What's A Microbiome? Here's The Deal — And Why Women Should Care

Hint: Women have two very important microbiomes...down there. That is, in their vagina AND their gut. Align Women's Dual Action Probiotic is made for women, by women, to conveniently support both.

Today's women are juggling a lot. Between work, family, finances, maintaining a household, trying to keep up friendships, eat wholesome meals, and exercise, women are pressured to manage it all — and look and feel great while doing it.

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Chances are that amidst this chaos, taking care of their digestive and feminine health isn't a priority for many women (or even something they are thinking about). But a healthy gut and vagina are critical to a woman's overall well-being. And it all has to do with — you guessed it — microbiomes.

So, what is a microbiome?

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Every human's body contains trillions of microbes, which are single-celled organisms including bacteria, yeasts, and fungi, that together comprise what is collectively called the “human microbiome.” There are localized collections of microbes throughout the body, each playing a role in the specific system where they live.

As a woman, you have specialized microbiomes in both your gut and your vagina, and both are essential to keeping your body functioning, flourishing, and feeling well.

Let's dive a little deeper into each one.

Your gut microbiome lives in your digestive tract, and supports not only optimal digestion, but also immune system function. In fact, around 70% of your immune system is in your gut.

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When your balance of good and bad bacteria is off, you may feel it. Women experience gastrointestinal issues differently than men do and may experience unique symptoms to gastrointestinal issues. Since your immune system is impacted by your gut microbiome, it's important to prioritize your gut health!

The vaginal microbiome lives, yep...down there, and is chock-full of beneficial bacteria and yeast species to help your vagina function the way it should.

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Like the gut microbiome, different species of bacteria and yeast in the vagina play a big role in maintaining the environment and its subsequent functions. Ensuring that the good bacteria species are present in the appropriate amounts is critical for overall vaginal health.

Every woman's gut and vaginal microbiomes are completely unique to them, and they fluctuate naturally with age, diet, geography, or physical changes like pregnancy or menopause. However, there are other factors that can throw both microbiomes out of whack, potentially causing an imbalance.

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Factors such as stress, travel or other big shifts in routine, smoking, and certain medications, can affect both your gut and vaginal microbiome.

So how can you ensure you are taking good care of your microbiome? There are a few key lifestyle choices that can help.

Find ways to help relieve stress, whether that's yoga, meditation, calling a friend, or reading. Whatever helps you truly relax and unwind!

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Move! Every day. Even just a short walk counts as exercise.

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Eat an array of wholesome foods, including plenty of fruits and veggies, lean protein, and fiber-filled grains and nuts.

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If you're looking to add good bacteria to your gut, you might look to fermented foods. Some of these foods, such as yogurt, kefir, and sauerkraut may have live cultures. However, they may not add good bacteria with proven health benefits. Make sure to check food labels to see if they contain probiotic strains that have been studied and shown to give health benefits.

Learn more about probiotic supplements.

Probiotics may help add additional good bacteria to your microbiome. Make sure you do your research, as different supplements contain different bacterial strains. 

Taking good care of your microbiome means taking good care of YOU! Align Women's Dual Action Probiotic is formulated with a gut health probiotic, two feminine health probiotics, and a botanical to help with monthly mood balance*, so you can support your digestive and vaginal health,* no matter how chaotic life gets.

Align Probiotic

For more specifics on ingredients and their benefits, Bifidobacterium 35624™ helps relieve occasional digestive upsets such as abdominal discomfort, gas, and bloating*; Feminine probiotics, La-14® & HN001™^ helps support vaginal health and promote bacterial and yeast balance*; and chaste tree helps provide monthly mood balance.*

And you can feel confident knowing that Align Probiotic is the #1 doctor- and gastroenterologist-recommended probiotic brand^‡ and is backed by over 20 years of scientific research.

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

^‡Among doctors and gastroenterologists who recommended a brand of probiotic in a ProVoice 2022 survey.

^HN001™ is a trademark of the Fonterra Group of companies used under license. La-14® is a registered trademark of International Flavors and Fragrances or its affiliates.