Why Probiotics are Essential for Good Health

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Brought to you by Jamieson and TheCo.

 

If I had to choose what has been the most important supplement I have used throughout my life, and my life as a parent, it would have to be probiotics.

I suppose my “probiotic story” really started before I was born, in the late 1960’s when my mother was a young wife with a bee hive hairdo, a pharmacy degree from UBC, and a baby girl.

Her passion for nutrition and science would soon spark her interest in vitamins. She would become an educated and devoted believer in the power of supplements, and my siblings and I would grow up with vitamins and supplements as a part of our daily lives.

But it was when her first baby, my older sister, had a stubborn bout of diarrhea that she discovered the miracle of probiotics.

When my mother brought my sister to the doctor, concerned because she couldn’t get my sister’s diarrhea to stop, he suggested she give her probiotics.

The treatment worked like a charm and probiotics became a staple supplement in our home.

Over the years, I have continued to turn to probiotics to help keep myself and my children as healthy as possible.

Why are Probiotics Essential for Good Health?

Our digestive tracts contain trillions of bacteria.

Probiotic strains are the “good” bacteria that we need to keep our gastrointestinal tract functioning well, including aiding our digestive system with functions such as fiber digestion, dietary nutrient absorption, and defense against harmful bacteria.

Probiotics are critical for a healthy immune system as the “good” bacteria works to inhibit the growth of harmful bacteria and yeasts.

It’s difficult for diet alone to provide us with the probiotics we need to maintain a healthy digestive tract, and things like stress, unbalanced diets, medications and antibiotics only disrupt their balance further. This is where supplementation comes in, transporting billions of live, active, and friendly probiotic cells to our intestinal system.
~ Jamieson Vitamins

Can I Get Enough Probiotics from Eating Yogurt?

Probiotics are found in dairy products, including yogurts, cheese and milk. However, the potency of probiotics in yogurt can be low and it is difficult to get consistent active amounts of cultures from dairy.

When eating yogurt, the yogurt is digested in the stomach and the stomach acid kills the bacteria, reducing the amount of live probiotics to reach the intestines. Also, if the yogurt contains sugar, artificial sweeteners and additives that can affect the probiotic integrity.

On the other hand, Jamieson Vitamins is able to guarantee the potency of their probiotics, keeping the live cells intact and fresh until their expiry date. Jamieson probiotic capsules are protected from stomach acid, allowing the probiotics to reach the GI tract. So, while yogurt can be a part of a healthy diet, eating yogurt may not be ideal for therapeutic probiotic effects.

How Can Jamieson Probiotics Survive for 24 Months?

Keeping probiotics fresh and potent can be a challenge.

Jamieson has worked hard to ensure they have the best technology and packaging format for probiotics:

In our journey toward continual improvement, Jamieson has evaluated the stability performance of industry standard packaging. After assessing cutting edge technologies, we have identified the advanced tube as the leading packaging format in the world of probiotics.

This specialized tube technology provides protection from moisture transmission for each capsule from bottling through storage, shipping and shelf life, ensuring the highest potency from production through expiration.
~ Jamieson Vitamins

When I purchase my supplements, especially my probiotics, I want to make sure that I am getting a high quality product that is fresh and active. I am so relieved that I can feel confident buying Jamieson, knowing that their probiotics are protected from moisture damage and their potency and freshness is guaranteed.

Can Probiotics Help Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)?

I have struggled with gut issues and IBS my entire life. If you have IBS or other intestinal issues, I literally am feeling your pain!

If you don’t know what IBS is, it is an intestinal disorder that causes gas, bloating, abdominal pain (cramping), irregular bowel patterns, constipation, and diarrhea.

The good news is the Canadian Digestive Health Foundation suggests that supplementing with probiotics helps IBS sufferers because probiotics bind to the intestinal walls and can produce substances with antibiotic properties.

The natural probiotic strain found in Jamieson Digestive Care™ Daily Probiotic was studied specifically for symptoms of IBS such as gas and bloating and has been effective for relief in clinical studies.
~ Jamieson Vitamins

Should I Use Probiotics with Antibiotics?

One of the most common uses of probiotics is during and/or after antibiotic therapy.

Taking probiotics during and after treatment with an antibiotic is beneficial because it helps restore the balance in your GI tract.

The purpose of an antibiotic is to remove infection-causing bad bacteria from your digestive system. Unfortunately, antibiotics kill off the “good” bacteria in your intestinal tract while they are clearing out the “bad” bacteria. This is why you may have an episode of diarrhea during or after taking antibiotics.

In order to re-populate your intestinal tract with the right bacteria for your best digestive health, you can take a Jamieson probiotic such as Jamieson 10 Billion or Jamieson Digestive Care™ Daily Probiotic.

If you are giving probiotics to your children, it is important to note that children need a probiotic formulated for them such as Jamieson Digestive Care™ Kids Daily Probiotic.

The Jamieson Essentials

 

I try to eat a healthy, well-balanced diet — and most days I do.

But I still want to make sure I am getting all the vitamins and minerals that I might be missing from my food — and my skies. (I live in Vancouver, BC. I do not get enough sunshine! I definitely need some help in the vitamin D department.)

With the Jamieson Essentials — Multi-vitamin, Vitamin D, Omega-3, and Probiotics — I can ensure that I am getting the nutritional supplements I need.

Multivitamin – For the important vitamins and minerals we might be missing in our diet.

Omega-3 – For cardiovascular and brain health. Canadians are not getting enough of them in their diets. 9 out of 10 Canadians are at risk of developing heart disease and omega-3s can help reduce this risk.

Vitamin D – For bone dental health. 1 in 3 Canadians are vitamin D deficient and most Canadians (two-thirds) are not getting optimal levels. Vitamin D is mostly obtained through sunlight, which is why most Canadians are at risk.

Probiotics – For digestive health. Your overall health is directly impacted by your digestive health, and the balance of “good” bacteria in our system is easily disrupted by our current busy lifestyles.

Probiotics help keep our gastrointestinal tract functioning well and our immune system strong — find out how they work and how we can ensure they are working for us. This post is sponsored by Jamieson Vitamins.

For more about Jamieson Vitamins, find them online:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jamiesonvitamins/
Twitter: @Jamieson_Canada
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/jamiesonvitamins

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Please note: This post is not to be considered medical advice, but is our personal opinion only.

Written and photographed by Janice Croze, co-founder of 5 Minutes for Mom and Janice Croze Photography.
Talk with me: @5minutesformom and Facebook.com/5minutesformom
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