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Bladder & Bowel Health JUNE 2026 | HEALTHINSIGHT.CA
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GOT A BAD GUT?
Take Control of Your Digestive Health Find support groups, articles, and more to support your bowel health, at badgut.org
A Smarter Approach to Probiotics and Gut Health Genestra Brands offers more than 30 probiotic formulas designed for specific ages, life stages, and health conditions.
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ut health isn’t just trending — it’s foundational to overall health. Research continues to show how much your gut microbiome affects nearly every system in your body, including your immune system and mental health. “The microbiome is a community of microbes that live in and on our body,” says Dr. Jacqueline Cooper Lemmon, Naturopathic Doctor and Senior Manager of Medical Affairs at Nestle Health Science. “Many of the microbes are beneficial, performing important activities that support digestive health, immune function, hormonal balance, metabolism, mood, and cognition.” But when the microbiome is not properly supported, problematic microbes can disrupt health. Stress, inflammation, certain medications, alcohol, ultra-processed foods, low-fibre diets, and pesticide or antibiotic residues in food can all contribute to a poor microbiome. So what can you do to protect your gut health?
Stress reduction, healthy foods, and exercise help improve microbiome health Eating a variety of fruits, vegetables and nuts; exercising; and reducing stress can all improve the health of your microbiome. Probiotics can also help. “They work by attaching to the gut lining and competing with other problematic microbes for space and resources,” Cooper Lemmon says. In addition to crowding out problematic microbes, they also help beneficial species thrive. “With so many challenges to our microbiome, it is important to find ways to nurture it on a daily basis, and a probiotic is a convenient way to ensure your microbiome gets that support,” Cooper Lemmon says. But not all probiotics are created equal.
“The benefits of a particular probiotic formula will depend on the quality and quantity of the microbes it provides,” Cooper Lemmon says. “Quality can be determined by the science backing the product. The stronger the science, the more confidence you can have that it will deliver results.”
Genestra Brands provides more than 350 safe and effective products, including probiotics For more than 30 years, Genestra Brands has supported individualized treatment plans with more than 350 professional-grade products. The Canadian company offers a variety of safe and effective supplements, including probiotics. Genestra’s H M F (Human Micro -flora) probiotics have been crafted by leading expert in the field, Dr. Nigel Plummer, PhD and his team of scientists. Their decades of research, have included 30+ human clinical trials, with multiple studies on the HMF IBS Relief formula, shown to effectively improve symptoms within six weeks. With more than 30 probiotic formulas, Genestra offers formulas designed for specific ages and life stages. These include: • HMF Digestzyme – digestive enzyme support • HMF Immune – gut/immune connection • HMF Neuro Cognition – gut-brain support • HMF IBS Relief – digestive comfort • HMF Fit for School – pediatric gut and immune health • HMF Metabolic – healthy weight management support • HMF Baby Drops – colic symptom relief
Quality can be determined by the science backing the product. The stronger the science, the more confidence you can have that it will deliver results.
Genestra Brands also offers a range of probiotic formulas designed to address specific conditions, such as vaginal health, urinary tract health, a nd irritable bowel syndrome. Clinical trials have shown HMF IBS Relief effectively reduces bloating, pain, and improves bowel habits within 6 weeks. “Microbes each have unique abilities. Even strains of bacteria belonging to the same species can have very different health impacts. You want to ensure you are taking the right strains at the right dose to achieve the health benefit you’re looking for,” Cooper Lemmon says. “Choosing a probiotic formula with research showing its ability to support a specific condition improves the likelihood you will receive that clinical benefit and provides confidence you are getting true value for your money.”
Explore the HMF probiotic line for personalized probiotic support. This article is sponsored by Genestra Brands.
Written by Abigail Cukier
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