Finish Line: Be proactive about probiotics

It’s the Fourth of July, folks, and for most of us, that means a day off from work, fireworks and a great excuse to eat hot dogs.

Now, hot dogs aren’t the best food out there, but you’ve got to admit, you get a hankerin’ to eat one when you smell them cooking. Recently I found out some amazingly cool facts about sauerkraut, that now, in my twisted mind, makes it OK for me to eat hot dogs. Let me explain.

In one of my recent columns, I talked about the gut/brain connection and how the health of our gut can actually affect our mood. There is a connection between gut health and mental health. While on my quest to learn more about the gut and how it influences our stress levels, I came across some fascinating information about probiotics and just how important these little critters are for us to feel good.

According to Courtney Collett, graduate student in medical dietetics at The Ohio State University, most of our immune system resides in the gastrointestinal tract and we have more than 40 trillion bacteria cells in there helping keep the gut doing what it’s supposed to do.

Probiotics are simply high concentrations of that good bacteria the gut needs to perform optimally. This is important because as we age, our microbiomes change because of diet, medications, stress and health issues. Apparently even being less active can affect these little guys. You can buy probiotics over the counter and there are some really good ones out there like Align, but they can be pricey at about $30 for a box of 24 tablets.

You’ll also need to know what you’re looking for, since not all probiotics are the same. When reading the label, look for what microbes are inside, how many live microorganisms are in each dose, the health benefits they promise and storage information (many need to be refrigerated).

If you are lazy and cheap like me, a tastier and healthier way to boost your probiotic count is to consume foods like yogurt, miso soup, kefir, tempeh, buttermilk, sour pickles and sauerkraut. These are key foods for natural probiotics to feed and thrive on. Yes people, pickles, yogurt and sauerkraut can make you healthier and happier.

If you are traveling for the holidays or for business, pay attention to what you’re eating and put yogurt on the list as a must-eat every morning and throw in a pickle or two at lunchtime. Traveling throws off the gut for a multitude of reasons, making it all the more important to add in those probiotics. Jet lag, exposure to sick people in the airport and on the plane and uncommon regional foods can disrupt the gut. Mood is easily affected by how we physically feel, so make your diet a crucial component of your stress reduction regiment.

So go enjoy some fun with the family today and eat a hot dog or two, with sauerkraut, of course. You can even put some tempeh on there, although I honestly have no idea what that is and cannot be held responsible for what it might do to your hot dog.

Davana Pilczuk has a doctorate in kinesiology and specializes in helping individuals and teams perform better at work, in sports, or in life. Follow her on Twitter @DavanaHPG or contact her at davanapilczuk@hotmail.com.