You are home to trillions and trillions of microorganisms. Each one plays a unique role in your body. Some help. Some hurt. All of them depend on you for survival. And all of them affect your body in some way.
Your microbiome is a big deal.
The bacteria in your gut will determine things like:
- Your immune system
- Your skin health
- Your sleep habits
- Your mood (contentment, depression, etc.)
- Your reproductive health (including libido)
- Your digestion
- And so much more…
Your microbiome also plays a big part in determining your weight and body fat percentage.
In fact, researchers have found that people who are overweight tend to have very different bacteria in their gut than average-weight people. In one study, scientists were able to turn average-weight mice into obese mice, just by changing the bacteria in their gut!
Healthy bacteria from probiotics can make it easier for you to reach your goal weight (and more importantly, to feel more alive). Let’s explore some of the ways this happens.
They change how many calories you burn.
When we eat more calories than our body needs, it naturally stores them as excess fat. But what if there was a way to alter how many calories your body actually kept?
A change in your gut bacteria can reprogram your body to hold on to fewer calories, according to a few recent studies (including this one and this one).
One study revealed that some probiotics will increase how many calories you burn while doing nothing.
This is called your “resting metabolic expenditure,” and your body will naturally burn more calories if you have the right bacteria in your system. (Several of the bacteria in Biotic Balance have been shown to help with weight loss.)
When you’ve got the right probiotics, your body will either burn up the extra calories or simply eliminate them as natural waste.
They help you lose 50% more weight.
Probiotics have different “strains,” also known as species, that each do something specific for your body.
One of my favorite strains is lactobacillus rhamnosus because it directly helps with shedding unwanted weight.
Women who take lactobacillus rhamnosus have been shown to lose 50% more weight than women who don’t (according to a recent study). That is amazing!
It’s the main reason I added it to our famous Biotic Balance supplement. (That’s just one of the ten strains, each with a unique super power.)
They help prevent future weight gain.
Probiotics have also shown to reduce the amount of weight gained while participants intentionally ate too many calories. The individuals taking a probiotic gained less weight than the people who were not taking a probiotic.
If you’re like me, you’ll take all the help you can get!
And probiotics are a foundation for greater health - in all areas.
Best sources of probiotics
Fortunately, there are a handful of ways you can add billions (or trillions) of healthy probiotics to your system. Here are some of my favorites.
Fermented vegetables: foods like sauerkraut, kimchi, and raw pickled veggies are a great way to get probiotics, prebiotic fiber, and plenty of vitamins. If you are buying these at the store, make sure they are labeled as “organic” and “raw.”
Supplements: while fermented foods will give you a greater quantity of probiotics, a supplement (like Biotic Balance) will help you get the specific strains to reach your goals. Make sure your probiotic has at least 30 billion CFU’s and 8 or more strains.
Coconut kefir: you can buy raw coconut kefir in most health food stores or make it at home. I like it because it’s a “living drink” with tons of healthy probiotics and very little sugar.
(Maybe) Yogurt: while I don’t normally recommend dairy in general, some people might benefit from small amounts of organic yogurt from healthy cows.
Summary
Remember, you have a world of little critters living inside you. It’s important to support your body by filling it with the “good bugs” that are going to make a positive difference.
You are learning tons. I’m really proud of you.
Keep up the amazing work and we’ll talk soon!
