I used to think gut health simply meant not feeling bloated and gassy. But, over the years, I’ve learned a healthy gut plays a vital role in the health of our whole body, including our mind.
Maintaining a healthy diet comprised of whole, minimally processed food is the biggest factor to ensuring a happy and healthy gut microbiome. By feeding yourself, and therefore the symbiotic bacteria/organisms inside your body, with nutritious foods, you’re helping to reinforce yourself with a healthy body.
A common example of the microbiota living inside us are gut bacteria that thrive on probiotics. For me, I make a point to eat various cultured and fermented foods like yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut, kimchi, etc. But, if you tend to be constantly stressed, travel a lot, or exercise, having a good probiotic supplement is essential to help support your immune system.
Even someone who considers their diet to be very healthy, like me, can benefit from supplementing with a high quality probiotic. I’ve been taking Complete Probiotics by Dr. Mercola for almost two weeks and already notice an improvement.
When it comes to taking anything in pill form, I am extremely cautious. Many manufactures have other ingredients like magnesium stearate or artificial colors just to make the capsule look “cool”, but Complete Probiotics has none of that. Click here for a PDF of their complete product label.
After about 2 days, I felt a little better inside and things just moved better, to put it nicely. Not that I had a lot of trouble before, but with my constant need to exercise daily and finding anything to stress over for no reason, a little help was welcome. As a lover and daily consumer of plain Greek yogurt, I always figured I’m getting plenty of beneficial probiotics, but never thought of the effect high heat pasteurization has on reducing the beneficial bacterial.
Most commercial yogurts are not a good source of probiotics. Heat pasteurization significantly reduces most of the “good” bacteria benefits.
Guess that’s one reason I still felt bloated so often. Thanks to Complete Probiotics, I’m feeling better mentally and physically by just taking two capsules first thing in the morning.
Even better, since they do not need refrigeration, they are perfect for travel, when we need them most. I will never advocate a supplement in place of a diet with real, wholesome food, but with the difference I’ve felt after taking Dr. Mercola’s Complete Probiotics, I think they’re worth looking into. Check out their site for extensive information on what makes Complete Probiotics stand out from the rest, and to order your own.
Here’s a snippet for the summary of advantages as listed on Dr. Mercola’s page.
If you find that you’re constantly stressed, exercise vigorously, travel a lot, or just feel rundown, a good probiotic might help you improve. Again, no supplement will ever make up for a poor diet, so I’d always say look to make changes there if needed.
Since I’ve felt the good results from taking Complete Probitics, I’ve become interested in all of the products Dr. Mercola has to offer including things for pets, kids, fitness, household use, and more.
Check out their site and let me know what supplement or other product you’d like to try most.
*The product/s mentioned above have been given to me to review, and without any form of compensation. The opinions in this article are solely my own, and have not been influenced by Mercola.com and/or other parties. I understand that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not evaluated any of the statements mentioned above. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any health condition. Pregnant women, nursing moms, and people who are taking medications or have a medical condition should consult their physician before using this product.
Ever since I graced my feet with the Soft Star RunAmoc Moc3’s (read my review here), I’ve been a Soft Star convert. I can’t think of any other shoe I need besides just more Soft Star Shoes. Thanks to those wonderful, hard-working “Elves” in Oregon, more Soft Star Shoes is exactly what I got!
Begging to be worn to work and to workout!
They actually sent two different pairs of their Dash RunAmoc model. One with their 5mm Vibram™ rubber trail sole and another with their bullhide leather sole to review.
Similar to the Moc3’s, the Dash RunAmoc is perfect for everything from lifting to chasing your kids to just lounging around. Actually, I’d say they’re even better with the front lacing system providing a more secure fit. Don’t get me wrong, I still wear my Moc3’s for walking and casual use, but the Dash’s are my go to shoes for running, lifting, hiking, or anything that requires a snug fit and good traction.
A caveat to the good traction is the bullhide leather sole. They are extremely comfortable and a minimal shoe lover’s dream when running in dry conditions, but when the ground is wet, things get very slippery. So, I’d advise against wearing them at places like a splash pad like someone I know…..
Yeah, I’m smart. But, running in them to the splash pad was nothing short of liberating, especially when I was in the grass. Nothing beats feeling the ground as you run, and with the bullhide, you can reap the meditative effects of earthing/grounding.
You can choose between a Vibram™ rubber sole (5mm Trail sole or 2mm Street sole) or a tough bullhide leather sole. Both are zero drop between toe and heel. And their comparison.
Spacious toe box allows feet to stretch comfortably.
Regular, narrow, or wide width options are available.
Can be worn with or without socks.
