From probiotics to breath testers, we test three products to keep a healthy digestive system
YOUR digestive system breaks down food and liquid into carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins and minerals so your body can absorb them for nutrition, energy and immunity.
Healthy digestion means less chance of constipation, heartburn and bloating.
Ahead of World Digestive Health Day on Wednesday, Jane Atkinson looks at how to keep your system in tip-top shape…
PROBIOTIC CAPSULES
ELEMENTS have devised a new probiotic with a mega dose of gut-friendly bacteria that is perfect for those who take antibiotics.
Over 1.5million doses of antibiotics are administered daily in the UK, which cause great harm in the microbiome leading to a host of health issues from weight gain to infections.
Supreme Microbiom includes a high dosage of 100 billion CFU friendly bacteria, with a diverse formula including 14 strains of live cultures.
The doctor-formulated probiotic is combined with vitamin B complex.
£35.99 for a two week lmnts.eu
DIGESTIVE BREATH TESTER
FOODMARBLE is a digestive breath tester that reads how a person’s microbiome responds to different foods and how slowly or effectively they pass through their digestive system.
The device can help identify any foods that cause excessive gas or bloating, helping you to tailor your diet to relieve any uncomfortable symptoms and in turn avoid the food types giving you a reaction.
You just breathe into the little machine connected to an app, which reads how much hydrogen and methane are in your system.
You need to like a gadget, though, given you use it about ten times a day. But the device is not invasive and it’s a good health hack.
You can also log your meals, symptoms, stress and sleep.
It comes with a carry case and charger.
£199 for the AIRE 2 device, foodmarble.com
FOOD SENSITIVITY TEST
THERE are plenty of food sensitivity tests on the market.
But the founder of Supply Life UK, Ricky Singh, actually launched this because he was suffering from IBS.
It involves a finger-prick blood test at home, which is sent off to detect what foods you produce Immunoglobulin G antibodies to.
This occurs when the immune system considers the food as “foreign”, therefore mounting a response.
I have never really had problems, but of the 220 different foods tested, it did flag that I shouldn’t have barley, peas, egg white and melon.
The eggs baffled me but melon made sense as it gives me a tingly tongue when I eat it, get a stonking hangover after too much wine and quickly feel really bloated after peas.
Supply Life prices range from £134 to £239. supplylife.com.
GET CHECKED
A QUARTER of Brits have digestive issues, like constipation, causing them discomfort – but have simply ‘learned to live with it’ rather than getting it checked out.
A poll of 2,000 adults found 18 per cent don’t consider the frequency of their bowel movements to be ‘normal’.
And nearly a quarter (24 per cent) aren’t sure what to look out for when it comes to checking the health of their number-twos.
In fact, more than one in 10 (13 per cent) haven’t had a digestive symptom treated or diagnosed because they don’t feel they understand enough about their digestive system and how it works.
While 17 per cent fear doctors won’t take them seriously if they try and make an appointment to discuss their digestive symptoms.
The research was commissioned by Fybogel in 2022.