

When it comes to the overall well-being of our bodies, gut health takes the top spot. Commonly referred to as the "second brain" due to its intricate connection to the brain, our gut plays a vital role in maintaining the healthy and flowing state of our bodies.
We often hear about the benefits of taking probiotics and prebiotics to support our gut health, but with so many recommendations on the market, it can be easy to get confused about which ones to take, when to take them, and how to choose the ones that best fit our body’s needs.
It could all be a lot simpler if we knew the functions and the role each played in our body, so maybe it’s time we break down the do’s, don’ts, and how’s of taking probiotics vs. prebiotics so you can always trust and care for your gut.
WHAT DOES THE GUT DO?
The gut is home to trillions of microorganisms, collectively known as the gut microbiome. These microorganisms help break down food, produce essential vitamins and nutrients, and protect the gut from harmful pathogens. When the balance of good and bad bacteria in the gut is disrupted, it can lead to a variety of health issues, including digestive problems, autoimmune disorders, and even mental health issues.
Research has linked gut health to immune function since a healthy gut microbiome helps regulate the immune system and protect against infections. Gut health has also been linked to mental health — since the gut and the brain are so closely connected, the gut microbiome can produce neurotransmitters that impact mood and behavior. Meaning, a well-balanced gut can equal a well-balanced you.
WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN PROBIOTICS AND PREBIOTICS?
While probiotics and prebiotics may sound similar, they have distinct roles in promoting gut health.
Prebiotics are a type of fiber that the human body cannot digest. These natural compounds are commonly found in foods rich in complex carbohydrates, like resistant starch and fiber. Prebiotics act as a fertilizer for the good bacteria in your gut, promoting their growth and overall health. By feeding these beneficial microorganisms, prebiotics help keep the gut microbiome in balance and support optimal digestive and immune health.
On the other hand, probiotics are live microorganisms, such as bacteria or yeast, that are beneficial to the gut microbiome. Consider these to be the good bacteria that live in the gut (or your gut’s best friend). These beneficial microorganisms can help promote healthy digestion, boost immune function, and even influence your overall wellness. Probiotics work by maintaining a healthy balance of good and bad bacteria in the gut. By supporting the growth of beneficial bacteria, probiotics help keep the gut microbiome in check and support optimal immune function and normal inflammation response.
BEST FOOD TO FIND PREBIOTICS:
- Garlic
- Bananas
- Asparagus
- Artichokes
- Legumes, beans, and peas
- Oats
- Berries
- Onions
- Dandelion greens
BEST FOOD TO FIND PROBIOTICS:
- Kombucha
- Yogurt (with live and active cultures)
- Apple cider vinegar
- Tempeh
- Pickles
- Aged cheeses
- Kimchi
- Sauerkraut
- Miso
PROBIOTICS VS. PREBIOTICS: WHICH IS BETTER?
It’s not so much that one is better than the other, but rather that incorporating both prebiotics and probiotics into your diet through food and supplements can help the two work in harmony with each other.
Prebiotics function as nourishment for the good bacteria in your gut, while probiotics are the actual bacteria themselves. When consumed in either supplement or food form, prebiotics and probiotics work hand in hand to promote a healthy gut.
So, is it possible to consume prebiotics and probiotics simultaneously? Absolutely! You can find them as a combined supplement. While probiotics are capable of functioning independently, incorporating prebiotics may enhance their effectiveness, but prebiotics alone may not provide significant benefits.
TRY THESE SUPPLEMENTS:
Culturelle Pro Strength Daily Probiotics
Garden of Life Probiotics for Women
Love Wellness Good Girl Probiotics
Rae Pre + Probiotic Dietary Supplement Capsules for Gut Health
HUM Nutrition Gut Instinct Probiotic Supplement
With the right combination of prebiotics and probiotics, you’ll be on your way to smoother digestion, a stronger gut, and boosted immune system in no time.
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Aley Arion is a writer and digital storyteller from the South, currently living in sunny Los Angeles. Her site, yagirlaley.com, serves as a digital diary to document personal essays, cultural commentary, and her insights into the Black Millennial experience. Follow her at @yagirlaley on all platforms!
After Decades-Long Career, Terri J. Vaughn Is Finally The Main Character: Exclusive
Terri J. Vaughn first captured our attention in the late ‘90s as Lovita Alizay Jenkins on The Steve Harvey Show. Decades later, she is starring in her very own series, She The People, which is now available to stream on Netflix.
The political sitcom, which she co-created with Niya Palmer and later teamed up with Tyler Perry Studios, is about a Black woman named Antoinette Dunkerson who runs for lieutenant governor of Mississippi. She wins and becomes the state’s first Black lieutenant governor. Now, she’s forced to balance working with a racist and sexist governor while also trying to keep her family from running amok.
According to the beloved actress, this project was a long time coming. “I’ve been trying to get my own television series for like 20 years, pounding the pavement, meeting with people, getting clothes, being lied to, just a whole bunch of stuff,” she says in an exclusive interview with xoNecole.
“But just keep going, because this is what I do. This is what I love, and I know how important it is for us to continue to show up and make sure that we are seen, make sure that our voices are heard. For several reasons. I just never give up. So here I am, 20 years later, finally sold my show.”
