My New Go To Supplement...Goldenseal!

Just hanging around the jungle!

Recently I had the good fortune of traveling to Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam. It was an amazing place, full of awesome people and unbelievable food! In fact, I ate my way through the entire city!

Friends here in Pittsburgh know how much I like the Pho at Pho Kim 88, but I can tell you it doesn't compared to eating the authentic stuff, on a small street, next to the Saigon River!

While the trip itself was totally epic, the 20+ hour flight time was not! And while having no issue with any of the "different" dishes I tried in Vietnam, some nasty airplane Bibimbap left me with some...let's say stomach issues!

​I know what you're thinking. "Why the hell would you eat Bibimbap on an airplane?" Normally I always go with the vegetarian meal when I fly, but after 7 hours on the first plane, and another 15 to go on the second & thrid, I obviously wasn't thinking clearly (ie; Bimimbap for breakfast).

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So, after finally landing in Pittsburgh, that bad Bimimbap was setting in. I knew I needed something to kick whatever stomach bug I picked up. Usually when I'm sick with a cold, I grab an Echinacea/Goldenseal blend. Knowing that Goldenseal is suppose to contain a high amount of berberine (a compound claimed to have strong antibacterial properties that will fight several forms of bacteria, fungi, and protozoa), I ordered this. Unlike the usual powder blend I take, I went for an extract which was suppose to be more potent.

I also stacked the Goldenseal with the standard probiotic I take on a daily basis. The plan was to use the Goldenseal to attack whatever bad bacteria I had picked up, while boostingt the "friendly bacteria" (which will also help to attack the bad stuff).

Within a day, I was back to my normal self. Next time I'm abroad, I'll likely pack my Goldenseal & probiotics as a preventative measure. While the Goldenseal exlixer is a bit bitter, I've found it's effectiveness far out weighs the 5 seconds of it's nasty taste.

Finally, since I've been back, I've been fighting off a small cold. I'm continuing to supplement with the Goldenseal & I really feel like it's keeping my symptoms at bay. I haven't had to miss a workout since I've been using it and continue to feel strong.

So, what types of gut/cold remedies do you use? Has anyone tried Goldenseal or something else? I'd love to hear your experience!

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