I am often asked why it's important to take a probiotic supplement and if just eating yogurt is enough. There are so many reasons why a QUALITY probiotic supplement is vital to good health (physical, mental, emotional) and optimal nervous system functioning. Many people don't realize that gut health is so much more than just the way the digestive system is functioning. The root of most illnesses stems from the gut. I can confidently say that a majority of the population today truly needs a quality probiotic supplement and that just a healthy diet is usually not enough. Was that true 50 years ago? Probably not. Our population today is faced with so many more environmental toxins and other harmful substances that were not an issue decades ago. I would love to say that ensuring good gut health is as simple as eating a healthy diet, but unfortunately that is often not enough. The soil that enriches our food is significantly limited in the minerals that it once had due to poor farming practices and an excess of chemicals that have seeped into our water and air supply. We are constantly bombarded with harmful substances that are depleting our good gut bacteria and causing us to get sick. Factory farming involves high use of antibiotics that is then excreted via urine into our soil and water supply. An overuse of prescription antibiotics severely depletes our guts of good bacteria in its attempt to kill the bad - they do not discriminate the difference.  Eating a diet full of highly processed foods and limited use of raw organic foods prevents growth of good bacteria and feeds the bad bacteria that take over. Using toxic cosmetic and household products that seep into the skin usually end up in the gut because of poor gut lining and "leaky gut". There are so many things that are going against good gut health and causing poor gut health that a quality probiotic is essential to repairing the damage. The biggest thing that people don't realize and that I was shocked to learn is that gut health is essential to proper nervous system functioning because 90% of neurotransmitters are made in the gut. So if the environment is not healthy, neurotransmitters are limited and unhealthy. The nervous system rules all and affects literally every aspect of our lives. Unsure whether you may be having gut issues that you aren't aware of? Many of these issues people don't associate with gut health, but it is the cornerstone of health and good gut health eliminates these issues:

• Allergies (not just food, environmental and seasonal too)

• Asthma

• Eczema

• Other skin issues

• Anxiety

• Depression

• Other mental illnesses (more than 90% of neurotransmitters are made in the gut)

• Dental issues (bad breath, white tongue, poor gum health, cavities, etc)

• Hyperactivity, ADHD, Autism, Sensory Issues

• Digestive issues- chronic constipation or diarrhea, IBS, Crohn's, Celiac's, etc.

• Candida/yeast issues

• Diabetes

• Overweight/obesity (poor gut health breeds further weight gain)

• Arthritis

• Chronic pain

• Multiple Sclerosis

• Many, many more conditions and issues

If any of these are affecting you or someone you love, it is highly likely that you or they would benefit from a quality probiotic supplement. An issue that we face today is that there is an abundance of probiotic supplements out there and many of them just don't cut it when it comes to the severe depletion many of us are facing. Most of them are not refrigerated and the bacteria are dead before you even put them in your mouth. Another problem is that most of them have only a few strains of bacteria and most people need a wider variety for adequate re-colonization. I have had gut issues my entire life. It wasn't until my early to mid-twenties that I realized there was something I could do about it. I spent tons of money on probiotics with little relief and it was because of the aforementioned issues. It wasn't until I started taking a top quality probiotic that I noticed a significant change. Initially I was hesitant because they are on the more expensive side, but when it comes to supplements, I have learned that you really have to pay for quality and that it is a cheap investment compared to paying for health issues.