Survive the Holidays with Probiotics

The holidays are a departure from the norm. From Thanksgiving through New Year’s Day we are bombarded by salty snack foods, cheesy hors d’oeuvres, and decadent desserts.

The indulgence continues even at work! Who hasn’t over indulged at the office when a pineapple upside down cake mysteriously appeared in the office kitchenette?

And finally, alcohol! Those few extra drinks each week can add up to extra pounds by January. Here are a few tips on how probiotics might help you survive the truly physical onslaught of the Holidays.

1) Blood Sugar Regulation and Weight Management

There is evidence from clinical trials that a daily probiotic regime can significantly affect the metabolic functions of the gut. The result has been increased weight loss in some studies of obese subjects, but also improvements in carbohydrate metabolism and insulin sensitivity in patients with Type 2 Diabetes or Insulin Resistance Syndrome [1]. Often the effective probiotics contain multiple strains of good ‘bugs’, just like H2PRO™!

Probiotics can certainly not substitute for treatment by a trained physician. Make an appointment with your doctor if you are concerned about your blood sugar. However, probiotics may supplement your diet during a time of holiday dietary “challenges.”

2) Anxiety

Holidays can lead to anxiety. We all know this to be true. From dinner table conversation with Uncle Joe to rallying rambunctious kids, probiotics can help support your anxious inner self.

Increasingly research is showing that probiotics influence your mental health. The gut and brain are intimately connected by something called the Gut-Brain Axis, or the biochemical highway that occurs between the brain and gut. Up to 50% of some neurochemicals like dopamine and serotonin originate in the gut [2]. So love your guts and your brain with H2PRO™!

3) Immune Support

The holidays, are also cold and flu season here in North America. Add a compromised diet and too much sugar to the mix and you have yourself a potentially stressed immune system.

Your gut is ground zero for your immune system. Up to 70% of your immune system is housed in your digestive tract where your body comes into contact with environmental stimuli like viruses, bacteria, fungi and allergens [3]. Many of cells in the lining of the digestive tract are immune cells. That lining is colonized with trillions of bacteria that, in part, regulate the immune system.

The use of probiotics, however, has been found to stimulate the immune system and often result in decreased antibiotics usage as well as decreased frequency and duration of upper respiratory infections [4]. H2PRO™ probiotics powders supplement this important community with well researched strains of bacteria plus the Vitamins C, D and Zinc found in our Immune Health formula to specifically improve immunity.

4) Constipation

One study resulted in a significant improvement in ‘poop frequency’ with the use of a daily probiotic strain, Bifidobacterium lactis [5]. These individuals were otherwise healthy but with decreased BM’s. The probiotic was effective with only 1 billion CFU, H2PRO™ has 7 billion CFU of 4 different strains of probiotics including Bifidobacteria lactis. In this study, the probiotic worked relatively quickly, within a month. So start your probiotics now, take them daily and you will be ready to ‘go’ through the holidays!

5) Travel Related Discomforts

Consider probiotics if you travel! Increased fats, decreased fiber and dehydration can lead to constipation on vacation (see #4). Or are you traveling abroad this holiday? Up to half of people that travel to developing countries can be afflicted by traveler’s diarrhea (TD). One risk assessment estimated that up to 85% of potential cases of TD could potentially be prevented by probiotics [6]. Additionally, travel increases exposure to new viruses and the generalized immune benefits of probiotics may be a huge benefit. Who wants to be sick on holiday?

H2PRO™ is shelf stable due to our unique freeze drying process. It requires no refrigeration. Put H2PRO in your bag and use it here, there or everywhere!

Citations

1 – Sáez-Lara, Maria Jose. “Effects of Probiotics and Synbiotics on Obesity, Insulin Resistance Syndrome, Type 2 Diabetes and Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: A Review of Human Clinical Trials” International Journal of Molecular Science. 2016, 17(6), 928.

2 – Andray Smith, Peter. “Can the bacteria in your gut explain your mood?” New York Times. 2015, June 23.

3 – Vighi, G “Allergy and the gastrointestinal system.” Clinical Experimental Immunology. 2008; 153(Suppl 1): 3–6.

4 – Leyer, G.J., et al. (2009) Probiotic Effects on Cold and Influenza-Like Symptom Incidence and Duration in Children. Pediatrics. 124(2): e172-179.

5 – Eskesen, D. et al. (2015) Effect of the probiotic strain Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis, BB-12®, on defecation frequency in healthy subjects with low defecation frequency and abdominal discomfort: a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group trial. British Journal of Nutrition 114(10);1638-1646.

6 – McFarland, Lynne. (2007) Meta-analysis of probiotics for the prevention of traveler’s diarrhea. Travel Medicine Journal 5(2); 97-105.