CLEARWATER, Fla., Dec. 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- A new survey¹ shows that nearly three quarters of women (72 percent) have experienced an occasional digestive/gut issue in the past 12 months, but nearly two in three women (64 percent) aren't willing to talk about gut issues with their friends. Renew Life Ultimate Flora Probiotics is launching the "Get to Know Your Gut" education campaign to put the taboo topic on the table in an effort to educate women about digestive health, how vital its ecosystem is to the body's overall health and well-being, and the benefits everyone can reap from a daily dose of probiotics.

Get to Know Your Gut
During your next coffee date with friends, don't be surprised if political points-of-view and relationship issues come up before one's occasional constipation, gas or diarrhea, as more women would be willing to talk about unpopular opinions (49 percent) with their friends than gut issues (36 percent). That tight-lipped conversation topic may be indicative of the lack of knowledge about gut health.

"Many women are shocked to learn that the gut is the center of their overall health and wellness. It affects the entire body including digestion and immunity," says Ellie Krieger, RDN, Renew Life Probiotics spokesperson, a culinary nutritionist, host of "Ellie's Real Good Food" show and author to several healthy cookbooks.

A proper functioning gut contains a delicate balance of both good and bad bacteria, which helps with digestive and immune health. Signs that the gut is in need of replenishment and balance can include occasional fatigue, headaches, and weight gain, as well as digestive issues such as occasional bloating, constipation and diarrhea. Nearly a quarter of women (22 percent) don't consider the status of their digestive health when they think about their overall health and wellness, which suggests they may be severely underestimating the power of their gut.

Probiotics 101
"Some women are unaware that stress (21 percent), diet (16 percent), aging (43 percent) and even their living environment (52 percent) are factors that can upset the bacterial equilibrium in the gut, which can make it difficult to feel one's best," said Katie Keil, Director of Marketing, Renew Life Probiotics. "Women need to know there are solutions to their digestive struggles."

There are more than 100 trillion live bacteria cultures of many diverse strains inside the digestive tract that need to be balanced in order to keep the body healthy. There are simple, everyday activities that support healthy digestion, such as eating a healthy diet, including probiotic-rich foods like kefir, sauerkraut, kimchi, and yogurt, drinking plenty of water, staying physically active and managing stress. Nutrition experts also agree that a probiotic supplement is the key to replenishing the gut with good bacteria, and yet a third of women (34 percent) report that they don't clearly understand the role probiotics play in the body.

"It's important to maintain gut health all year long. I generally take a food-first approach when it comes to getting the nutrients you need, but probiotic supplements offer a distinct advantage for gut balance that is difficult to get with food alone, so I recommend them along with getting more probiotic-rich foods into your life," says Krieger. "During the winter season, 63 percent of women look for ways to support their immune system, and with 70 percent of one's natural immune system support in the digestive tract, taking a probiotic is a good place to start."

To get all of the good-for-your-gut benefits from a probiotic, look for a highly potent probiotic that contains billions of live cultures and with multiple diverse strains of Bifidobacteria and Lactobacilli - the good bacteria found most often in a healthy gut.

Probiotics are vital to everyone's health, and Renew Life's Ultimate Flora Probiotics contain billions of probiotic cultures from multiple strains. The Ultimate Flora Probiotic line offers specially designed formulas for everyone in the family, from kids to seniors, to support digestive balance and immune health every day.² Renew Life Probiotics are available at health food stores and major retailers, including Target and Walmart. Visit RenewLife.com for more information.

Digestive Wellness, Naturally
For nearly two decades, Renew Life has been empowering people to elevate their quality of life through better digestive health. Renew Life formulates their digestive care supplements with superior-quality ingredients, and they stand behind the purity, potency, and efficacy of every product. Visit RenewLife.com for more information.

¹ This survey was conducted online within the United States by Harris Poll on behalf of Renew Life Probiotics from November 9-11, 2016 among 1,127 U.S. women ages 18 and older. This online survey is not based on a probability sample and therefore no estimate of theoretical sampling error can be calculated. For complete survey methodology, including weighting variables, please contact Katie Young at Katie@pdcpr.net.

² These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

Renew Life is a subsidiary of Clorox (NYSE: CLX)

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SOURCE Renew Life Probiotics