Remember the last time you tackled the all-you-can-eat taco bar or on the greasy spoon's homemade chili extravaganza? Probably everyone around can remember if you can't. Indigestion, gas, and bloating, even diarrhea may have kept you awake all night, and they certainly kept people away from you for a good few hours. We've all been there. Even just one binge on greasy foods can wreck havoc on our digestive systems.

It's no surprise that poor dietary habits over time can also trash your digestive tract by destroying good, beneficial bacteria and by allowing other less-desirable bacteria to flourish. One of the best ways to keep our digestive system on track is to eat plenty of wholesome unprocessed foods like fresh raw vegetables, get plenty of natural fiber, and drink fresh pure water.

Bacteria Backlash

Simply speaking, beneficial bacteria to help build a more balanced digestive tract to absorb nutrients more efficiently. When your ratio of good to other less-desirable bacteria gets out of whack, your chances of uncomfortable digestive issues can increase. New research is suggesting that introducing additional good bacteria into your digestive system through probiotics may help your digestive tract get back on track.

Not only will the good bacteria help relieve your occasional feelings of gas, bloating, and indigestion, they go to work boosting your immune system at the same time. Scientific research shows that 80% of your immune system actually lives right in your digestive tract.

Are Probiotics a Miracle Cure?

There are lots of claims being made about probiotics and research is encouraging. To date, clinical studies have shown that certain probiotics may restore normal bowel function and may help reduce:

Diarrhea that is a side effect of antibiotics.
Certain types of infectious diarrhea.
Inflammation of the ileal pouch (pouchitis) that may occur in people who have had surgery to remove the colon.

Other possible benefits of some types of probiotics include treatment of:

vaginal infections,
tooth decay,
H. pylori infection,
irritable bowel syndrome,
inflammatory bowel diseases like ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease.

Now What?

There are tons of different strains of probiotics and research is still developing. In other words - there's a lot we still don't know. As a general rule, adding probiotics to your daily diet (particularly those added to food products) aren't going to hurt you. But because there are many different types of probiotics, do your homework before buying expensive supplements. Start off with some of the new yogurt on the market that advertises its probiotic additions. You just may find that you're feeling better in no time. (You still need to stay away from taco bars, though!)

Put Down the Popsicles

It's summer and if you have any kids in your life, they are probably clamoring for freezer pops - those cheap plastic frozen tubes of sugar water.

I confess, they've found their way into my freezer a couple of times, usually when I've had the bad judgment of taking children to the grocery store with me. After all, they are cheap-sometimes as little as a penny a tube and the kids love them. How bad could they be?

We know all about the dangers of getting our kids hooked on sugar, but what about the best part of those frozen concoctions - the color? After all, if the tubes were white, they wouldn't have quite the panache they do now. The problem is that colorful food is potentially dangerous when it gets that way through food dyes. The Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) recently released a report that says food dyes pose some real risks including everything from allergies to cancer.

Healthier Alternatives

Why not make your own popsicles for the kid this summer? It will take some time, but not much, and if you involve them in making it, you get another brownie point from the kiddos. All you need are some inexpensive popsicle molds you can pick up at most discount stores or order online.

Fruit Smoothies

If you have a favorite fruit smoothie recipe, just pour into the molds and freeze. If you're not sure where to start, try this recipe. It's easy - just mix in a blender, then freeze!

8 ounces of water

1 cup blueberries

1 cup strawberries

1 handful spinach (optional but try it!)

Stevia to taste

Fresh Fruit

Use fresh fruit for some yummy frozen treats. Blended watermelon makes great popsicles either by itself or with a little sugar, lime, and mint. Honeydew, cantaloupe, or musk melon, or a mixture of all three, work great too.

Adding yogurt to fruit is another great way to sneak in some nutrition:

Two ripe peaches or nectarines, peeled and sliced

1 cup plain or vanilla yogurt

1/4 cup milk

Be Creative

You can use juice (although think about colors - grape juice is awesome, apple juice looks a lot like frozen urine), canned fruit syrup, applesauce, and pudding. Consider add-ins like sprinkles, leftover jam or jelly, even a gummy bear or two!

For the grown-ups

You don't have to be left out. If you're a coffee nut, try freezing some plain old coffee with lots of cream and sugar for a chilly treat. You could even add some hazelnut, vanilla, or chocolate syrup!

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