When it comes to nutrition and digestive care, I love to meet others who share my enthusiasm for helping people live healthier every day—and one of those people is author and nutritionist Lauren Slayton.
Lauren is the founder of New York City-based Foodtrainers™ and her new book, The Little Book of Thin, will make you think twice about diving into the next fad diet by revealing the truth about why most food plans fall short. And guess what? Lauren is as passionate as I am about probiotics—especially when talking about the link between intestinal bacteria and sugar cravings.
In Chapter Five, aptly titled The Witching Hour, Lauren talks about those pesky late afternoon cravings (the sweet ones in particular) and explains that fermented foods can increase the amount of good bacteria in the gut, which actually helps to enhance mood and reduce cravings. She recommends adding more of these foods to the diet, but when supply is short? Check out her advice on page 59:
“Supplements may be a good alternative if you don’t have access to fermented foods or want a backup plan,” says Lauren. She includes probiotics in her list of Food First-Aid Kit Essentials (see pages 123 & 124) and says to look for a number greater than 20 billion live cultures on the label. She also recommends probiotics for travel-related “tummy turbulence.”
Of course, weight loss is about more than just probiotics, but having the right tools is big part of being successful—and those tools can help you overcome the challenges along the way. The key to living thintastically ever after, says Lauren, is planning ahead and being prepared for the daily obstacles that can thwart your weight loss efforts. “If nutrition knowledge equaled weight loss, we would all be thin. We know what to eat until life gets in the way.” So true!
Pick up your copy of The Little Book of Thin by Lauren Slayton, MS, RD today, and be sure to add a probiotic supplement to your Food First-Aid Kit!