Why Probiotics Are Great for Different Stages of Life

From baby to adult, probiotics are necessary for good health.

There are a lot of buzzwords surrounding the gut microbiome, many of which can be confusing to navigate. The one fundamental piece is the role those good bacteria or ‘probiotics’ plays in our overall health and wellbeing.  

Let’s Talk Microbiome 

Research is exploding with new information about how our gut’s function extends far beyond digestion, affecting things like mental health and mood, immune health, cardiovascular health and weight management to name a few. 

Think of your microbiome as an entire ecosystem. A community of microorganisms including bacteria, located mainly in your intestines, that play an enormous role in our overall health. These bacteria help with digestion of our food and nutrients, but we are learning that their role extends far beyond that.  

Did you know... 

It is estimated that roughly 40 trillion bacterial cells and up to 1,000 different species of bacteria are found in the gut and make up 1-3% of our overall body weight. (2-6lbs!) 

Probiotics Are Good Bacteria 

Probiotics are ‘good bacteria’ that are important at every stage of life. By incorporating these into your diet or supplement routine, you help keep ‘bad bacteria’ at bay. 

The microbiome develops early on and continues to diversify as we age. There are many ways to shape the diversity of our beneficial bacteria including the following 9 points. 

• Eat a diverse range and variety of food. Higher microbiome diversity is considered better for overall health. In particular, fibrous foods like legumes, whole grains, fruit, and vegetables. 
• Eat fermented foods. Think sauerkraut, tempeh, kombucha and kefir. These live bacterial cultures will restore gut flora and prevent an overgrowth of the bad bacteria. 
• Eat prebiotic foods. This type of fiber will stimulate the growth of healthy bacteria. Think artichokes, banana, apple, oats and asparagus 
• Eat whole grains. Not only do they contain a lot of fiber, but beneficial carbs like beta glucan which are digested by the gut bacteria, help benefit weight, cancer risk, and diabetes. 
• Eat foods rich in polyphenols. Plant compounds in wine, green tea and dark chocolate are broken down by the gut to produce healthy bacterial growth 
• Get tested for food sensitivities. Foods that your body can’t digest, further contribute to underlying inflammation.  
• Stress management (think acid reflux, ulcers) 
• Exercise regularly! 
• Supplement with excellent quality probiotics. 

Everyone Needs Probiotics at Any Age 

Babies, children, and adults can all benefit from a good quality probiotic.  

By adding a probiotic into your daily routine, you continue to help create a strong gut flora. This in turn, strengthens the immune system and contributes to overall health. 

For Little Ones 

For babies, probiotic drops are recommended, as they are easy to add to a bottle or simply in the mouth directly... Organika has one with Vitamin D - Baby Probiotic Drops with Vitamin D. 

Kids can enjoy Probiotic Chewable Tablets, and adults can benefit from both a Probiotic + Prebiotic Powder. 

It is never too late to incorporate a good probiotic into your supplement routine if you haven’t already started. To support diversity of bacteria, I also look for a multi-strain probiotic, meaning there are many sources of good bacteria. 

You can achieve health for the whole family, simply by taking care of your gut flora.