Highly resistant to odors.
5.0–9.5 oz, depending on size, leather type and sole.
Made in USA: designed and handcrafted in Oregon using US-sourced materials.
One key point Soft Star left out on their site is how doubling up on their shoes means double the performance and fun. Like, for instance, the kid’s Ramblers combined with RunAmoc’s.
Looks
The first thing I noticed about these shoes is how they would fit in at the office along with khakis and a button up shirt. Perfect for those who want/need to get out of their work clothes and into workout clothes to exercise during lunch or right after work. No extra pair of shoes needed, they’ll work for both!
While I’m not going to the office any time soon as an at-home dad, they’re accepted by my wife when we go out to some place a little nice. And getting her to accept my chosen apparel when going places is a big “feet”!
I ran a 4th of July 5k in the bullhide RunAmoc’s (which I placed in my age group, thank you), and received many questions about my “dressy” shoes from fellow runners. Not sure why they stuck out so much though. I thought black and brown go together, no?
I proudly filled the runners’ ears about the greatness of American made Soft Star Shoes and they were eager to check out their site.
Fit and Feel
Wonderful and great. There, that’s all you need to know. The fit is about a half size down from what your normal shoe size is, at least that’s how it is for me. I normally wear 10 1/2, but the 10’s fit perfect with no foot slippage inside. I have the regular width shoes which work great for me, but if needed, you can choose narrow or wide as well.
I’ve worn them with and without socks, but prefer to wear socks most of the time. No real reason why, just habit I guess, and it’s obviously the stylish thing to do. But, Avery begs to differ.
Unless your feet are covered in baby powder, they’ll sweat, especially with the full grain leather. Once wet from sweat or any other water, the shoe’s color will bleed and stain socks if you wear them. I’m fine with this because, well, they’re socks. Plus, Soft Star gives fair warning on their site.
Die-hard barefoot shoe advocates would probably want to stray from the 5mm trail sole as it does reduce ground-feel. That said, I have no problem with the extra rubber and find there’s still a good amount of feedback between the ground and my feet.
The bullhide leather obviously offers more connectivity, and yes, it simply feels wonderful walking on any surface and connecting with the earth. Now excuse me as I look for my peace sign necklace and tie-dye shirt….
Performance and Durability
As long as you’re on a dry surface, the Dash RunAmoc’s offer the minimal athlete an outstanding shoe to run, jump, lift, and wonder trails with confidence. While in Colorado, I hiked and ran on trails in my 5mm trail sole almost without issue.
I say “almost” because the wide toe box, while awesome for giving toes freedom to spread out, seemed to catch on a lot of rocks when I was walking. Oddly, whene running, I didn’t have this problem, but when hiking, I stumbled several times with my wife there to point and laugh.
Stumbling aside, they provide plenty of feedback when running and lifting. Also, the wide toe box does enable my toes the freedom to spread out as they naturally would if running sans shoes. Something that the New Balance or Merrell minimalist shoes don’t offer with their narrower design.
I love having a shoe that performs well in the gym and on the road, and these fit the bill. Since the bullhide leather is extremely limited in traction, I stick to the rubber soles which work great in my garage gym. And since good form is vital when doing lifts like squats and dead lifts, the zero drop is a welcome feature.
I’ve kicked enough objects and scraped the shoes on many things with minimal wear and tear. From the abuse I’ve put them through, it’s easy to see how well Soft Star’s “Elves” constructed the Dash RunAmoc. My only concern is that the upper is glued to the sole instead of stitched, but they’ve been holding together with no sign of separation for the five months I’ve owned them.
Despite their high strength construction, the Dash RunAmoc’s are very lightweight starting at 5.0 oz which makes for another wonderful aspect when running/walking. They are also highly flexible which lends to natural foot movement and offers that “barefoot experience” without worrying about sharp debris on the road. I’ve run across many surfaces, all with plenty of protection from potential hazards on the ground.
Summary
I could go on about all of the Soft Star Shoes and how I want more, but I suggest you go check them out for yourself. They have shoes for the whole family to enjoy, and the Design-Your-Own option allows you to own a high quality and comfortable shoe that’s truly your own. They make a great gift too! We’ve obviously become huge fans since that’s all we packed for our vacation.
No other shoe, that I’m aware of, is at home in the office just as much (if not more-so) on the trail, pavement, or under a barbell. Their superior quality in form and function is what has me lacing up my Soft Star Dash RunAmoc shoes every day. I know I can count on them to get me through whatever’s in store for the day while keeping my feet happy. That is, unless Avery hides them from me.
From true barefoot feel allowing for natural foot movement, to high quality materials for construction, I know these shoes will last me several years under most conditions.
