Dear Coach:  I have some stomach issues and I’m hearing a lot about our “gut microbiome” these days.  What does it all means, and does food factor into it?  What is your opinion of probiotics?  Thank you, C.R.

Dear C.R., You’re right that there’s a lot of buzz lately about the health of our guts.  The gut microbiome is the subject of much new research, and we now know which foods are beneficial to our gut, and which foods can lead to problems.  The saying “you are what you eat” is certainly true of our gut microbiome –the composition of trillions of bacterial organisms that reside in our gastrointestinal tracts.

Which foods are best for your gut?

Do probiotics help?  What's the difference between probiotics and prebiotics?

Be good to your gut - maintaining a healthy gut flora is crucial to your health.  Problems occur when our microflora gets out of balance (in other words, the good bacteria gets crowded out and the pathogenic bad bacteria take over).  Be sure those good bacteria are getting what they need to THRIVE, and those nasty bacteria don't get a foot hold.