When it comes to my life I have very little regrets. I believe everything we do has helped us get to the place we are today. The good, the bad and the confusing. However, if there was one thing I could have redone it would be paying more attention to my health. When I turned forty it was like someone had flicked a switch and I suddenly realized I had not been taking the best care of myself. Since then I have been trying to be more active and I have been taking care of myself as well as watching what I eat. Changing habits is not easy but it is worth it. One of the areas I have been concentrating on is my gut health.
Recently I was asked to take the Renew Life 30 day challenge. Renew Life is a leader in digestive health with a variety of products to meet your needs.
Probiotics are friendly, beneficial bacteria that live in the gut and are a very important part of a healthy digestive system. Probiotics support the immune system, balance the intestinal environment, and inhibit the growth of pathogenic organisms. These beneficial bacteria help the body to produce vitamins; digest foods; and control the overgrowth of bad bacteria and fungi.
There are several things you can do to improve your gut health. For one, drink plenty of water. Also, limit the amount of sugar, alcohol and caffeine you consume—as all of these things can deplete the ‘good’ bacteria and fuel the ‘bad’. Studies indicate that a healthy microbiome is a diverse one. One way that can be achieved is having plants in your home, and even spending time with pets, since both species have their own unique microbiomes.
Exercise with monitoring my steps, heart rate and proper eating, along with Probiotics are helping me improve my health. I was super excited to try out the Leaf by Bellabeat fitness tracker. It has been helping monitor my sleep and track my fitness throughout the day.
The Challenge has been going quite well. I find it a bit tougher to be active in the cooler months, however I have been reaching my daily step goal. I even brought out my treadmill to make up for the days I lose due to extreme cold and snow. Since I have already been changing my eating habits, the biggest challenge for me to remember to take my daily Ultimate FLORA Critical Care. So I have been leaving it in-front of my keyboard to remind myself to take one as I start my day.
How can you improve your gut health?
A high-sugar diet, not drinking enough water, and consuming too much alcohol are fuel for ‘bad’ bacteria. Age, high amounts of cortisol from stress, and certain medications like antibiotics, can also deplete ‘good’ bacteria levels and compromise the balance, which can result in everything from brain
fog and fatigue to bloating and skin conditions like eczema. In addition to taking a probiotic supplement, eating a diet rich in fibre and fermented foods and beverages (such as sauerkraut, kimchi and kefir) can help promote ‘friendly’ bacteria in the gut.
Renew Life offers a variety of tailored packs to choose from when probiotic shopping.
Ultimate Flora Go Pack SRP $29.99 – perfect for travellers, each capsule features 50 billion active cultures from 12 different bacteria strains including one known for its ability to help fend off respiratory infections. While other probiotics require refrigeration, this shelfstable version can easily be tucked into a carry on.
Ultimate Flora Critical Care SRP $36.99 – ideal for individuals with chronic digestive issues or those who want to strengthen their immune system after a round of antibiotics, this once-a-day probiotic features 50 billion active cultures from 10 strains of bacteria.
Ultimate Flora Ultra Potent SRP $52.99 – for those looking for the strongest probiotic available, this one features 100 billion live cultures from 10 strains of bacteria. It targets severe digestive issues and helps rebuild microbiome diversity after multiple rounds of antibiotics thanks to therapeutic levels of both Lactobacilli and Bifidobacterium, the most prevalent naturally-occurring bacteria in the digestive system.
Not only do each of the above formulas combine clinically proven probiotic strains for maximum effectiveness, they also have a specialized delivery system like enteric-coating or DRcapsTM that protects them from harsh stomach acid, and delivers them directly to the intestines where they are needed most. Renew Life’s ingredients are GMO free, and contain zero artificial colours, preservatives and fillers. For more information visit renewlife.ca
I am looking forward to continuing on with this healthy journey and hope that the benefits will continue to pay off. Do you take a daily probiotic?
