This week I'm chatting with Kiran Krishnan, a research microbiologist whose focus is the human microbiome and wellness. Kiran's expertise is in gut commensal spore bacteria, the newest frontier in microbiology. Over the last seventeen years Kiran has conducted dozens of human clinical trials in human nutrition through the Clinical Research Organization he established. In addition to his recently published, ground-breaking leaky gut study showing reversal of gut enteropathy within thirty days, Kiran is currently involved in nine other ongoing human clinical trials testing the effect of gut commensal spore probiotics on such conditions as AIDS/HIV, gut enteropathy, Thyroid/Hashimoto’s, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, and liver failure, as well as a longer, more extensive leaky gut trial. In this episode, Kiran talks all about the importance of probiotics and what they can do for your overall health. He talks about how the gut is related to a wide variety of chronic health issues, and how the change in our food system has affected our gut health. We discuss the difference between the foods we evolved with and foods in our system now, as well as how our ancestors got probiotics in their diets. Kiran gives his top tips for protecting gut health. Kiran tells the truth about the efficacy of most probiotics on the market and how many don't survive through our stomach acid. He explains exactly what you should be looking for when it comes to probiotics, including how many strains to look for and the benefits of soil-based organisms. He also sheds light on why sometimes dead bacteria can be helpful, what the deal is with LPS (lipopolysaccharides), and more truths about the probiotic industry.   Don't forget to head to Christina's Instagram page (@christinaricewellness) to enter the Just Thrive Probiotic giveaway! If you want to get your own supply of Just Thrive Probiotic or learn more about the research behind it, head to bit.ly/thriveprobioticcrw. For more from Christina, head to her website, christinaricewellness.com, to find her services, blog, programs, and ebooks. If there's a question you'd like answered or a topic you'd like discussed on the podcast, send it in to podcast@christinaricewellness.com! Don’t forget to join the Facebook group, Wellness Realness Podcast Tribe, to meet other podcast listeners! If you're a woman looking to learn everything about using the Paleo lifestyle to reach your health goals , sign up for Christina's online course, The Paleo Women Lifestyle Program! This course has hours of video lectures, audio lectures, and PDFs that cover nutrition, fitness, sleep, stress management, balancing hormones, self love, cooking and grocery shopping, and more. You can sign up at bit.ly/paleowomenlifestyle. This week's podcast is sponsored by Somnifix! Somnifix is a mouth strip that optimizes breathing patterns and reduces snores by directing airflow through the nose. Somnifix ensures that you breathe through your nose during the night, which allows you to sleep much more soundly all night long and can eliminate needing to wake up, snoring, drooling, restless nights, and more. This has TRANSFORMED the way I sleep! The strip is hypoallergenic and contains a small vent to allow some air to pass through! You can get Somnificon Amazon, and use the code "CRWSLEEP" at checkout for 15% off your first box! Want in on all of the health benefits of mushrooms?! Functional mushrooms like Reishi, Chaga, Cordyceps, and Lion's Mane have been used for medicinal purposes for centuries. With Four Sigmatic products, we can now easily take advantage of mushrooms' many health benefits for immunity, energy, longevity, and more. Four Sigmatic makes drinking mushrooms and superfoods delicious and easy with their Mushroom Coffees, Mushroom Superfood Blends, and Mushroom Elixirs! Head to foursigmatic.com/crwto check out all of their products, and use the code "CRW" for 15% off all purchases on their site! If you're finally ready to reach your fitness