What do you have for dessert?

Just half of our supplement supply

So, I got your attention with tasty dessert. :) But that’s not what we chase our meals with (normally, that is...we do on refeed days!). Regularly, we chase our meals with vitamins and supplements. 

My Dad has always served as a good example of taking vitamins and staying current with the latest research on what our bodies need. My Mom would confirm that I’m not always the fastest learner, especially as she saw the box full of supplement bottles that they’d sent me while at West Point, come straight back home with me upon graduation. I’ve come a long way since then. I’m not perfect, I don’t always remember to take what I mean to, however, I try hard to take them as often as possible. The next few days, we’ll be discussing a few of the vitamins and supplements that we take and why we do.

Today’s is my current favorite: probiotics. I was slow to join the bandwagon on probiotics because I’ve always been, well, to be blunt, pretty regular. But, when you cleaned up your eating habits, you might have noticed that you could get a little backed up. Probiotics have been essential to getting me back to regular. ;) You’ve probably seen all the commercials about them, but if you’re like me, you weren’t really paying attention.

Probiotics are live microorganisms, sometimes good bacteria, that can help to regulate the digestive system. We take them regularly with every meal to assist with this. 

Here is what is stated on the bottle we’re using currently: “Acidophilus supports a favorable environment of nutrients, encouraging intestinal microflora balance, and promotes the healthy functioning of the intestinal and digestive systems.” You can encourage my microflora balance any day! You can find probiotics naturally occurring in some foods, you probably all know it’s in yogurt, thanks to Jamie Lee Curtis.

There are claims that probiotics have many benefits, so it is important to research them for yourself before you add them to your diet. And, as with anything you’d put in your body, take a look at the possible side effects and it’s always recommended that you consult your personal physician before changing your diet or supplements.

With that said, let us know how you take your probiotics; pill, yogurt, kefir, anything else?