Disclosure-I received the above mentioned products free of charge. All opinions are my own
I just had my third baby, so my gut is all out of whack. I have been taking probiotics to get things back to normal!
It is true what you said about habits. It takes 21 days to break a bad habit. When you keep at it and renew your body you are taking those steps to get better.
I have read a fair bit and heard a fair bit this past year about probiotics and they are extremely important. Happy to be using this one too. Loving the Leaf and the app right now because it encourages me to log my workouts and water intake. That’s all good.
It’s definitely a good way to keep your gut healthy. I wouldn’t want to deplete the good bacteria in there!
I have been reading lots lately about probiotics and how healthy and beneficial they are to your digestive health and overall general health!
I for sure feel like we all need to make our gut healthier. I am a huge fan ofprobiotics!
Both my daughter and I take probiotics daily!!! They are so important for your gut! I have felt so much better since I have started taking them!!!
My children take a daily probiotic but I have been slacking on my own supplement routine. I really need to get on top of things, since the holiday season already has me eating more rich, decadent foods.
I’m doing 30 days without alcohol or sugar right now so I’m glad to hear about additional benefits I’m getting! I often forget to take probiotics on the rare occasion that I need antibiotics so thanks for the important reminder.
I just started taking probiotics and I am astounded at how it really regulates my stomach and how I lose weight better when taking it!
Hmmm i dont know much about probiotics. Nice informative post
I need to try these. Probiottics are so important to your overall health.
I’d love to give Renewlife a try. I love that they offer so many different products to help you feel your best.
iT’s true probiotics are great for you! This sounds really great.
The water intake is so important and it is the one thing I have a hard time with! Thanks for sharing about probiotics!
I just recently started some probiotics. They make a HUGE difference in the way I feel overall.
I probably could really benefit from the Keto diet. I need to look into it after the holidays. That and a NEW probiotic.
My gut is my least favorite part of my body! I know I need to take better care of myself! Making sure I take my probiotics is something simple I can do!
My friend is doing the Keto diet and she really enjoys it. Nice that there are ways to get healthy that are good for you.
I kind of feel that that switch was flicked when I became a mom lol My body hasn’t been the same. I need to look into getting some probiotics. I was reading up on it and love all the amazing health benefits.
I would love to give this a try! Sounds like a great help for my gut.
I have suffered from IBS over the years and my doctor has said that high sugar contributes to stomach bacteria.
I need to add probiotics to my daily regime. I want to lead a healthy life especially as I am getting older.
My gut hasn’t been liking me lately. I really need to follow your tips.
I’ve considered following a keto diet … might have to go for it after reading this.
I don’t currently take probiotics, but as I’m getting older, I’m feeling more and more like I need to start.
A friend has tried encouraging me to take probiotics. I don’t know why I haven’t listened to her. I guess sometimes it takes more than one person to nudge a person into action.
Great tips! I haven’t tried the keto diet as I’m always on the road, but it’s definitely good to reduce carb intake. 🙂
I rarely remember to take my vitamins but I always take my probiotic, so important!
I tried probiotic when I was trying to get pregnant. And I would say its effective for me after a month of religiously taking it I got pregnant.
I haven’t been on probiotics for awhile but this looks promising! I will have to check this out!
Love taking probiotics! I’ll have to try that brand.
No; I haven’t been doing this. I eat a lot of yougart and I have been healthy. I have been having problems for about two weeks now. I think it is due to the fact that I was put on a steroid because of an extreme reaction to something I used. The steroid played havoc with my digestive system. I am seeing my family doctor today and I will ask him about probiotics.
Thank you for a very interesting and helpful post.
I have never taken a probiotic, but this sure sounds interesting. I love yogurt though and eat as well as I can. Thanks for informing about this product!
Probiotics are SO important! We definitely place a high value on our gut health at our house! Thanks for the introduction to this brand!
The more I read, the more I realize how important gut health to our overall well-being. I need to incorporate probiotics to offset the holidays sweets I’m going to be eating.