Supplements for Digestive Health

One of the most common things clients tell us when coming to work with us at ADO Fitness is that they are concerned about their digestive health for one reason or another. If you suffer from heartburn, bloating, constipation, or any of the other many different digestive symptoms, you know just how uncomfortable it can be.  Even when we are paying attention to our intake and making sure to eat a variety of healthy foods, digestive symptoms can occur because of increased stress, smoking, high caffeine or alcohol intake, or a variety of different medical conditions. While treating digestive symptoms usually involves more than one solution, here are some of my top supplements and remedies that I recommend:

• Probiotics: If you don’t take ANYTHING else for your digestive health, you BETTER be taking probiotics! Even though they are full of bacteria and yeast, it’s the kind that keeps your gut healthy and regular. When there aren’t enough of these “good” bacteria in our digestive tract, the “bad” bacteria have more room to grow causing symptoms like diarrhea, constipation, and bloating.
• Digestive enzymes: Our intestines absorb nutrients from the food we eat, not the actual food itself, which means our gut needs to be good at breaking down everything we put into it. Digestive enzymes help our body break down the food we eat more effectively resulting in improved digestion, and decreased bloating and diarrhea. If you’re looking for a more natural way to increase your intake of digestive enzymes, try adding pineapple, mango, papaya, and honey to your diet.
• Peppermint oil: Quite possible a miracle worker… peppermint oil can help alleviate nausea, diarrhea, acid reflux, gas and bloating, and stomach pain. It works by causing a relaxation of our intestines, reducing muscle spasms and helping to release built up gas and ease pain.
• Licorice: The anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial properties of licorice root have made it popular for centuries to alleviate countless digestive problems… it was even found in King Tut’s tomb! Inflammation is an underlying cause of many different digestive disorders and is the root cause of most complaints of abdominal pain. Licorice can help fight off bacterial infections, including H. Pylori which is the cause of the majority of stomach ulcers. It also increases the production of our stomach’s mucosal lining, which protects our stomach even more.
• Chamomile: Not only does chamomile help relax your before bed, but it also helps relax the smooth muscle of your digestive tract helping to treat digestive conditions such as colic, gas, diarrhea, stomach cramps, indigestion and irritable bowel syndrome.

What are your go-to digestive supplements? Tell me below!