Happy Friday Bethany,

Last week I was determined not to get the virus my kids had, and while I think I was successful, I wouldn’t say I feel 100% healthy. As tiresome as it is, I refuse to give in, so this week I’m really focusing on hydration, intentional movement, and foods rich in pro- and prebiotics that will support my good GI bacteria, and therefore, my immune system.

You’ve probably heard about probiotics and prebiotics, but do you know why they’re so important? 

Our gut is home to over 100 trillion bacteria. I know that may sound concerning but it’s really not. These bacteria are a combination of good, bad, and opportunistic. I think it goes without saying that we want more good than bad, especially because (as the name implies) the opportunistic bacteria support whichever is in the majority. Meaning if the bad bacteria are taking over, the opportunistic bacteria are in cahoots with them; whereas when the good bacteria are in control, the opportunistic bacteria stay more neutral.

So where do pro- and prebiotics come into play? Probiotics are live bacteria that support a healthy GI tract, whereas prebiotics are the food that feeds them. You can find naturally occurring probiotics in:

• • Kefir/yogurt (I prefer Greek yogurt)

  • Sauerkraut or kimchi

  • Fermented vegetables

  • Fermented beverages

And prebiotics in:

• • Oats

  • Asparagus

  • Garlic/onion

  • Jerusalem artichoke

  • Jicama

Stay well,
Bethany

BETHANY’S PICKS

We go through a lot of yogurt in our house, using it as part of meals, snacks, and in place of sour cream. By far my favorite is Stonyfield’s 100% Grassfed Whole Milk Greek Yogurt. It’s actually been a craving this pregnancy, and I’ll mix in peanut butter, a little fruit, and maybe a couple of mini dark chocolate chips 😉