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Do you struggle with heavy digestion? Digestive discomfort, including symptoms like heartburn, burning sensations, bloating, heaviness, flatulence, constipation, and diarrhoea, is more common than you might think, especially during the holiday season.
Increased alcohol consumption, a pause in your exercise routine, eating out, and higher intake of fats, processed foods, sugars, and carbonated drinks—who hasn’t indulged in at least one ultra-processed food in the past month?
Poor Digestion and Gas
How to put an end to poor digestion and gas problems? It is advisable to return to good habits, but today we also want to let you know how supplements aimed at balancing the intestinal microbiota can help and, in particular, how supplementation with prebiotics, probiotics and molecules like erinacines can be effective in restoring digestive wellbeing. We take a closer look.
Is Digestive Wellbeing Only a Concern During the Holiday season?
Poor digestion and gastric discomfort aren’t limited to the holiday season. Guts UK, reported that almost half of the population suffers from intestinal discomfort and around 43% suffer from digestive discomfort.
We spoke earlier about poor eating and sedentary lifestyles, but there are other culprits to be mindful of, such as altered sleep patterns and food intolerances. This mix of factors can significantly impact digestive health and have repercussions on the central nervous system. The effects extend beyond physical discomfort, leading to emotional distress. Experts have found a link between depression and various digestive issues. For instance, a 2018 study involving over 19,000 participants found that individuals with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) had increased rates of anxiety and depression.
STRESS AND THE DIGESTIVE SYSTEM
If we also take into account the context, the body is faced with the end of the holiday period and the stress of returning to routine. In this sense, according to experts, stress and emotional disorders are behind almost half of the symptoms of the upper digestive tract (abdominal discomfort, pain and burning, sensation of fullness, nausea, vomiting…), once other pathologies have been ruled out.
Once again we see the connection of the gut-brain axis, which also explains that when we eat worse, we feel bad at all levels.
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What helps your microbiota and your digestion?
Of course, giving up alcohol, processed meats, refined flour, soft drinks… These foods are in all the rankings of foods that do not help your microbiota and will not help your digestive balance.
On the other hand, there is something that we can do: return to healthy eating, with a strong emphasis on supporting gut health.
The main types of prebiotic foods
Pectins:
- Apple
- Carrot
- Pear
Fructans:
- Onion
- Garlic
- Leek
- Asparagus
Resistant starch (to reduce the glycaemic index, these foods can be consumed the day after preparation, cold):
- Sweet potato
- Potato
Mucilages
- Flaxseed/Linseed
- Chia seeds
- Mushrooms and plants
Fermented products
Kefir, kombucha, sauerkraut and kimchi
Polyphenols
Red berries, black grapes and pomegranate are foods high in polyphenols, well-known antioxidants that also help to increase beneficial gut bacteria in the large intestine linked to digestive health. We are talking about Akkermansia muciniphila.
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What supplements can I take for digestion and excess gas?
It is estimated that the microbiota can recover to almost 100% within three months, and measures to improve digestive disorders must be undertaken with a minimum of consistency to have an impact.
digestive comfort
As we have seen in other articles, a minimum of 3 months (12 weeks) is also recommended in supplementation guidelines. As experts in developing supplements, and through our clinical experience, we have seen initial effects after 6 weeks, moderate effects after 12 weeks and considerable effects after 18 weeks.
The best supplement for your digestive system
When it comes to supplements aimed at improving digestion and alleviating issues like gas, discomfort, and heartburn, there are a few key factors to consider:
- Natural supplements with organic certification: Opting for natural supplements, particularly those with organic certification, is crucial. This ensures that the product is free from toxins that could cross the intestinal barrier, potentially hindering or even worsening the recovery of your microbiota.
- Detailed labelling. The way a product is labelled reveals a lot about the transparency and philosophy of the producing laboratory. At our laboratory, we prioritise transparency by including both quantitative and qualitative data on the bioactive substances in our products, along with the quality seals that certify them. We do not include cereal residues, preservatives or flavourings that detract from the essence of what we offer. Our products only contain what is essential and indispensable.
- Therapeutic doses – what are they? Supplements are most effective when taken in specific amounts over defined periods. Our laboratory formulates supplements with high extraction ratios, meaning they have high concentrations of active biomolecules. This allows us to reduce the recommended daily dosage while still promoting effectiveness, based on published scientific evidence.
- Professional Opinions and User Feedback. If you have any doubts or questions, it’s essential to consult a trusted health professional. They can guide on choosing the right laboratory or product and offer advice based on their experience with other patients.
In a nutshell...
Digestive problems are increasingly common, and those around you are likely dealing with some of the same, uncomfortable symptoms.
From gas, heartburn, and reflux to more serious conditions like SIBO and irritable bowel syndrome, digestive issues are a frequent concern. Among these, poor digestion is one of the most common complaints, often leading to numerous visits to health centres.
Maintaining consistent, healthy eating habits is crucial for restoring the microbiota, the cornerstone of digestive well-being. Given the strong connection between the brain and the gut, achieving a balanced gut can also help reduce anxiety and stress.
- Guts UK study
- Rutsch, Andrina, Johan B. Kantsjö, and Francesca Ronchi. “The gut-brain axis: how microbiota and host inflammasome influence brain physiology and pathology.” Frontiers in immunology 11 (2020): 604179.
- Rodrigues, Vanessa Fernandes, et al. “Akkermansia muciniphila and gut immune system: a good friendship that attenuates inflammatory bowel disease, obesity, and diabetes.” Frontiers in immunology 13 (2022): 934695.
- Palleja A, Mikkelsen KH, Forslund SK, et al. Recovery of gut microbiota of healthy adults following antibiotic exposure. Nat Microbiol. 2018;3(11):1255-1265. doi:10.1038/s41564-018-0257-9