Transcript:

When it comes to probiotics, the most important thing you need to know is that there are two distinct categories — spore-forming and non-spore forming. Now, you might be thinking, "Hold on, aren't there countless types of probiotics?" And you're absolutely right. However, all these strains fall into one of these two categories. So let's dive into the key differences.

Just like different kinds of apples have different genetic makeups, the same is true for these two different categories of probiotics. 

Non-spore forming probiotics are at their peak potency at the time of manufacture, but unfortunately, they begin to die quickly. These strains are very delicate and they struggle within the harsh environment of a capsule and bottle. They are heat, light and acid sensitive meaning they die really easily. The longer these probiotics are in transportation and sit on retail shelves the more at jeopardy they are. By the time they reach consumption, a significant portion of the bacteria has most likely already died and what living bacteria remains is too weak to make it through your stomach acid. In the end these probiotics don’t have the ability to do a whole lot to support your microbiome health.  

Spore-forming probiotics on the other hand go into a dormant state when encapsulated. I like to think of them like seeds. When you go to plant a garden you go to the nursery and purchase a bag of dried seeds. In the bag the seeds are dormant. When you plant them in soil and water them they begin to sprout. Similarly, spore-forming probiotics remain dormant until consumed, germinating and proliferating within your body. These strains are strong and resilient. They are not heat, light or acid sensitive so when you take them they are able to greatly support your microbiome health. 

So now you might be asking, “if this is the case, why aren’t all probiotics spore-forming?” Unfortunately most probiotic companies don’t actually care about your microbiome health. Non-spore forming strains are cheap and fast to manufacture so in the end these companies make a bigger bang selling them. They take advantage of uneducated consumers who are doing their darn best to nurture their gut health. They go as far as to mislead you with impressive CFU counts on their labels. So it's important to know that these counts reflect the number of live bacteria at the time of manufacturing, not how many you will actually make it to your gut. 

Choosing a spore-forming probiotic for your family's gut health is optimal for your health and happiness. When these probiotics germinate within your body, they create an environment that limits space for harmful bacteria. 

These probiotics are so effective in fact that when you begin taking them you may experience something known as "die-off". As these probiotics begin to flourish, the harmful bacteria in your gut will diminish, causing temporary symptoms like pimples, headaches, or restless sleep. These symptoms represent your body's unique way of exhibiting an imbalance.

An amazing test that I love to share so you can gauge the effectiveness of a quality spore-forming probiotic is to give your child a capsule when they are having an emotionally hard time. During a behavioral meltdown give them a capsule and watch their behavior change. A high-quality probiotic will swiftly bring a beautiful calmness to them. They will suddenly be able to reason with you and the episode will be over. This test really speaks to the strong connection between our microbiome and brain. Heal the gut and heal the brain. 

Now I want to talk about sourcing spore-forming probiotics. You will know that a probiotic is spore-forming because it will say on the label. This is really something that a brand will be proud of because its code for screaming “we are alive! We work!” 

It is hard to source these and they tend to be really expensive. In fact when I finally learned that my child’s symptoms we all connected to a gut imbalance the probiotics we had him on were $129 for 30 capsules. There was only one naturopath in our home town that carried them and often times he was sold out. 

I founded my company ōNLē ORGANICS with a mission that still remains to this day. To provide the best quality supplements and products for the absolute most affordable price. I want quality wellness to be available for everyone who is ready for it. 

And I want to pause here because just like every episode, I did not bring you here to sell you. But I would be doing you a disservice if I didn’t take a moment to tell you about Nourish. When I first started ōNLē, I partnered with a manufacturer to create this very specific spore-forming blend to restore and maintain microbiome balance. You get 64 capsules for $44 or $37.40 if you get them on subscription. These are the same, if not better quality than the probiotics I paid $129 for half the amount when we were healing our son. Nourish is allergen free, and beautiful for all ages. 

I don’t care if you buy Nourish or a different brand of probiotics that you love. What matters is that your health efforts aren’t a waste and that you get to experience the effectiveness of quality supplementing. 

Lastly, Nourish and other spore-forming brands will come in capsule form by design, as it preserves the probiotics in their dormant state. For children who cannot swallow capsules, you simply open the capsule and mix the powder in water, with my supplement called Cleanse, or with a coconut based yogurt or applesauce. These probiotics are naturally sweet, making it so most children enjoy the mild flavor. A few of my babes even love chewing on the capsule like gum.

Alrighty! I am so happy you now have this information so you don’t waste another dime on dead probiotics. Your journey towards better gut health is one I'm here to support, guide, and educate you through. So happy you are here! If you have a second to spare will you please scroll down and leave a review? It helps others find Follow Your Gut and together we can make the most beautiful impact.