
i always recommend probiotics for people who come to my pharmacy who are on long term antibiotics or complain of constant bloating and constipation/diarrhea…I try to recommend yogurt or what not but there are a lot of lactose intolerant people!
The probiotics didn’t help me… I tried supplements, altering my diet- you name it. If anything I felt more bloated and icky on the inside 🙁
I’ve tried GoodBelly and really enjoyed the flavors they offered… however I didn’t notice a big difference in my belly haha – but I only had it for a couple of days!
So glad you’ve tried GoodBelly, Janine! To give it a fair shot, it’s best to try for 12 days straight. If you feel inspired, as Heather mentioned, you can sign up for the 12 Day Challenge to receive coupons for a discounted 12 day supply 🙂
http://www.goodbelly.com/challenge
Hope you have a great day!
After I got sick while in Brazil, eating yogurt and dairy with probiotics helped me, or at least I think they did, get better. It also helped me recover from all the medicine I had to take which wrecked my stomach. So I am a believer in good bacteria. I am less of a believer in eating what ever you want while in a new country. Live & Learn:)
Ha, sounds like you and I did the same thing!!
My trainer swears by probiotics. I am still on the fence.
I’ve been taking high count (like in the billions… waaay more than you can reliably get from yogurt or drinks) for years to help ease my sensitive tum and it’s been great. Per our pediatrician’s recommendation, we also started giving our daughter probiotics right after she was born to help ease her tummy issues which helped a lot. And a couple of years ago I started making my own water kefir (similar to kombucha without the vinegar taste) which is basically cultured water, meaning you put all those good bacteria into sugar water, the bacteria eat the sugar and leave you with probiotic goodness! And it tastes like soda… fizzy and all!
I literally never thought of this until now. And my belly HATES me. I have to be so careful with dairy, and anything really rich. And if a piece of chicken is literally one degree off of fully cooked, it makes me sick.
I may have to try these, thanks for sharing!
Let me know if it helps you at all!
i like that its called Good Belly. haha. i used to drink probiotic yogurt drinks and then honestly they just got expensive and i got sick of them. i feel pretty neutral about them though…i didnt feel a difference one way or another but i liked feeling like it was something good for me.
Agreed on the pricey factor— while the juice does taste good, it is about $4 for a container, but a container is only 4 servings… a bit pricey when compared to other juices UNLESS it really makes a difference. Then, it’s definitely worth it!
Having kids that in North America can’t eat gluten, dairy or even oats, we know that pro-biotics do work. Especially after eating things that destroy the “good bacteria”. I’ll have to look out for this product!
I took Good Belly shots when I was recovering from an ulcer and colitis and it didn’t make any difference for me. I guess the placebo effect doesn’t work for me?
I used to be so good about taking my probiotics, but ever since I ran out I keep forgetting to buy more! They seemed to help a ton! I think I took NOW brand or something.
I used probiotics when I was a veggie and I used to get bloated all the time….now I just consume a lot of greek yogurt which has them in it anyway 😉
I love that pic of you….so pretty!
Ha, thanks! It’s a random pic taken a few years back when I was out and about with some friends on Pearl Street in Boulder….I may or may not have had a few drinks in my system 🙂
I’m a firm believer that a healthy and balanced diet will eliminate the need for any kind of supplements, including probiotics. But that’s just me, and I’ve had pretty good luck with my stomach (which I attribute to having a good diet). That being said, I usually have to take probiotics when I’m taking any kind of prescribed antibiotic.
I’m a believer in probiotics for sure! Our body definitely benefits from them. They help to cleanse our GI tract by producing good bacteria that ward off infections and disease. 🙂
It’s good to always have these probiotic drinks inside the fridge. In fact, I have plenty of probiotic yogurt in my refrigerator. I find them very helpful in the digestion process.