I was recently crewing an independent short film and, by day five of 14+ hour work days with greasy fast food, my stomach and digestive system staged a painful revolt (commencing at 3am, no less). I searched high and low for anything to quell this monster and, in desperation, turned to a friend who had a wonderful solution. He gave me probiotoics, and, to tell you the truth, it was the first I’d heard of such a thing. Admittedly, I was a bit skeptical, but within 30 minutes my stomach woes were gone and I realized I needed to include probiotics in my medicine cabinet.

So what are probiotics?

From the Greek meaning “for life,” probiotics are, in essence, living bacteria that help your body with a whole host of things such as:

• Managing lactose intolerance
• Prevention of colon cancer
• Lowering cholesterol
• Lowering blood pressure
• Improving immune function and preventing infections
• Reducing inflammation
• Improving mineral absorption
• Prevents harmful bacterial growth under stress
• Irritable bowel syndrome and colitis
• Easing gas, diarrhea, and constipation

These benefits are accomplished by delivering all natural “living bacteria cultures” to your digestive tract via products that contain probiotics such as yogurts, Yakult, pills, and powders. My preferred method is the “Acidophilus Pearls” which are relatively small pills. Unlike other probiotics, Pearls do not need to be refrigerated and are available for anytime and anywhere you may need them. I spoke with the head of the homeopathic remedies, pills, and other supplements at my local Whole Foods, and he stated that some pills require refrigeration but are resilient enough to be out of the fridge for a few days. The Pearls are also great for folks (like me) who are lactose intolerant (although the P\probiotic helps), since yogurt isn’t a pleasant experience.

You can take daily if desired, and probiotics are great for trips or to keep close by in case of an emergency.  I’m not a doctor (nor do I play one on Gear Patrol), so be sure to read the packaging and make sure they are right for you. I speak from experience when I say probiotics are a life saver, and I always keep a package close by.

Have you ever used probiotics?  Let me know about your experiences in the comments section.

Cost: $17