For those of you who know me, I am always up for a challenge, especially when it comes to improving my health. That’s why when I was asked to participate in a 12-Day Challenge by Good Belly, I just couldn’t say no.

I learned so much from my Whole Foods Plant-Strong challenge a few months ago, and continue to incorporate many of the things I learned into my everyday life (little-to-no meat, dairy or oil for a month). One major thing I learned is that, I am lactose intolerant! How could someone go 24 years and not know they are lactose intolerant you ask? Well, before the Whole Foods challenge I thought I ate a pretty healthy diet: chicken, eggs, milk, fruits and veggies. No matter what I did though, I occasionally experienced digestive issues, sometimes so bad that the stomach aches would bring me to tears. I would go over a week without going to the bathroom and everyday at 4:00 pm (like-clock-work) I would experience a drastic slump in energy. About every month I would have a night of restless sleep and be uncharacteristically moody. All symptoms I chalked up to “well that’s just my me, that’s the way my body works, and that is how life goes.” When I gradually started to illuminate meat and dairy my body completely changed. Nearly all of my symptoms were more-or-less cured and now whenever I eat dairy I bloat up like a balloon – ta da! Self diagnosed for now (I have been meaning to see a Gastro…) but it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure it out. Click the link above to learn more about the challenge (or course there is MUCH more to it than just that, so if you are interested check it out or email me)

On to Good Belly….

Let me first start by saying I never review a product just because someone from the company contacts me. I do my research and choose my reviews very carefully, all of my comments and critiques are sincere and genuine. I was very impressed with all of the facts and research provided on their website. Good digestion is crucial to your overall health. A balanced digestive tract (balance between good and bad bacteria) doesn’t just affect your body’s ability to excrete waste, it also improves your immune system, your energy level, and aides in effective absorption (meaning your body absorbs more nutrients than it otherwise would).

So how did it go…?

The first few days I experienced some irregular bloating and discomfort, however, let me preface this by saying we had company in town that week and we ate out three nights in a row (not the norm for us, and neither was the choice of food *ahem* pizza and Chinese food…) so my results were likely skewed. By day five though my bloating subsided and even decreased from what I normally experience. Most days I drank my 8oz glass straight-up, other days I would cut it with some water since it is so sweet, but the last few days I started replacing it for my apple juice in  my green monster smoothies in the morning – FAB-U-LOUS! Since Good Belly has a little thicker consistency than apple juice it made my smoothies creamier, which is great since I can add yogurt. Today is day 12 and I realize now why they do it – ‘cuz after 12 days you’re hook-line-and-sinker! Smart marketing team Good Belly, very smart. As of now I have no plans to give it up, why would I? I feel great, it tastes good and it’s good for me. I can’t get my probiotics through dairy so it’s a great alternative (and I would assume since it is in liquid form it absorbs better than a pill would).

But how did it taste…?

I tried three different flavors; Mango, Pomegranate Blackberry, and Blueberry Acai. All three were equally delicious. It is sweet though so it doesn’t take much. Like I said before, if it was too sweet, I just cut it with half water for a lighter flavor. The bottom of the glass does get a little grainy but that didn’t bother me.

Would I recommend it…?

Absolutely! Especially if you experience digestive issues. Even if you don’t though, a little extra probiotics in your diet wouldn’t be such a bad thing. Chances are you deficient anyways, even if you don’t have any issues going to the bathroom, it doesn’t necessarily mean you have good digestive help. If you get fatigued regularly or get sick easily, this may be the quick fix to alleviating those issues.

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