A: I’ve just launched my new Gut Recovery Program, and one of the recommendations there is to utilize probiotics. Also, in my book, the Hashimoto’s Protocol, as part of the gut protocol I focus on utilizing digestive enzymes, L-glutamine, and zinc to help heal the gut, along three types of probiotics. One of them is a therapeutic dose lactobacillus probiotic, ProB 50. This is really great for replenishing the beneficial bacteria that a lot of people with Hashimoto's tend to lack. You want to start low and go slow with this one. Even just a pinch a day can be helpful, and then keep working your way up every few days.
Another one is Spora Flora, a spore-based probiotic, that acts a little bit differently.
It helps to support our bodies in creating a more diverse microbiome, and has been shown to support healing leaky gut and reduce food sensitivities. This is something that could be utilized in addition to the other probiotics.
Then I also like to utilize Saccharomyces boulardii, and I utilize these three probiotics together, sometimes all three at once, and sometimes on a rotation. When we use them together they fuel our body with beneficial bacteria, and create a barrier that prevents pathogens from entering.
Unfortunately, when we are under stress, it weakens our intestinal defenses and we may be susceptible to getting infections that can trigger Hashimoto's again– whether that's an H. pylori infection or a blasto infection. So, I generally like to utilize these probiotics long-term to help support a healthy microbiome and a healthy intestinal lining, and just to help to induce and continue remission.
I recently published an article about probiotics and I'm gonna have the team link to that, in case you're interested about learning about the different types of probiotics I recommend for Hashimoto's.