YOU CAN’T HAVE FLAT ABS WITHOUT THIS

There’s a lot of hype about gut health lately…and for good reason! Ever since I interviewed Dr. Zach Bush for The Art of Living. He was recently on the Goop podcast talking about the importance of probiotics.  

Zach talks about how the trick is to make sure you’re not relying on one source of probiotics, and start eating an array of fermented foods. Even the air you breathe (especially being in different natural environments) walking barefoot on the earth, petting your dog, eating low on the food chain, even directly from your garden – all these contribute diversity to that critical microbiome. 

If you hear the word “bacteria” and automatically assume it’s harmful, keep in mind that your body actually needs these microorganisms for optimal performance.  

Remember, your intestines have more bacterial cells than human cells! Inside your intestines live a host of both “good” and “bad” bacteria. Probiotics are the good bacteria that camp out in your gut.  Having an excess of bad bacteria in your gut has been linked to autoimmune disorders, allergies, and possibly anxiety and depression. Eating probiotics and fiber-rich foods can help balance out the playing field to keep your gut healthy.

These good-for-you bacteria could be the missing link to help you crack the code on flat abs because they improve your body’s bacterial environment inside and out.

Remember, no matter what your age…whether you’re 35 or 65, flat abs are possible. Research shows that probiotics may be the missing link in your daily diet, because they may…

Help your body digest food and soften stool, which can ease constipation and help flatten your tummy 

Control hunger-inducing hormones which can play a role in your appetite.

Break down your food and help you better absorb nutrients…which will keep you more satisfied. 

What’s the easiest way to include probiotics in your diet? They are available in supplements, but you can also get them through fermented foods. Looking to up your intake? Here are 5 foods to add to your grocery cart…

• Kimchi – A spicy fermented Korean staple that’s typically made from cabbage and radish and seasoned with chili powder, garlic, and ginger. Benefits: Can help relieve constipation and diarrhea because it helps regulates the balance of microflora in your gut.
• Plain Greek Yogurt – Contains live active cultures that produce lactic acid which keeps bad bacteria at bay. As a bonus, Greek yogurt includes protein!
• Sauerkraut – One cup of sauerkraut only contains 30 calories, and it helps your gut become a scary place for bad bacteria to live.
• Kombucha – This fermented tea is packed with probiotics, and it also helps lower your risk of heart disease because it contains B-vitamins. Make sure you check out the sugar content because one bottle can have up to three teaspoons of sugar.
• Tempeh – Not only can tempeh be used to replace meat in almost any dish, it’s made from fermented soy beans and is high in protein.