By now, you have most likely heard of probiotics and their role in our health. If you are like me you might be a bit confused on which ones are the best. Turns out, it’s the cheaper probiotics that are most beneficial (spore based probiotics). Good digestive health is very important for overall health and well being and probiotics play a big role. They help support immune function, digestion, emotional health and also helps aid digestion for diabetics.
Healthy Gut and Digestive Track
In our body, specifically the gut, we have microbiome which are micro organisms living in our intestines. This ecosystem consists of bacteria, protozoa, fungi and viruses. Healthy digestion depends on the good micro organisms to balance and outnumber the bad bacteria. This balance is important to keep the digestive track healthy. Antibiotic use, stress, a poor diet and lack of sleep can cause an over production of bad bacteria. Gas, bloating, irregular bowel movements, skin problems and depression can occur when there is an Imbalance of good to bad bacteria.
Importance of Probiotics
Since learning about the importance of probiotics, I have learned three key points to consider when choosing an effective probiotic.
- What are prebiotics? Prebiotics are sometimes included In spore based probiotic supplements. A prebiotic is fructooligosaccharides, a sugar fiber the good bacteria feed off. These guys can help to increase good bacteria.
- Spore based vs non spore based probiotic: Spore based means soil based, or comes from the soil. The microorganisms come from dirt and a spore based probiotic is a concentrated version of these microorganisms (or good bacteria).
- Refrigerated probiotics: Most probiotics in health food stores are found in an open cooler. These types include many different strains of bacteria and that they need to be refrigerated. This type of probiotic is very expensive and often will not survive in your digestive system long enough to be effective. Furthermore, the additional strains are not necessarily more beneficial.
I have experimented with the more expensive multi strain probiotics and never had great results. Since I discovered Spore based probiotics that do not need refrigeration I have had a noticeable difference in digestion. (Read pooping regularly) Spore based probiotics are able to survive the acids your pancreas will shoot at them in the stomach to break them down.
Bacteria Strains
The bacteria strains to look for are:
- #1 Bacillus coagulans
- #2 Bacillus subtillis
- #3 Bacillus clausii
Some of the brands I recommend:
- Just Thrive – Probiotic
- Dynamic Enzymes – Spore probiotic and prebiotic
- Mito Life – Probiotic a d Endotoxin Reducer
Try a spore based probiotic to improve your health today and help aid digestion for diabetics. 🙂
Certified professional fitness trainer with knowledge in specific exercise programs, diet and nutrition.