Palm Beach Health Center

Many health professionals are talking about probiotics and their health benefits. After all, they are one of the best ways to keep your immune system healthy and happy. Dr. Symons, a functional medicine doctor in West Palm Beach, recommends getting enough probiotics to keep your gut healthy and ensure that your body is thriving. Not enough probiotics can lead to issues like constipation, bloating, depression, or diarrhea.

The Problem with Antibiotics

Did you know that Americans consume more antibiotics than any other nation? Only 15% of antibiotic consumption is from medicine prescribed by doctors. The rest is from foods and drinks, like milk, meat, and chicken. When we consume those foods, it can kill the good bacteria in our gut. It’s critical to keep the good bacteria intact because they help with digestion, immune health, and good serotonin production.

How to Get Good Probiotics

To ensure adequate gut health, you need to have enough good probiotics in your body. What makes a good probiotic, and how can you get more of them in your body? Here are a few tips:

Avoid Antibiotic Foods

The first thing you want to do is avoid food with antibiotics. Most foods from cows and chickens have a lot of antibiotics because they are given large doses of them to grow. When shopping, check the food labels for products that say, “no antibiotics used” or “raised without antibiotics.”

Probiotic Choice

When looking for good probiotics, there are two things you want to consider:

• CFU count – Go for about 80 to 120 billion organisms per serving
• Spectrum of that probiotic – Go for ones with at least a dozen to two dozen different species of probiotics

Rotate Your Probiotics

No one probiotic supplement has all strains of healthy bacteria. Taking the same one repeatedly will not give your body all the different kinds of microorganisms your body needs. To keep your body thriving, switch them up from time to time!

Don’t Forget About Prebiotics

Before you take your probiotics, you’ll want to make sure you have some prebiotics in you! These special fibers act as food that can help healthy bacteria grow in your gut. This is important because the probiotics you take need a place to land, so the good bacteria can grow and thrive.

Are You Looking for a Functional Medicine Doctor in West Palm Beach?

When it comes to your gut’s health, Dr. Symons and his team at Palm Beach Health Center are ready and willing to help. Get in touch with us today to discuss how functional medicine can help you feel better.