As the leaves start falling and the mornings get chilly, do you find yourself constantly reaching for tissues and cough drops?

If you're one of those women who starts sniffling and sneezing as soon as the temperatures drop, we have good news for you. There’s a simple, often overlooked way to strengthen your immune system in the autumn, and it starts in your gut!

Why do you get ill every autumn?

It's frustrating, isn’t it? As soon as the weather changes, you’re sneezing, coughing, and feeling run down. All you want to do is rest in bed and watch Netflix, but at the same time, you feel like you're missing out.

While it’s easy to blame it on the cold air or that flu bug going around,  the real reason behind falling ill might surprise you.

The gut plays a huge role in immunity.

In fact, more than 70% of your immune system lives in your gut, so keeping your gut flora balanced is key to keeping your immunity strong and staying cold-free during autumn (and every season, really).

What is destroying your gut microbiota and, consequently your immune system?

1. Processed, sweet, fatty, and other comfort foods

Modern diets lack so many beneficial nutrients for your gut microbiota that it’s no wonder you catch a cold first thing in September. Ditch the salty snacks, fried food, and sugary drinks that harm your gut microbiota. Pack your fridge with yoghurt, kefir, and sauerkraut to feed your gut with healthy bacteria, and aim for a balanced diet rich in fibre to make your gut happy and immunity strong.

2. Drinking, smoking, and sitting all day long

When balanced, your gut microbiome is a happy ecosystem of trillions of bacteria, fungi, and other microbes. A sedentary lifestyle and lack of activity can disturb that ecosystem, cause gut inflammation and constipation by making the gut muscles less active and weak. Smoking and excessive drinking (even if it’s only a weekend habit) deplete the gut’s good bacteria and harm its microbiome. Take a brisk walk every single day and reduce the number of drinks you have on the weekend.

3. Sleeping for less than 8 hours

It’s time to prioritise rest. Sleeping for less than 8 hours per night can elevate your cortisol levels (your main stress hormone) and cause gut issues that affect your immunity. Turn the TV off and stop scrolling late into the night to get the rest you deserve.

So, what’s the secret to a happy, healthy gut, and strong immune system? One word: probiotics.

How gut health, probiotics, and immunity are connected

Think of your gut as the body’s control centre. When it's full of friendly bacteria, you feel energised, focused, positive, and immune to those sniffling colds. 

But when your gut is out of balance, your immunity takes a step back, leaving you unshielded from all those cold and flu viruses.

Probiotics are live, friendly bacteria that support your digestive system and boost your immune response. They maintain a balance in your gut microbiota, which helps your body fight off harmful bacteria and viruses more effectively.

Which are the best probiotics for immunity

Up to 1 in 5 people are forced to take a time out during autumn and especially during winter because of seasonal colds and flu, so keeping your immune system as strong as possible is essential.

The right probiotic strains can help balance your gut microbiome and improve immunity by stimulating immune cells and strengthening your intestinal barrier. 

This amazing fact has been proven by science – a whopping 45 studies conducted on probiotic supplementation have clearly shown that probiotics have positive effects on the immune system. 

Wondering which probiotic strains are the best for strengthening your immune system?

• Lactobacillus plantarum can be mainly found in fermented veggies, such as sauerkraut, pickles, kimchi, and sourdough.

• Lactobacillus paracasei is a species of lactic acid bacteria often used to ferment dairy products, such as yoghurt, kefir, and cultured buttermilk.

• Lactobacillus casei is naturally found in the gut but also in some fermented foods, such as yoghurts, fermented milk, and even certain cheeses.

• Bifidobacterium lactis is present in all fermented foods, particularly in kefir, sourdough, sauerkraut, kimchi, and others.

• Lactobacillus acidophilus can be consumed naturally with milk and yoghurt enriched with this probiotic, miso, and tempeh.

In order to get all these probiotic benefits, you must consume these fermented foods daily. This can get quite challenging even if you love the taste, since you need to read the food labels carefully – store bought products can be highly processed, full of sugar, and without any live bacterial cultures.

My Gut Feeling – your strongest shield against illness in autumn

Nothing can beat My Gut Feeling when looking for the best probiotic for immunity with multiple probiotic strains, prebiotics, and digestive enzymes. 

It's important to provide your body with the golden trio, because probiotics populate your gut with friendly bacteria, prebiotics act as food for these microorganisms, and digestive enzymes help break down the food and absorb all the beneficial nutrients.

While most supplements for gut health contain only probiotics or only digestive enzymes or only prebiotics, My Gut Feeling has a superior formula with 9 probiotic strains, 2 types of prebiotics, and 10 types of digestive enzymes. 

One glass of My Gut Feeling can reward you with:

• Rich dietary fibre content

• Reduced bloating

• Improved digestion and regularity

• Suppressed appetite

• Better weight management

• More Energy and concentration

My Gut Feeling is packed with Megaflora 9 Evo, a patented mix of 9 probiotic strains with scientifically proven benefits, micro encapsulated with ProbioAct, making them 90* times more effective than regular probiotics on the market.