The supplement category has changed quite a bit over the past decade. What used to be a straightforward selection of multivitamins and vitamin C has expanded into an overwhelming array of powders, gummies, and extracts that promise support for everything from energy levels to immune function. Winter tends to draw folks toward these products, a season when shorter days and colder weather make the body feel like it could use extra help.
Shorter days, colder temperatures, and the tail end of holiday indulgence can leave folks feeling sluggish and depleted. The impulse to reset often leads to restrictive eating plans or elaborate detoxes, but the body responds better to nourishment than deprivation. Simple, vegetable-forward meals that focus on whole ingredients offer a gentler way to support the body's natural processes during the coldest months.
The word "probiotic" shows up on so many food labels now that it's easy to read right past it without stopping to think about what it actually means. Yogurt, kombucha, pickles, and sauerkraut all advertise these live cultures, but the explanation for why people have been fermenting foods for thousands of years often gets lost.
