You may be asking yourself what steps to take to gain healthier gut function and reduce bloating.

We have put together 4 steps for you to better understanding probiotics and how to fuel your body with foods that support your digestion.

The YOU Series we want you to get educated, seeking knowledge and Reviews.com has done some of the research for you. Your job is to simply soak in all the knowledge and understand all you can about fueling your body to its optimal energy, through the power of probiotics.

Let’s just say, it’s a jungle in there.

You’re not living alone in your body. In the humble human gut, there are hundreds of trillions of bacterial occupants, and they’re not just living there — they’re working for you.

A small but growing body of research on our gut tenants suggests that hacking your microbiome can not only improve the digestive process but also contribute to a laundry list of ancillary health benefits. We’re talking weight loss, lower cholesterol, decreased anxiety, improved immune function, fewer seasonal allergy symptoms, and relief from a host of gastrointestinal modalities from irritable bowel syndrome to travellers diarrhea.

We’re in! But — where to begin?

First Steps to Understanding Probiotics and How To Go About Them

1.  A list of probiotic foods.

There are tons of simple carbs probiotics love in whole fruits and vegetables, including onions, garlic, bananas, asparagus, unpasteurized apple cider vinegar, yogurt, kimchi, Sauerkraut and artichokes. If you’re worried you might not be getting between five to 20 grams per day, consider taking a prebiotic supplement, usually a powder or drink mix. (Dr. Perlmutter recommends acacia gum.)

2. Taking Probiotics, Start small.

Generally, it’s best to start out with a lower CFU count and ramp up as needed. Starting out with the high-proof stuff can cause unpleasant physical side effects, like cramps and bloating, as well as monetary ones — higher potency supplements are almost universally more expensive. Of course, follow your doctor’s guidance. The verdict on ideal colony count is still out.

3. Take your probiotic with a meal.

This raises the pH in your stomach, which means more bacteria will make it through to your gut, including the few non-acid-resistant strains like S. Thermophilus. And take them with plenty of water; that will further dilute the acidity of gastric juices.

4. Keep up your probiotic routine.

Probiotics stick around for a while, though for how long isn’t precisely clear. You have to keep taking them to continue to reap the benefits.

While there is no magic cure-all pill, finding the right probiotic for your body, understanding probiotics (and forming a consistent habit to taking your probiotic!) can help your GI trains running on time. For a list of top recommended brands and formulas, check out the rest of the research here: Probiotic Supplements