Pros
Water resistant and great for cold weather running as they keep your feet warm. Unless you get the perforated version.
High quality materials used for durable shoe build
Highly flexible with excellent ground feel and comfort
Looks like a dress shoe, but built to perform under all conditions
Zero drop between toe and heel
Cons
Wide toe box can cause you to trip if you’re not careful like me.
Leather will bleed onto your socks when your feet sweat.
The bullhide sole is very slippery on wet surfaces.
Looks like a dress shoe. I don’t mind this, but many seem to think it’s weird
Thank you, Soft Star Shoes, for making such an excellent line of shoes and providing earth-friendly footwear for the entire family!
Disclosure: Soft Star Shoes provided their Dash RunAmoc’s to me free of charge in exchange for review. I was not compensated for this post in any other way and all opinions are my own.
As much as I enjoy joking around (hence the title to this post), keeping our family healthy is something I take seriously. Even before I became a stay-at-home dad, I was cooking all of the meals for my wife and I on top of having a full-time job. Yeah, it was hard at times, but to pros far outweigh the cons when it comes to good nutrition.
For this reason, my wife and I knew breast milk was the best source of nutrition for our daughter, Avery, right from the start. And now, at 18 months old, I am extremely proud and supportive of my wife for still nursing our beautiful girl even through so many hardships.
Over the past few months, Kelley has slowly eased up on breastfeeding which meant I needed to find another source of nutrition to fill its place. Luckily, there’s another nutritious beverage to fill the void, and it goes by the name of…..MILK!
Just like the food I bring into our home, I am quite particular on where our milk is sourced and how it’s produced. Avery was a bit hesitant about milk at first….
….but she quickly made peace with her new beverage and, well…..
Yep, she loves her milk and she has it every day with breakfast and as a calming drink before nap time. Having a nutrient-rich beverage packed with 8 grams of high quality protein per 8 ounce serving allows me to rest assured our daughter is getting what she needs for her body to grow strong and healthy and give her the energy to play (or swing kettlebells) with Mommy and Daddy.
Unfortunately, many families are unable to provide their children healthy meals and are missing out on the nutrition milk has to offer. These children are provided breakfast and lunch through the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and the School Breakfast Program (SBP) when in school, but not when school is out.
Here’s the “Legen-Dairy” part…..To raise money and bring milk to families in need this June, Milk Life has created The Great American Milk Drive benefiting Feeding America. Since June is National Dairy Month, what better time than now to help deliver something many of us take for granted; MILK! Did you know…..
Milk is one of the most requested items by food bank clients year-round, and especially during the summer when kids are missing out on nutritious meals provided through school breakfast and lunch programs. But on average, food banks are only able to provide the equivalent of less than one gallon of milk per person per year. That’s because while Americans are generous with canned and dry goods, many don’t think to donate milk because it’s perishable.
More than 22 million children may miss out on milk’s nutrition in the summer months when schools are closed and they lose access to free or reduced-price milk programs.
You can help power the play of children in need in your community all summer long with a small donation by clicking here. A donation of as little as $5 will deliver a gallon of milk to a local family through the Feeding America nationwide network of food banks.
And since we all absorb information better when it’s in cool infographic form, here are the key facts laid out for us all.
As a major advocate of all things health, I know how paramount good nutrition is for kids and adults alike. That’s why I’m honored to join Life of Dad and 24 super awesome dad bloggers to help Milk Life spread the words and raise funds for The Great American Milk Drive. This truly is legen-dairy, and we need YOU to help us keep it that way!
The 25 of us dad bloggers have been divided into 4 teams by region, North, South, East, and West. To make it even more interesting, the team that has received the most donations by 12PM EST on Monday, June 22 will get an additional $500 donation from the awesome guys at Life of Dad. Now I know you want to help my team, The South, win this, so please, hold off on the birthday gifts (it was on the 8th) and Father’s Day presents and please please please donate to this important cause.
Check out my fellow Team South friends and show us all some love by donating today. Trey Burley – Daddy Mojo
We’re all great fathers wanting the best for kids all over, and this would make the best Father’s Day contribution to all of us.
And be sure to mark your calendars for Tuesday, June 16th at 8PM EST for the #MilkDrive Twitter Party hosted by @LifeofDadShow. Just follow hashtage #MilkDrive and get ready for a chance to win some great prizes and have fun while supporting Milk Life and Feeding America!
Disclosure: I have partnered with Life of Dad and Milk Life for this promotion. I have received compensation for my participation, but my passion and thirst for Milk is my own.
An at-home dad on a mission to keep it real when it comes to food, fun, and raising a healthy, happy family.
