The gut affects your energy levels, immunity and mood, so good digestion is vital for health and wellbeing. Here's what you need to know for optimum digestive health.
"Turning food into energy and the building blocks for cellular repair and growth is a complex business requiring the breakdown of different dietary components into small molecules that can be effectively absorbed. The gut also keeps out harmful substances and boosts our overall immunity. When upset, our digestive system soon lets us know, with symptoms affecting not just our gut but our vitality, sleep and mental wellbeing."
Dr Hilary Jones, GP and Medical Advisor to Healthspan
Gut health
Your digestive system doesn't just convert food into energy. It's the seat of much of your immunity, it manufactures vitamins, it deals with harmful invasive bacteria, it excretes waste products and helps control cholesterol and blood sugar. It also communicates with our brain through a complex network of nerve connections called the gut-brain axis. There's more to the phrase 'gut feeling' than you might imagine.
Gut health support
Gut health depends on a balance between friendly and unfriendly bacteria in our digestive system. When 'good' bacteria are depleted through illness, antibiotics or poor diet, abdominal cramps, bloating, gas, constipation or diarrhoea can occur. Super20 Pro can 'reseed' the gut with 20 billion live friendly bacteria from five of the best strains to restore a healthy balance.
Gut health advice
What are probiotics?
Indigestion
Indigestion is a blanket term for any symptoms affecting the gullet, stomach and intestine, but the term usually refers to the stomach area where heartburn and acid reflux cause such trouble. Oesophagitis is inflammation within the food pipe caused by stomach acid splashing upwards, and gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GORD) is the chronic form, leading to additional symptoms such as persistent dry cough, hoarseness, acid taste in the mouth and bad breath.
Indigestion support
Food is broken down by enzymes. Lactase breaks down lactose, lipase digests fat, and proteases work on protein. Dietary changes, illness or medicines can affect the secretion or efficacy of enzymes, leading to reduced food absorption for energy and symptoms such as diarrhoea or abdominal cramping. Digestive enzymes can support digestion and a healthy metabolism.
Bloating, gas and flatulence
When certain carbohydrate-based foods pass through our digestive system and reach the large intestine, they are broken down and fermented by trillions of bacteria. This causes gas to be produced, which causes intestinal distension, wind and bloating. A low-FODMAP diet, together with activated charcoal and probiotics, can go a long way to resolving such symptoms.
Bloating, gas and flatulence support
Gut bacteria produce gas when fermenting foods such as certain carbohydrates. One solution to excessive gas is activated charcoal, which can combat the build-up of bloating and wind in the intestine. Its inert sponge-like structure has a huge surface area with thousands of tiny holes, which can trap gas and let it be expelled by the body in a more comfortable way.
Heartburn and acid reflux
Heartburn and acid reflux are caused by the regurgitation of stomach acid into the sensitive gullet. This results in chest pain, belching, acid taste in the mouth and, when persistent as in gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GORD), dry cough and bad breath. Increased stomach acid production can be the result of too much spicy and fatty food and alcohol, and a mechanical weakness in the valve between the stomach and oesophagus may be worsened by being overweight, enjoying large meals and muscle-relaxant medications.
Heartburn and acid reflux support
The gullet does not have any protection against strong stomach acid, so when acid refluxes into it discomfort can result. GastriSoothe works in three different ways. Aloe vera soothes the inflamed lining of the gullet, alkaline sodium bicarbonate neutralises stomach acid, and sodium alginate sits on top of the stomach contents to help stop acid refluxing upwards.
Bowel regularity
A regular bowel habit means different things to different people. Some will go without fail first thing in the morning without trouble. Others may go twice a week or less and have to strain. Both are considered normal, but can be influenced to a large extent by lifestyle changes such as exercise, diet and relaxation. That said, any uncomfortable symptoms such as constipation, diarrhoea, passing blood or any significant persistent change in bowel habit is always abnormal and requires further investigation.
Bowel regularity support
Prebiotics are like a fertiliser that nourishes and sustains the 'friendly' probiotics in the gut. Easyfibre Inulin is a soluble prebiotic fibre made from 100% chicory root, which absorbs water and promotes softer stools and easier bowel movements. It's a perfect partner to probiotic supplements and a great way to increase fibre without changing your diet.
