Ah, the old adage "you are what you eat." It's one of those sayings that makes you want to roll your eyes because you've heard it so many times (usually with a fork full of cake in your hand.)
That said, studies have shown that we are, in fact, what we eat. But your body is unable to absorb all the vitamins and nutrients from the food you eat if your gut doesn't have an even balance between the good bacteria and the bad. So if you're going to opt for a kale salad over a plate of french fries, you might as well make it count and milk it for all of its nutritional value with the help of probiotics. One way this can be accomplished is by adding foods like yogurt, kimchi, kombucha, kefir, and sauerkraut to your diet.
You can also take a daily supplement to ensure all the healthy choices you make are paying off so you can reap the benefits inside and out. David Borenstein, the founder of Manhattan Integrative Medicine, explained, "We know that probiotics help move food through your gut and we know there is a strong link between gut health and skin conditions like eczema, psoriasis, rosacea, and acne. There is also strong evidence to suggest that probiotics can prevent wrinkles and help keep skin hydrated."
He recommends Ortho Molecular's Ortho Biotic supplement. As far as getting your daily dose goes, if you're more of the gummy-lover (I blame the Flintstones on my belief that vitamins should taste like candy), try Olly's Purely Probiotic Gummies ($14). The mango-flavored treats go down easy.
