Gut Health & My Favorite Probiotic

As many of you know I’ve been on a bit of a health kick since the end of October, so I’m not necessarily creating new resolutions for 2023 when it comes to health. Instead, this year is about continuing my commitment to physical and mental wellness. As a whole this involves obviously many different aspects of my life and daily habits but today I wanted to talk about one area in particular, gut health. I’ve found two champion products that have truly changed my gut health and GI symptoms. While we may think our gut is an isolated system it actually has huge effects on every other body system including our immune system. 80% of our immune system lives in our gut and if you do a quick search on the gut brain connection you will be amazed (I’ll provide some links below). When it comes to someone’s overall gut health, many different factors are at play and some may be out of our control but these two products may be a simple step to take towards bettering your overall gut health and GI symptoms. These two products have worked wonders for me and I hope they can help you as well if you’re struggling with gut issues like constipation, gas and bloated like I was. Sexy right? But hey someone has to talk about it! If you want to live your best regular and non-bloated life in 2023 keep reading 😉

NOTE: I always recommend starting one new medicine or supplement at a time so it can be properly evaluated for efficacy and potential side effects. If you aren’t currently taking a probiotic, I’d start first with adding that in and a couple weeks to a month later I’d add the greens for additional support and nutrition.

My favorite probiotic

Last spring, while listening to a podcast, I stumbled across an episode on gut health with the founder of Just Thrive probiotics. As a pharmacist, I love all the “nerdy” aspects about supplements. I want the chemical make up, pharmacokinetics, research behind the ingredients, clinical studies done with the commercial product and so on which is typically not an easy feat in todays overly marketed and gimmicky supplement industry. The episode was so eye opening to the probiotic supplement market and I tried Just Thrive probiotics shortly after. Because Just Thrive probiotics are spore based (the Bacillus spores used in Just Thrive are a normal part of the human microflora) they are more potent than other probiotics on the market and they recommend to take it every other day for one week prior to taking it daily. Almost instantly I saw a huge change in my GI symptoms that had been going on for months and my regularity also dramatically increased very quickly. TMI but I get why it seems like all old people are obsessed with pooping because truly be regular and predictable and not dealing with gut issues is life changing in every sense! When I first started taking it I was buying the 30 day supply bottles from Amazon and even though I should have been consistent with it because it helped so much I’d missed days here and there or multiple in a row. For all my healthcare workers out there who are also bad patients themselves, hi I see you on a personal level. I finally started buying direct from Just Thrive and now I’m getting the 90 day supply which is not only a much better price but also reduces the plastic burden by two full size bottles which I love. My “resolution” when it comes to my probiotics this year is simply to remain consistent with taking it every night at dinner to keep my gut happy and functioning at it’s fullest potential. I reached out to Just Thrive earlier this month when I started to write this blog post to see if I could get a discount code for you all and I’m so happy that they agreed! You can save 15% off everything with my code below! Just click below it is hyperlinked for your convenience 🙂

You can use code “luxepharm” for 15% off Just Thrive probiotics and their entire site!

Daily Mornings “Greens”

I recently discovered a new supplement and for once I’m finally obsessed with a “greens” product. I’ve tried a couple throughout the year and most recently tried Athletic Greens and I just couldn’t get myself to stick with it. I didn’t love the flavor and didn’t notice any immediate benefits to keep me interested. Yes, I’ll probably finish my supply at some point because it feels wasteful not to but I’m so happy to have found something that I actually look forward to. Bloom Nutrition Greens are so worth the hype! They actually taste GOOD and instantly helped my digestion (that super slim 0% bloated incredible feeling) and increased my energy levels. The greens have everything you could want in a powdered supplement, including digestive enzymes, pre and probiotics, antioxidants, organic fruits and vegetables and 30+ essential nutrients. I got the citrus flavor and I love how light and refreshing it is. They also have travel packets which I snagged for vacations or weekend trips because I truly never want to not start my day drinking this! I don’t have a code and I wish this was sponsored but it’s not (manifesting it) but you will NOT regret trying these greens. I also got their high energy pre-workout in the sour gummy flavor and I’m really liking it so for so I’ll report back on that once I’ve used it more! I’ve inked my exact flavors on my Amazon storefront!

More Info On Just Thrive Probiotic

Commonly Asked Questions and My Experience with Each:

How quickly can I see results? Because Just Thrive is such a potent product, many users feel a difference in just two to three dosages. I can confirm from my own personal experience that I saw an improvement within the first week (while taking it every other day in the beginning).

Is there an adjustment periods or side effects? Some people do experience bacterial die-off reactions when taking our Probiotic. Temporary cold/flu-like feelings, gas/bloating, constipation/diarrhea, headaches, skin eruptions, irritability, etc. are all signs of die-off. If you are feeling any of the above Just Thrive recommends lowering your dose to half a capsule per day or even skipping doses until symptoms subside. Although sometimes unpleasant, bacterial die-off is a normal part of your gut flora ‘rebalancing’ and a GREAT sign that Just Thrive is working to eliminate your bad bacteria while feeding the good bacteria. Essentially, die-off means the detox pathways need time to catch up with all the goodness you’re giving your gut. Continue to titrate up or down based on how you feel, Just Thrive also can help guide you through any additional questions on die-off and symptoms by contacting customer service.

My experience with this was minimal. I continued to have some gas and bloating while adjusting to the probiotic for maybe about 1 to 2 weeks at the max, which I didn’t mind because that was already occurring before taking the probiotic and I was seeing a positive change in regularity really early on.

What benefits can I expect to see? Calming of gastrointestinal disturbances, improved regularity of bowel movements, improvement in immune system. Users also report more energy, better sleep, and just an overall “good” feeling. Users also have even experienced fewer sugar cravings and easier weight control because these strains are helping combat yeast overgrowth. Again, on a personal level I agree with all of these statements!

I have seen huge improvements in gas, bloating, GI upset and I’m insanely regular (daily every morning to early afternoon like clockwork). Obviously a lot of things can impact energy levels, sleep, mood, cravings and weight management etc but I do think that I did experience a positive shift in all of those when starting this and I continue to improve all of those areas with my healthy lifestyle overall.

Do I need to refrigerate it/stability? No! Just Thrive Probiotic is completely resilient and shelf-stable. In fact you can even break open a capsule and mix it into a drink or smoothie… Or freeze it… Or bake it up to 455 degrees without losing potency! I haven’t done any of these fancy things with it, I just take it after my dinner each night, but I love the flexibility you have and I think this just goes to prove again how different this product is compared to other probiotics on the market.

Does this product contain…? Just Thrive Probiotic is free from GMOs, gluten, grains, corn, soy, dairy, and histamines.

Relavent Articles

Bacillus spp. Spores—A Promising Treatment Option for Patients with Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Psychobiotics: Shaping the Mind With Gut Bacteria

Alright that’s all I’m linking for now! There’s so much out there I feel like I could go one forever!

Let me know what questions you have and for all of those reading this who are currently struggling with gut issues or not feeling your best overall (since our gut is so interconnected to our entire body) I couldn’t recommend this probiotic enough which is not something I would ever say without meaning whole heartedly.