You’d give up your favorite pair of stilettos not to get the flu this December. Help boost your resistance to colds and flus this holiday with a good probiotic. In a cleansing, feel-good lifestyle you need to make sure and provide your body with the nutrients and support it needs first, so it can then do its job of eliminating the crud that may be preventing you from reaching a state of happy, body bliss.

What are probiotics?

Probiotics are live microorganisms that are similar to beneficial microorganisms found in your gut. They are also called “friendly bacteria” or “good bacteria.” Friendly bacteria are key to a healthy immune system, protection against bacteria causing disease, and to the digestion and absorption of food and nutrients. Stress, poor diet, antibiotics or birth control along with a high-starch diet, or a high mainstream meat and dairy (antibiotic and hormone filled) diet are thought to upset the gentle balance of good and not-so-good bacteria in your gut.

Can you get probiotics from food?

Theoretically fermented foods and cultured milk products (yogurts) should help boost the balance of good bacteria in your gut. However, most foods on store shelves today are heavily pasteurized (heated at high temperatures) to protect you from harmful bacteria. This pasteurization process also kills most of the good bacteria in these foods. That’s why a good probiotic supplement may be helpful. I recommend the Dr. Ohhira’s Probiotics brand. I take one every morning on an empty stomach.

Dr. Ohhira’s Probiotics

Dr. Ohhira’s probiotics contain a protective enteric coating, which enables the good stuff to make it through the acid in your stomach. Dr. Ohhira’s probiotics do not need to be refrigerated (great for travel and overall convenience). These probiotic supplements are highly regarded by health conscious beauties and gents. I find prices are best online at iherb.com and amazon.com.

Join me this holiday season

For the next 31 days I’m celebrating tips and tricks to help you stay on track with feel-good, look-good living this holiday season. Keep up on the latest here.

Being healthy doesn’t mean spending money on expensive supplements or superfoods.

We now know that the foods we eat can help keep us healthy and beautiful. And everyone agrees that foods filled with living enzymes are healthy for the body. After all most foods today – packaged foods for sure – can be comforting but are not health generating.

Healthy diet first, supplements second

However, not everyone today agrees on just how big of a role supplements should play.

Today’s growing thinking under the contemporary health food umbrella is that supplements are there if you want them but not required to be healthy.

The thinking here is that a diet filled with fresh, organic (when possible) fruits and vegetables is the best way to get the nutrition we need. The only exception is Vitamin B12 – where a supplement is suggested most often if you are not eating meat for an extended period of time.

“There are virtually no nutrients in animal-based foods that are not better provided by plants,” according to Dr. T. Colin Campbell author of The China Study.

“There are four nutrients which animal-based foods have that plant based foods, for the most part, do not: cholesterol and vitamins A, D and B12. Three of these are nonessential nutrients” and the body can make Vitamins A (through beta-carotene found in yellow and orange fruits and vegetables as well as leafy greens,) and D (through some good sun exposure) readily. “B12 is more problematic” according to Dr. Campbell.

One of the ways B12 is made is by microorganisms found in our soil, and our soil in many cases today is not as nutrient dense as a result of chemical sprays and pesticides. Dr. Campbell suggests that a B12 supplement is recommended if you are not eating any meat for a significant period of time. B12 is also made in the intestines of animals including our own.

If you are in the market for a B12 supplement a good, whole foods (which means it doesn’t have any artificial fillers), multi-vitamin favored by detox veterans is Vita Synergy. This multi-vitamin also contains Vitamin D – in case you might be lagging during these cold, wintery months.

Dr. Ohhira’s Probiotic Is Also Worth Considering

I personally also like to take a good probiotic. The increasing focus on improving digestion and boosting our immunity are a fabulous trend from 2009 that I’m pumped to see more of in 2010.

If you want to start replenishing the healthy bacteria in your digestive system start incorporating more fresh leafy greens, fruits and veggies into your diet and take a probiotic in a gel cap form with a protective coating. Remember the majority of your immune system is located in your digestive tract. And many of us have digestive tracts that are full of imbalances from a few big nights of indulgence over the years. Imbalanced digestive tracts mean yeast and bacteria are running rampant. And if you’ve ever wondered why sometimes you crave a whole loaf of bread, well yeast is your answer…especially for us ladies.

If your digestive health isn’t up to par, chances are your immune system isn’t either. And, having a healthy digestive system means having plenty of healthy bacteria, and that’s where probiotics come in. Why not give those suckers a little extra support?

Dr. Ohhira’s Probiotics are one of my favorites. I personally have had much success with them.

Improve digestion and boost immunity.

The increasing focus on improving digestion and boosting our immunity are a fabulous trend from 2009 that I’m pumped to see more of in 2010.

If you want to start replenishing the healthy bacteria in your digestive system start incorporating more fresh leafy greens, fruits and veggies into your diet and take a probiotic in a gel cap form with a protective coating. Remember the majority of your immune system is located in your digestive system. If your digestive health isn’t up to par, chances are your immune system isn’t either. And, having a healthy digestive system means having plenty of healthy bacteria, and that’s where probiotics come in.

Dr. Ohhira’s Probiotics are one of my favorites. I personally have had much success with them.

Dr. Ohhira is an award-winning microbiologist from Japan. The Japanese were on the early end of cracking the probiotic code and making a well respected probiotic supplement. 
Dr. Ohhira’s Probiotics are whole foods based and dairy free. They do not have to be refrigerated. And most importantly they contain a protective enteric coating, which enables the good stuff to make it through the acid in your stomach. The only drawback with these is that you usually have to order them online (and pay for shipping).

What about you? What do you do to promote good digestive health?