create balance but help the good bacteria keep harmful bacteria at bay. You need to make sure you are feeding these good, little bugs so that they can thrive. Here are a couple of tips to help you show them some love.

 

  1. Try to eat like the Greeks. A Mediterranean diet has been known to help the heart, the brain, and the digestive tract. By eating lots of fruits and veggies, you supply your gut with the prebiotics it needs. This will give your good bacteria fuel. Cultivate a diet high in produce, fish, and grains. You can be very adventurous in choosing plant foods. By changing what you eat, you help to keep a diverse amount of organisms in your gut. The more different types of organisms you take in, the more likely you are to be healthy.
  2. Add in a probiotic. Bacteria is amazing and can do some pretty awesome things. When choosing a probiotic, make sure to read labels. You need to buy a probiotic that has both types of bacteria in it: Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus. These two bacteria help with gut health. Look for a supplement that has at least 1 billion CFUS (colony-forming units). Don’t forget to look at the packaging. Bacteria is very sensitive. Read your label to see if the probiotic should be stored at room temperature or in your fridge. If the bottle says to refrigerate but it’s being sold from a shelf at room temperature, skip that one. Is there an expiration date? This should be clearly printed on the bottle. Pay attention to when you start taking the supplement. If you’ve been taking it for at least a month and you haven’t noticed any change, then it’s time to quit taking it.