Probiotics: Magic Pills for Women

“I received this product  from Moms Meet to use in exchange for my honest opinions. Compensation for this post was provided.”

 

Do you remember this post I wrote earlier this year? The one where I share a few things we moms can do to take care of ourselves? It turns out I missed one important thing that I should have been doing. That one thing is taking probiotics.

Now I’m sure you are wondering what all the hype is surrounding probiotics? Well, there’s a lot of helpful information all over the internet that will explain it, but if you would like a quick overview, check out the video below. Then, I’d like to share my experience and why I think these are something every woman should consider making part of their daily routine.

 

The Year I’ll Never Forget

It has to be about ten years now, but for some reason, I can still remember that horrible year like it was yesterday. That year when I dealt with stomach problems. When I say stomach problems, I mean the kind where I felt nauseous all day, every day. I felt like I lived in the bathroom and I lost a crazy amount of weight.

For months, I thought that something must be wrong with me mentally. I had convinced myself it was all in my head and I was going crazy. I went to the doctor many times, and they had no clue what was going on with me other than saying I had a stomach bug that was taking a long time to work its way out of my system. One time they even told me to cut all milk out of my diet because I was probably lactose intolerant. So I did, but it didn’t help.

To put this in perspective for you, I didn’t want to go anywhere. The thought of traveling freaked me out. I missed way too many days of work, and I dreaded leaving the house and not being close to a bathroom. I just felt horrible all the time, and I could barely function.

I tried everything, and I pushed through the best I could during that year. Finally, I had a doctor refer me to a Gastrologist. This doctor was finally a person willing to listen to me and get to the bottom of things. I’m so glad too because at this point I had convinced myself after countless hours on google, that I had stomach cancer and was dying  🙂 (I know, dramatic.) Turns out after some tests and an endoscopy it was much less scary. It was just Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS).

 

My Road to Feeling Normal

Now that I knew I wasn’t dying I was able to work on feeling better. The doctor gave me some medications that helped me get back to normal. I was eventually able to rejoin the world and function somewhat as I had before.

There is something you should know about IBS; it doesn’t ever actually go away. It’s always kind of there, and you must worry that certain foods will cause problems. I feel like I have a nervous stomach, especially when I’m in a stressful situation or traveling.

Over time I have gone off all the medication. In fact, at this point, I don’t even remember what I was taking. I have made some lifestyle changes like cutting out soda and as much processed food as possible. Also, it turns out dairy and beans of any type do cause my IBS to flare up, so I don’t eat much of that. There have been a lot of changes made, but there are still moments where I struggle with stomach issues. Don’t get me wrong, it’s nowhere near as bad as ten years ago, and as I’ve made changes to my eating habits, the episodes have become fewer and farther between. However, it’s always there in the back of my mind. It’s like I’m just holding my breath, waiting for the next flare up.

 

In Enters Probiotics

Looking back now, I wonder why my doctor never suggested I take probiotics. Given the fact that a lot of health issues start in your stomach and with how you eat, probiotics are a great way to help with IBS and many other health concerns.

These little magical pills weren’t even on my radar until about two years ago when my son got his first stomach bug while we were 500 miles from home. We were visiting friends and family in North Carolina, and Logan ended up with a nasty little stomach bug for the first time. Being a first-time mom, I got on the phone to his pediatrician right away to see what I could give him to make him as comfortable as possible. The nurse suggested probiotics and said that was all I could do at this point.

So, I bought a bottle of gummy probiotics and started giving them to him. After reading up on probiotics (or googling, they are the same thing in my world :)), I realized how great they were, so I never stopped. Logan gets a probiotic every night. The funny thing is that I never stopped to think about maybe I should try taking them. Maybe they might help me feel better and deal with my IBS.

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The Probiotic Experience

About a month ago, I received the opportunity to try NOW Women’s Probiotic 20 Billion. I was excited to have a chance try this product. As soon as they arrived, I busted the package open and started taking them every day. I wish I could say I’m great at taking them every single day, but that would be a lie. On the days I did remember,  I could tell a difference.

I should mention that I received NOW Super Enzymes as well. So, I try to take one probiotic and one enzyme every morning with breakfast. On the days I do, I notice that I seem to have less bloating and hardly any gas (all things associated with IBS). Also, I appear to have more energy. The midday slump doesn’t hit quite as hard either.

Now you can see why I call them little miracle pills. Finally, it seems I found something that helps regulate my IBS. It feels kind of like the missing piece. I had come to terms with the fact that I would have to worry about stomach problems for the rest of my life. Even with lifestyle changes, I still had issues periodically. With NOW Women’s Probiotics and Super Enzymes, I noticed those sneaky days of discomfort have pretty much gone away.

 

What I Love About NOW Women’s Probiotics 20 Billion

I know that there are tons of different companies that make and sell probiotics. So, how do you choose the right one for you? Let me share what I love about the company NOW and the probiotics they make.

• NOW Foods make probiotics specifically for women. The even better part is that it doesn’t matter what stage of life you are in, these are for you! Three different probiotic strains aid women no matter what stage, whether you are in your twenties, in the mom phase, or heading into the empty nester years.
• NOW Foods is a family owned company, and they take pride in what they do. They have been around since 1968, long before organic was a thing. Plus, they take the time to make sure that everything they are selling is done right and is as healthy as possible.
• The NOW website has an enormous amount of information to help educate you on their supplements and the best way to take them. I love when a company takes the time and effort to educate people purchasing their products.
• Also, NOW Women’s Probiotics are vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free. This way everyone can take these without worrying about what is in them and if they fit into your healthy lifestyle choice.
• They are super accessible. NOW Women’s Probiotics and many of their other products can be found on their website as well as multiple retail locations (which you can check out here.) So, if you like to buy things on the internet, or if you prefer to see it in the store first, they make it super easy and accommodate everyone.
• There are children’s products too! We were also gifted Berry Dophilus – Chewables, and Logan loves them! He thinks they are candy. I love that he is getting a product that is safe and helps keep him healthy since he is such a picky eater.

These are just a few of the reason I love NOW Products. Overall, this is a great company that produces many fantastic products. I plan on purchasing and using their Women’s Probiotics and Super Enzymes, and also the BerryDophius Chewables (for Logan). I can definitely feel the difference they make, and I love knowing that I’m doing something to help boost my immune system and keep me at my best so that I am able be the best mom and wife every day.

 

Giveaway

While I understand each person’s health journey is different, I think everyone can benefit from taking probiotics. It’s a comfort knowing that you are taking one more extra step to take care of your body.

Now, I’m excited to share with you that I will be giving away a bottle of NOW Women’s Probiotics 20 Billion to one lucky person to try! All you need to do is enter using the form below. Bonus entries are also available after you fill out your information! (The giveaway ends Friday, June 2, at 2 pm EST.) I will pick one random person and announced the winner Friday evening! So, if you have wanted to try probiotics, this is your chance!

Probiotics are a great supplement that helps you be a healthy woman no matter what stage of life you are in! What are some ways you work on keeping your body healthy? Have you ever taken probiotics?

* These statements have not been evaluated by the Food & Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. 

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