Registered Holistic Nutritionist Andrea Donsky shares her expertise on probiotics and their impact on our overall health. She emphasizes the importance of a balanced microbiome and how probiotics can help achieve this. Listeners will gain insight into the different factors to consider when choosing a probiotic supplement, such as CFUs, multi-strains, and enteric coating. Donsky also highlights the benefits of obtaining probiotics from food sources and provides recommendations for selecting premium quality probiotic supplements. With this information, listeners will be equipped to make informed decisions about their gut health and immunity.

Longer Description: Probiotics have become increasingly popular in recent years as people have begun to understand the importance of gut health in overall wellbeing. In this podcast episode, Andrea provides a wealth of information on probiotics and their benefits.

Donsky begins by explaining that our bodies are made up of trillions of bacteria, with the majority of them residing in the gut. These bacteria, collectively known as the microbiome, play a crucial role in various bodily functions, including digestion, immunity, and mental health. She indeed takes them intermittently to measure how they impact her anxiety levels. Probiotics are living bacteria that help to balance the microbiome and promote optimal gut health.

The podcast delves into the factors to consider when choosing a probiotic supplement. Donsky recommends refrigerated probiotics as they are in a state of hibernation and activate when taken out of the fridge. She stresses the importance of providing probiotics with prebiotics, which are the food they need to feed on. Without prebiotics, probiotics will start to die off. Multi-strain probiotics are also beneficial as they can help improve overall immunity.

When looking at labels, the big numbers on probiotics represent colony-forming units (CFUs), which are the number of active cells in the formula. Donsky recommends 10 to 20 billion CFUs for everyday natural maintenance for people under 40, while people over 50 or with specific issues may need more. She also emphasizes the importance of the expiry date and enteric coating, which protects the probiotics from stomach acid and ensures they reach the intestines in a biologically active state.

Donsky recommends a high-quality brand, New Roots Herbal, which offers enteric-coated probiotics that are refrigerated and contain multiple strains. The brand also offers various types of condition specific probiotics.

While supplements are a convenient way to obtain probiotics, Donsky notes that they can also be obtained from food sources. Certain foods, such as bananas and oatmeal, contain prebiotics that can promote the growth of probiotics in the gut.

Overall, this podcast provides listeners with a comprehensive understanding of probiotics and their benefits. By following the advice provided by Donsky, listeners can make informed decisions about their gut health and immunity, leading to improved overall wellbeing.