Thankful for Good Digestion

Do you worry more about how comfortable your clothes are going to fit after you eat than how fashionable they are? Are you like Joey on Friends who has a specific pair of “eatin’ pants”? You are not alone, indigestion, also known as dyspepsia affects about 25% of the general population. Each person may describe their symptoms differently – stomach pain, stomachache, heartburn, bloating, or fullness after only small amounts of food.^[1] Optimal digestion is important to overall good health and digestive enzymes may help.

Digestive enzymes are proteins your body uses to help break down the foods you eat. Picture a jackhammer breaking up a chunk of concrete – digestive enzymes convert food into smaller building blocks that your body can absorb for overall health and wellbeing. Taking an enzyme supplement with each meal may help improve your digestion and reduce the symptoms of indigestion.

Since we eat a variety of foods which contain many different nutrients, it’s important to look for an enzyme formula that has a diverse amount of enzymes to help with digestion across all ranges of food. This will help you get the most nutrients from your meals and reduce the symptoms of indigestion.  There are 2 things to look for when choosing an enzyme formula:

• Type of enzyme – every nutrient needs a specific enzyme to help break it down. Think of it like a specific key to unlock a door. For example; protease breaks down proteins, amylase breaks down carbohydrates, lipase breaks down fats and lactase breaks down lactose.

• Amount of enzymes – some people may have difficulty breaking down certain foods while others may have difficulty breaking down all meals, all the time.

Renew Life^® has multiple digestive enzyme formulas for maximum effectiveness. Each plant-derived formula contains powerful enzymes chosen for their ability to break down protein, carbohydrates, fats, sugars, dairy and other nutrients. Whether you’re having trouble digesting certain foods or all foods, all the time, there’s a Renew Life^® digestive enzyme formula that’s right for you!

• DigestMORE^® is a targeted formula made with a high concentration of plant-based enzymes, herbs and amino acids to help digest foods and soothe the digestive tract.
• DigestMORE^® Ultra Strength is a highly concentrated, plant-sourced enzyme formula that provides powerful digestive support.
• DigestMORE^® HCl is a comprehensive plant-derived digestive enzyme formula that contains Betaine Hydrochloride (HCl). It helps to digest proteins and supports optimal digestion.
• LactoZYME contains ingredients to digest all three components of dairy (lactose, fat, protein). It can help prevent symptoms of lactose intolerance.

To keep your gut in tip top shape, feed it well with prebiotic and probiotic foods and take a multi-strain probiotic supplement. More than 1,000 strains of bacteria can be found in the human gut so choosing a probiotic supplement that has some strain diversity in the formula is important, but culture count is too. Culture count refers to the overall number of bacteria in each serving. A potent probiotic formula contains multiple strains of bacteria and has billions of live cultures per serving to help you get more of the friendly microbes to support a happy, healthy gut!

For Women
Renew Life^® Ultimate Flora^® VS for Women is a 50 billion active culture, 9 strain formula that supports women’s gut and overall health in a convenient once a day capsule. It is a predominantly Lactobacilli formula that not only mimics the prevalence of bacteria found in a healthy vagina and urinary tract, but also assists in restoring digestive harmony, helping you feel lighter, brighter and more energized.

There is also a shelf stable formula for convenience. Ultimate Flora^® Women’s Daily Care is a shelf-stable, 25 billion active culture, 10 strain formula that is dairy and soy free.

For Everyone
Renew Life^® Ultimate Flora^® Critical Care is a 50 billion active culture, 10 strain formula in a convenient, once a day capsule. It contains a combination of 20 billion Lactobacillus and 30 billion Bifidobacterium cultures for a balanced gut.

If you like the convenience of a shelf stable formula, there is Ultimate Flora^® Critical Care shelf-stable which is a 50 billion active culture, 12 strain, dairy and soy free formula perfect for on the go use.

Last but not least…

Chew your food well
Many people suffer from poor digestion simply because they do not chew their food properly. If you take the time to make yourself a good meal, you owe it to yourself to savour and enjoy it. Your gut will thank you for it.

Portion control
Your body is designed to digest food in small amounts so consider what you are putting on your plate. Small more frequent meals are best.

By Caroline Farquhar, RHN, EMP, BA

[1] MediResource Clinical Team. What Causes Heartburn and Indigestion? Available: https://bodyandhealth.canada.com/healthfeature/gethealthfeature/what-causes-heartburn-and-indigestion. Last accessed 30 Jul 20.

About the Author: Caroline Farquhar R.H.N., E.M.P., B.A.

Specializing in digestive care and cleansing, Caroline has been educating audiences through seminars, TV and radio appearances across the country on the topic of how to achieve better health naturally. Caroline has written and published articles for magazines and websites, has created educational programs and taught at the Canadian School of Natural Nutrition. Learn more about Caroline at renewlife.ca.