Article: Fermented dairy products contain both probiotics and prebiotics. Eat 1 serving of fermented dairy products per day. Fermented dairy products include plain yogurt, cottage cheese, kefir, whey, buttermilk, leben, and crème fraîche.  Look for yogurt products with the label “active cultures” on it. Choose natural yogurts over sweetened yogurts. Instead, sweeten your yogurt naturally with fruit like bananas, peaches, blueberries, and strawberries. Probiotics are microorganisms that stimulate the growth of gut flora. Prebiotics are the fibers that feed probiotics. Non-dairy fermented foods, or pickled foods, are a great alternative to fermented dairy products if you are lactose intolerant. Like fermented dairy products, pickled foods contain probiotics. Eating pickled foods consistently will help you restore your gut flora. Non-dairy fermented foods include sauerkraut, kimchi, corn relish, miso, tempeh, natto, fermented tofu, and pickled vegetables like cucumbers, beets, cabbage, and radish. Taking a probiotic supplement is another great way to restore your gut flora. Take the supplement per the instructions on the bottle. If you are already eating fermented foods to restore your gut flora, it is safe to take a probiotic supplement as well. However, you can take a supplement in place of eating fermented foods, if you do not like fermented food.  Contact your doctor if you are unsure how often you should take the supplement, or if you are taking other medications. If you are taking an antibiotic, a probiotic supplement may help restore your gut flora.  Probiotic supplements are formulated to treat many different conditions. If you have IBS, for instance, you might try using VSL#3. Talk to your doctor or your pharmacist about the ideal product for your specific symptoms.

What is a summary?
Consume fermented dairy products. Add non-dairy fermented foods to your meals 1 to 2 times per day. Take a probiotic supplement.