I'm very excited to announce that I am a new Guest Contributor for Retroflexions Medical Blog! Lead by Gastroenterologist Dr. Frederick Gandolfo, Retroflexions features a variety of pieces on medicine, health, nutrition, and gastroenterology. I'm thrilled to have the opportunity to collaborate with Dr. Gandolfo and to share evidence-based nutrition pieces with his audience and all of you!
My first piece for the Retroflexions Blog focuses on Natural Probiotic Sources For A Healthy Gut. If you follow me on social media, you know that I am a probiotics nut! I'm very passionate about living a healthy lifestyle from the inside out, and so much of our wellbeing is related to our gastrointestinal health. I hope that this article inspires you to start incorporating more probiotic-rich foods into your diet. Below is a short excerpt from the article:
You’ve probably heard of probiotics, but do you know exactly what they are? Probiotics and gastrointestinal health are gaining more attention as research reveals the benefits of a balanced microbiota. Probiotics are defined as live microorganisms that are the same or similar to the beneficial microorganisms that naturally live in the human body. Research on probiotics has shown that they can boost immunity, manage irritable bowel syndrome, assist in weight management, and improve your overall health.
As research reveals the benefits of probiotics, people have started to take notice. Data collected from the 2012 National Health Interview Survey revealed that probiotics ranked as the third most commonly used dietary supplement among adults. Interestingly, probiotic use quadrupled between 2007 and 2012. Although probiotics are available in pill form, I always say that food comes first! Here are a few natural food sources of probiotics to incorporate into your diet.
Yogurt: Yogurt is definitely the most common and widely available probiotic food. Fermented milk and live active cultures come together to create this popular probiotic-rich snack. However, there’s a difference between plain yogurt and many of the fruit-flavored varieties available at the supermarket. Many of the mainstream yogurts have up to 25 grams of sugar for a mere 6 ounces! Take a look at the nutrition label and choose a yogurt with less than 12 grams of sugar per serving. My favorite yogurt brands include Siggi’s Icelandic-Style Yogurt, Fage Plain Greek Yogurt, and Nounos Traditional Greek Yogurt.
Kefir: This tart, smoothie-like beverage originated in Russia and Turkey. With between 10-20 different types of healthy bacteria, kefir is thought to be an even better source of...
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Xoxo,
Stef