February 28, 2020 at 10:00AM by CWC
If you have digestive challenges (and over 60 million people do), calming your gut can feel like a never-ending process of trial and error, but that could be because you’re looking at the wrong symptoms.
For example, when you’re dealing with constant brain fog and lack of energy (on top of any tummy troubles), it can seem counterintuitive that what you really need to address is your gut health—instead of just opting for an extra shot of espresso.
“People have that tendency to look for a quick fix [for their gut issues] instead of getting to the root cause, which takes a little more time and effort,” says Audrey Ross, naturopathic doctor and senior national educator at Country Life Vitamins.
The truth is, the gut plays a role in almost every area of your health (more on that below), so tackling other health concerns before your digestive woes is basically like slapping a bandaid on a problem without figuring out what’s causing it.
Tackling other health concerns before your digestive woes is basically like slapping on a bandaid.
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That philosophy is what led Country Life Vitamins to developing its Gut Connection
supplements for gut health, which combine digestion-supporting prebiotics with other herbs to address your specific needs—so you can finally get to the bottom of your digestive issues once and for all.*
All you have to do is take a moment to think critically about your diet, lifestyle, and any symptoms that indicate you’re anything less than the pinnacle of health, and Ross says that will point you in the right direction toward finding the supplement that can help you out. Take the quiz below to get started on your gut-health check-in, and keep reading to find out how your symptoms link back to your microbiome.
Take the quiz to figure out what supplements for gut health can help you, based on the symptoms you’re dealing with.
Got your result? Keep reading for all the details on how those supplements for gut health can help support your specific concerns.
If you got: Digestive Balance
The most obvious symptoms of gut problems—bloating, stomach issues, sprinting to the bathroom (or never having to go)—can leave you wanting to mix kombucha with Greek yogurt and eat it for every meal.* But, that’s probably not a good idea considering that piling on the probiotics sometimes isn’t the best solve for your symptoms, according to Ross.
Instead, Digestive Balance works to help maintain your gut lining and support the probiotics that are already there using dried yeast fermentate, prebiotics, and kiwifruit (all of which have researched gut-boosting benefits), giving you some relief now and in the future.*
If you got: Stress Balance + Mood Balance
It’s not news that stress affects the gut. This 2018 study showed that various forms of stress on members of the military could have negative effects on their microbiomes. And while you might not be dealing with military-levels of stress, when bloating and bathroom-related problems happen right before a big date or event, your gut can majorly stress you out, too (not to mention make you beyond irritable).
Stress Balance and Mood Balance work double time to help calm your gut and your mind using ingredients like lemon balm, ashwagandha, L-theanine, which help equip your body to better handle stress and promote relaxation, according to Ross—so you can get back to enjoying your big event, without worrying how any added stress is going to affect your digestion later.*
If you got: Stress Balance + Sleep Balance + Immune Balance
Ever gotten a stomach ache because you’re anxious over something? Or had trouble sleeping because you couldn’t get that something off your mind? Or, have you ever just felt off (especially re: your digestion) after a rough night’s sleep? These are all examples of how your gut, stress, and sleep are connected.
On one hand, an unhealthy microbiome can actually lead to poor sleep, according to one recent study. Lack of sleep can then lead to stress (which we already know affects your gut), as evidenced by how cranky you probably feel after a less-than-restful night.
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It’s a frustrating cycle that a combo of Stress Balance and Sleep Balance aims to fix by promoting calmness and helping you fall asleep faster.* And to make sure your stress-filled, sleepless nights don’t result in a “run-down” feeling, Immune Balance is thrown into the mix to support immunity (because fun fact: 70 percent of the cells that make up your immune system are found in your gut).*
If you got: Cognitive Balance
The gut is called the “second brain” for a reason. While research is constantly developing, one study on people with small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) showed that once the patients addressed their gut issues, they saw significant improvement in brain fog and clarity of mind.
Cognitive Balance seeks to support that connection at the source (your gut), by employing sage extracts and coffee fruit extracts to help cut through the fog and support clearer thinking.*
If you got: Energy Balance + Weight Balance
If you constantly feel like you need a cup of coffee (make that two cups) or are constantly hungry, it could be because of how your gut is influencing both your appetite and energy levels. One 2018 review article noted that your gut microbiota impacts how much energy your body gets from the food you eat.
When you’re constantly tired, guess what you probably don’t feel like doing? Pumping out a super-sweaty workout. So if weight loss is one of your goals, getting your gut in order can help you there, too, as studies suggest your microbiome can also affect your metabolism.
To help you stay on your toes, Energy Balance uses coffeeberry fruit extract and B vitamins to help increase energy and alertness, and Weight Balance uses citrus extracts shown to break down fat—all while supporting healthy digestion.* See? your gut really is connected to (almost) everything.
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Sponsored by CountryLife Vitamins
Top photo: Stocksy/Ezra Bailey
*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
Author Well+Good Editors | Well and Good
Selected by CWC
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