Breakfast that loves you back.

“I see people spend $50 to $100 on supplements when they have a concentrated, sophisticated, and superior source of probiotics in fermented foods,” Ramsey says. (A jar of delicious kimchi? Under $7.)

Research indicates that people who eat more fermented foods may be less likely to have symptoms of social anxiety, apparently because the probiotics are changing their gut environment, which can in turn influence social anxiety. And as a bonus, certain probiotics have been shown to promote heart health too.

There are easy ways to add more probiotics to your day: Drink kombucha (fermented tea) as a mocktail or a swap-in for soda. Use kefir in your smoothie or as a base for a creamy salad dressing. Spread miso paste on fish or toss it with vegetables as a seasoning. Top salads and grain bowls with tangy sauerkraut, pickles, or kimchi.

And don’t forget your prebiotics, food for your gut’s “good” bacteria. Feeding them right will help boost their numbers, Naidoo says. Eat more leeks, onions, lentils, and chickpeas. Roasted, salted chickpeas are a smart swap for processed carbs, like chips and crackers.

Break Bread with Others

It’s not just about what you eat—it’s also about who you eat with. University of Oxford research reveals that people with larger social networks are more likely to have a diverse gut microbiome, suggesting that social interactions may change your microbiome for the better.

ionship with “Having a joyful relat connect with food, and using food to diet can support others, is another way y says. Social mental health,” Ramsey nked to sadness, disconnection can be lin epression (as low self-esteem, and de ing lockdown). many of us learned duri indoors or So plan a get-together, i n with family outside, and chow down and friends.

Talk

to Your Doctor

of time in If you’re spending a lot n after you eat, the bathroom or in pain ng on than a there may be more goin salad can fix.

table bowel People who have irri ry bowel syndrome, inflammator ive colitis or disease (such as ulcerat onic indiges- Crohn’s disease), or chr nal dyspepsia) tion (also called functio rience anxiety are more likely to exper c pain and and depression. Chroni a role in how inflammation can play asricha says, you feel emotionally, Pa have gastroin- and many people who op mood prob- testinal disorders devel with irritable lems. But when people ated with medi- bowel disease were tre cation, their digestion and a depression ccording to symptoms improved, a e can benefit research. So helping one doctor about the other. Talk to your the proper treatment.

Give your heart a little love.

*Three grams of soluble fiber daily from whole grain oat foods, like Honey Nut Cheerios™ cereal, in a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol, may reduce the risk of heart disease Honey Nut Cheerios cereal provides 75 grams per serving

Pets

Take a Bite out of Pet Expenses

The average annual cost of owning a cat is $1,149, while a dog can run you $1,391. And that’s not including all the gear you need (plus the toys and treats you spoil them with). Here’s how to shrink some of your biggest expenditures.

BY JUNO D E MELO

Food

When it comes to kibble, price doesn’t necessarily correspond to quality. Ask your vet which food they recommend for your fur baby and how much to feed them— getting it right could save money and prevent obesity (a major possible cause of hefty vet bills). You can also go to petnutritionalliance.org to determine exactly how many calories your little fella needs. Another smart saving idea: Ask your pet store about frequent-buyer programs some give incentives, such as the 10th bag free. Or buy online and enable auto shipping, which can save you around 5 percent

Meds

You can cut costs by buying from an online pharmacy instead of your vet, but you’ll need to do your homework. First, type in the URL at safe.pharmacy (no “.com”) to make sure the site is verified by the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy. When your medication arrives, check that it’s not expired or fake. Signs of counterfeit can include packaging that’s missing directions, a non-child-resistant container, and medicine intended for a tiny dog that has a picture of, say, a Great Dane on the box. If you do choose to get your meds directly from your vet, ask about rebates or coupons and generic drugs rather than name brands.

Emergency Care

If your pet is ill or injured after hours, call your local emergency animal hospital before driving there. They can help you determine if it’s OK to hold off until your vet’s oice opens, because, as with humans, an ER visit will cost far more than a regular, oice-hours visit. If your pet eats something they shouldn’t—like a grape, chocolate, or toxic plant—call the Pet Poison Helpline at 855-764-7661. For a onetime $75 fee that includes follow-ups, veterinary toxicologists at the helpline can help you decide whether to take a watchand-wait approach.

Exams

In many states, a v n person in order examine your pet in or recommend to prescribe meds phone. Transla- treatment over the s a vet and gets tion: If your pet ha hat existing annual checkups, t llow for a (free) relationship may a han a (pricey) phone call rather t on top of visits oice visit. Staying risk of health can also lower the d cost big bucks problems that could n’t have a vet, or down the line. Don you have? Hit up don’t love the one ors for recom- friends and neighbo an also call a few mendations. You c nd ask about their nearby practices a mmon procedures. prices for some com ly found that Researchers recent 235 to $1,400 to fees ranged from $ m $300 to $1,080 spay a dog, and fro g—and that many for a teeth cleanin es got very high low-priced practic customer ratings.

OUR EXPERTS et must regularly

KEVIN BRASLER, CKBOOK EXECUTIVE EDITOR AT CONSUMERS’

MURPHY, DVM, PHD, ST AND VETERINARY NUTRITIONI CIENCES AT CLINICAL ASSISTANT PROFESSOR OF SMALL ANIMAL CLINICAL SC EDICINE THE UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE COLLEGE OF VETERINARY ME