Lifeway Foods CEO Julie Smolyansky Submits Comments on the Benefits of Probiotics for Inclusion into the 2015 Dietary Guidelines for Americans

MORTON GROVE, Ill., Nov. 5, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Julie Smolyansky, President and CEO of Lifeway Foods (NASDAQ: LWAY), public health advocate and member of the UN Foundation's Global Entrepreneurs Council, announced today that she has submitted comments for review and possible inclusion in the 2015 Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

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Her recommendations encourage health practitioners, doctors, nutritionists and other related professionals to understand and promote the health benefits of probiotic-rich foods such as kefir and yogurt. Her submitted comments include a medical study titled "Kefir improves lactose digestion and tolerance in adults with lactose maldigestion," which explored the digestive benefits of kefir which compared favorably to yogurt. Lifeway kefir was also featured in a study titled "Resolution of Recurrent Clostridium difficile-associated Diarrhea Using Staggered Antibiotic Withdrawal and Kefir" performed by Dr. Johan S. Bakken that correlated the resolution of diarrhea when subjects consumed daily kefir intake with antibiotics.

"I submitted my recommendations because I want to be sure Americans possess the latest information about healthy food options such as probiotics so they can live healthy and happy lives," said Ms. Smolyansky. "The guidelines should incorporate the latest nutritional thinking that includes foods like kefir and other probiotic-rich foods that can aid digestive health, improve immune response, and aid in the management of several chronic ailments."

The Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion produces the Dietary Guidelines for Americans every five years along with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). A committee of nutrition experts is tasked with review peer-reviewed science articles on diet and health as well as contributions from nutrition industry experts such as Ms. Smolyansky. The 2010 version of the guidelines recommended individuals should balance eating more vegetables, fruits, and seafood with increased physical activity.

"Healthcare costs are rising in part because we often treat ailments with expensive medical intervention while healthy eating backed by science can be used as effective prevention," continued Ms. Smolyansky. "These recommendations are just a part of my global advocacy work on presenting new solutions to the global health crisis."

Ms. Smolyansky is a proponent of maintaining health through both physical activity and proper nutrition. She participates in several health-based initiatives including Every Mother Counts, an advocacy and mobilization campaign to increase education and support for maternal mortality reduction globally. As a member of the Global Entrepreneurs Council of the United Nations Foundation, she works towards solving the greatest global challenges of our time by looking at situations through the lens of an entrepreneur, including global malnutrition and human rights issues in the United States and around the world.

To view Ms. Smolyansky's complete recommendations, visit: http://www.health.gov/dietaryguidelines/dga2015/comments/readComments.aspx.

The recommendations from the Dietary Guidelines for Americans are intended for Americans ages 2 years and over, and function as the basis for overall food and nutrition policy and various related education efforts. The goal of the guidelines is to encourage sound food and beverage choices to help individuals manage their weight and prevent disease.

Other nutrition experts and healthy lifestyle advocates that recognize the researched health benefits of probiotic-rich foods are encouraged to submit their own comments and findings to the Advisory Committee at http://www.health.gov/dietaryguidelines/2015.asp.

About Julie Smolyansky
Julie Smolyansky became the youngest female CEO of a publicly held firm when she took over her father's kefir business in 2002 at the age of 27. Julie and her family were one of 48 families allowed to settle in Chicago from the Former Soviet Union in 1976 when she was just a year old. She is a graduate of the University of Illinois at Chicago (B.A., 1996), where she majored in Psychology and minored in Women's Studies. She began her career as an in-home family counselor in Chicago's under served neighborhoods. She left the social service field to support her father at Lifeway Foods in 1997. Julie serves on the board of directors for multiple philanthropic organizations and is a member of several civic groups. She is a frequent speaker for various organizations on topics ranging from healthy communities to innovation, entrepreneurship, leveraging social media, and increasing women's participation and leadership roles. She has been featured on most major media outlets. Follow Julie on Twitter at @JulieSmolyansky.

About Lifeway Foods, Inc.
Lifeway Foods, Inc. (LWAY), recently named one of Fortune Small Business' Fastest Growing Companies for the fifth consecutive year, is America's leading supplier of the cultured dairy products known as kefir and organic kefir. Lifeway Kefir is a dairy beverage that contains 10 exclusive live and active probiotic cultures plus ProBoost™. In addition to its line of Kefir products, the company produces a variety of Frozen Kefir and probiotic cheese products. Lifeway also sells frozen kefir, kefir smoothies and kefir parfaits through its Starfruit™ retail stores.  

Find Lifeway Foods, Inc. on Facebook: www.facebook.com/lifewaykefir
Follow Lifeway Foods on Twitter: http://twitter.com/lifeway_kefir  
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/lifewaykefir

Media Contact:
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Contact:
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SOURCE Lifeway Foods