Digestive Problems

We have already discussed the importance of digestion and the fact that gastric juices and digestive enzymes may decrease as you age. Absorption is diminished and you may develop a leaky gut. As a result, most people will benefit from digestive aids and supplements to keep the gut milieu balanced and healthy.

Supplements to take to help with digestive problems.

• For low gastric acid, try one or two teaspoonfuls of apple cider vinegar in 200 ml water, taken with meals.
• Herbal bitters - for example, Schweden bitters, which contains 20 different herbs - stimulate digestion. Take 5 ml in a little water.
• Digestive enzymes aid digestion, but take one without betaine hydrochloride if you suffer from heartburn.
• A colon-cleansing formula or psyllium husks will assist with constipation and clean out old faecal material.
• Probiotics - acidophilus and lactobacilli - promote healthy gut bacteria. Make sure that the organisms are viable (alive), and store them in the fridge. To avoid travellers’ digestive upsets, or “Delhi belly’, it may be a good idea to take an acidophilus supplement with you when you travel.
• Eat garlic regularly.
• To support the liver you could take the herbs milk thistle (Silybum), artichoke (Cynama) or even dandelion (Taraxacum).
• To enhance the activity of probiotics eat foods rich in fructo-oligosaccharide (FOS), such as asparagus and bananas, which are known as prebiotics.
• Rooibos tea and chamomile tea are relaxing and antispasmodic. In addition, rooibos tea has antioxidant properties.
• Ginger tea has antioxidant for nausea and indigestion. Infuse two or three slices of fresh ginger in hot water and add a little honey to taste.

Photo Source: womenshealth.gov