Sparkles and stretch-marks
Sparkles and stretch-marks is a blog documenting family life in all its glory – from beautiful picture perfect moments we all love to the inevitable downsides we’re not so fond of
Keeping your gut healthy with ProVen Probiotics
I’ve always been one of those people who have a bit of a “dodgy tummy”. There’s always been foods that disagree with me, I’ve always suffered with what I call “Travel tummy”, and I’ve always suffered with terrible bloating.
Back in early 2013, when I was around 7 months pregnant with my first child, my “dodgy tummy” became far worse and after one particularly bad evening I found myself in the back of an ambulance on my way to the hospital…where I remained for 3 days afterwards.
They were just being cautious because of my condition of course, they wondered whether my issues were linked to gallstones or a grumbling appendix perhaps, and they wanted to keep an eye on me.
But when it settled down, I was released and I was never really given any definitive answer as to what the problem was.
For a while it seemed that certain “trigger” foods made it worse, and so – on Drs advice – I ended up following a coeliac diet for a good 10 months or so.
But tests ruled out the disease, and instead I was told to consider myself simply gluten intolerant. But with gluten avoided, and the symptoms still occurring every now and then I ended up being given a rather broad diagnosis of “IBS”…and told that in simple terms, there was nothing they could do to help me.
As a busy working mother of 3 young children, I’ve found this condition really irritating to live with – I just don’t have the time to spend days in agony because I ate something that didn’t agree with me, and so I’ve spent a whole lot of time googling various remedies and treatments and trying to find my own solutions.
One thing that is repeatedly mentioned in most things I read is how beneficial the use of Probiotics can be in the treatment of IBS and IBS type symptoms.
New research from ProVen Probiotics shows that more than half of Brits have poor gut health, which is affecting their weight (41%), mood (49%), confidence (42%) and eating decisions (49%)
I was recently given the chance to try ProVen Probiotics out and see for myself if they make any difference to how I’m feeling.
The timing was perfect as I’d just been on a 10 day course of antibiotics to treat an recurring infection so I began taking them afterwards…I always remember a European friend of mine telling me that it was standard practise in her home country to give Probiotics out with every course of Antibiotics and how surprised she was that this wasn’t done in the UK.
The ProVenProbiotics Adult Acidophilus and Bifidus 25 billion ((RRP £13.95 for 30 capsules)) contain 25 billion per two capsules and also contain calcium, Vitamins C and D, zinc and selenium to aid digestion and immunity.
Its recommended that they be taken for between 1-4 months depending on personal need, I’m currently a month in to my trial and I have to say – I have noticed a definite difference with bloating, and I have had only one IBS flare up in that time which was a very mild one. Usually in any given month I’ll have at least 3, at least one of which is usually bad enough to see me bed bound for the day!
Of course it’s difficult to say whether this is purely down to the ProVen or not, but it’s given me enough faith in it to want to continue the trial and so I have purchased another few months worth. I’m really hopeful that they’ll continue to help me regain some normality in my life after years of struggling with these horrible symptoms.
Give your body a boost
Forget faddy diets
Enjoy a healthy breakfast
Fill up on fibre
Keep sweets as treats
Keep hydrated
Rethink the way you drink in 2018
Relax and don't worry
The ProVen range also offers ProVen Fit For School – chewable tablets have been specially formulated for children aged 4-16 years old to help maintain immune function and general wellbeing, and shown to reduce the number of coughs and colds by a third, their duration by 50% and absenteeism from school by 30% – and ProVen Probiotics Acidophilus & Bifidus with A-Z Multivitamins for Children which provides a combination of 100% of the recommended daily allowance of all 13 essential vitamins, together with 2.5 billion Lab4 friendly bacteria, and is recommended for children aged 4-16 years.
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