She The People is inspired by the true story of London Breed, who became the first Black female mayor of San Francisco, Terri’s hometown. And to help make the show more authentic, the Cherish the Day actress tapped former Atlanta mayor, Keisha Lance Bottoms to come on as a producer.'“I’ve been trying to get my own television series for like 20 years, pounding the pavement, meeting with people, getting clothes, being lied to, just a whole bunch of stuff."
After bringing the former mayor aboard, it was time to pitch again. And this time, the companies were pitching them. Ultimately, Terri decided to work with Tyler Perry on the series.
“We decided to do it with Tyler for several reasons. I love that. Well, most of the companies we met with were Black-owned companies, but he was the only studio,” she explains. “Tyler is like Walt Disney. That's literally what he is. He has the studio, he has the content. He operates just like Walt Disney.”
And thanks to the cast, the show is nothing short of laughs. The series also stars social media creator Jade Novah as Antoinette’s crazy cousin/ assistant, Shamika, Family Mattersstar Jo Marie Payton as Anotinette’s mom, Cleo, and Terri’s husband, Karon Riley, who plays Michael, her driver and love interest.
While we’ve watched Terri’s career blossom in various ways. From directing to producing, and playing diverse characters, the mom of two says her The Steve Harvey Show character will always be her favorite.
“Well, Lovita was definitely my favorite, especially for my time, the age and everything that I was. Now as a grown ass woman over 50, Antoinette Dunkerson is everything that I've wanted to play. She's everything. She's a mother of two teenagers. She's divorced, so she's co-parenting with her ex-husband. She has to wrangle in a very eclectic family,” she says.
“So I like playing characters that are really flawed and trying to figure it out and doing their best to try to figure it. And she's very flawed and she is trying to figure it out, and she fucks up sometimes. But her heart and what she's trying to do and what her vision is and purpose, it's all for the people. I mean, she the people. She’s for the people, she is the people.”
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Practical Parenting Tools To Raise Emotionally Resilient Kids—From A Therapist (& Mom)
As a millennial who wants kids, I sometimes read about and watch parenting content on social media. Other times, I'm having conversations with parents and my friends who also want kids. During these talks, I noticed a topic that kept coming up, how kids today are so different from when we were kids and the generations before.
Dr. Chinwé Williams is a board-certified licensed counselor and therapist, trauma expert and author. Her work makes her the perfect person to talk to about today’s kids. During our chat, Dr. Williams provides answers to the questions about generation Alpha and how we can connect to them.
According to a study by The Chronicle of Evidence-Based Mentoring, 40% of kids in the US don’t have a strong relationship with their parents, a statistic that Dr. Williams is working to change.
Dr. Chinwé Williams
Courtesy
“I wrote this new book, which is calledCalm, Courageous and Connected,, a parent's guide to raising emotionally resilient kids, because I wanted to help parents. I wanted to equip them with tools and strategies. Because even though I'm known for working with young people, I work a lot with parents who want resources and want strategies to help their kids,” she tells xoNecole.
“I got a call from a parent the other day. Her child is suicidal. He's a young child. I don't want to say too much, because I don't want to give the details away. I want to keep it as anonymous as possible. But a young child, male, Black male, who was suicidal. He did get into therapy, thank goodness. And he told the therapist, I love my parents. I know my parents love me, but my dad can be really hard on me. He described his dad as kind of authoritative and he said mom hovered. So isn't that interesting?
She adds, “Some parents would be like, that's what we're supposed to be doing, right? And so I think with kids today, we can't use the old tools. We cannot use the strategies that we were raised with.”
Dr. Williams, who is also a mother, explained how the pandemic, social media, and school shootings have increased anxiety and more in kids. So what tools should parents use? She recommends intentional parenting, “understanding who your child is, understanding the environment that they are growing up in right now, not the environment that you grew up in and shielding them from the harm that comes from social media.”
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When taking steps toward intentional parenting, here’s what parents should remember. “Kids brains are still under construction, and this is important to know, because we want our kids to be strong and emotionally resilient and able to control their emotions. Well, they can't do that,” she explains. “They can't even start to do that until about age eight. And the truth is the frontal lobes, where our executive functioning skills come from and the ability to manage disappointment, setbacks and big emotions really doesn't get fully developed until the mid 20s.”
Another thing for parents to keep in mind is that mistakes happen. “In my field, we talk a lot about relationships, and we know that relationships can sometimes hurt us. People we love, people that are supposed to care for us, will make mistakes, and we call that a rupture,” she says. “When you mess up, you want to repair as quickly as possible. And what does repair look like? It looks like acknowledging you made a mistake because we will lose it on our kids, and we will say things that we don't mean.
“We will do things, I even raise my voice with mine. Try really hard not to, but if I'm tired from a long client day, if I've been traveling, if I'm hungry, and I've said it three times. I make mistakes, but I always go back and say, you doing, okay? I'm so sorry. I was tired and I did not say it the way that I wanted to say it. I raised my voice.”
Lastly, she adds, “It is a good thing for parents to not deny or minimize when they’ve said something that they didn’t mean or did something they didn’t want to do. Be honest and really acknowledge how it has impacted your child.”
For more information about Dr. Chinwé Williams, visit her website.
*Edited for clarity
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