Living with digestive / gut problems can be so, so difficult.

It can lead to anxiety, make every day a huge struggle and, effectively, control your life. 

Unfortunately, these gut problems are becoming increasingly common…

Cases of Crohn’s, Colitis, IBS, Diverticulitis and many other conditions which are gut related have increased dramatically in the last decade and it doesn’t appear to be slowing down.  

Problems with your digestive system can show up in many ways… 

For example, it might be:

- stomach cramps / pain

- bloating

- excess gas

- frequent bowel movements

- urgency

- constipation

- poorly formed bowel movements 

- and more.

But there’s also less obvious signs such as:

- joint pain

- skin problems

- fatigue / energy issue

- depression

- anxiety

- mood swings

- and more.

Causes

So what causes these digestive problems? Here’s a few factors…

Inflammation

Inflammation in the digestive system is the primary cause of symptoms in someone with Crohn’s and Colitis.

That inflammation though can be caused by many of the other factors mentioned below.

Bugs

Bugs / parasites / bacterial infections can all lead to digestive problems.

Sometimes these are very much temporary in nature (like when we suffer a bout of food poisoning, for example), but many people are living with these infections unknowingly, long term, and it is causing them symptoms.

It’s one major reason that we regularly run stool testing.

Medication and Antibiotics 

Medication can commonly cause problems with the digestive system, and whilst antibiotics can often be useful in killing off potentially harmful bugs, they can also kill off our friendly bacteria (which eventually leads to more digestive health problems).

That’s why if you’ve ever taken antibiotics, it’s almost always worth having friendly bacteria supplements to help support healthy levels of good bacteria in your gut.

This is one reason why we offer our friendly bacteria supplements Advanced Flora and Advanced Protection.

Diet

There can be no doubt that diet plays a part in anyone’s digestive symptoms.

This could be from foods to which you have a sensitivity or allergy, or foods which you struggle to appropriately breakdown / digest.

Certain foods can also lead to excessive levels of gas and cause flatulence or bloating.

The foods you eat will also obviously influence the nutrients that you take on and absorb.  Nutrient deficiencies can be a big driver of symptoms.

Finally, it’s worth noting that HOW you eat is important...

Chewing your food appropriately, and not eating too quick, is very important for your digestive health.

Exercise

Excessive amounts of exercise can cause digestive upset in some people.

For example, marathon runners are commonly known to have problems with their digestive systems during and after a race.

That said, some level of exercise is generally thought to be important for supporting healthy levels of friendly bacteria in the gut.

Stress / Anxiety

When we are stressed, our bodies will not absorb our food as effectively.

What’s more stress can affect our gut bacteria levels, and lead to inflammation.

Think about it – have you ever found yourself going to the toilet more often (or alternatively been more constipated) when going through a period of stress / anxiety – such as a first date, job interview, exam, etc?

The link goes both ways; stress / anxiety can cause digestive health problems, but problems with your digestive health can also be a big driver of stress / anxiety.

Hopefully that can help if digestive issues (or any of the above mentioned symptoms) are an issue for you.

To find out more about our friendly bacteria supplements then visit here and here, and for our Gut Bundle, which comes at a large saving, click here.