For the last ten years, I’ve been in a turbulent relationship with my gut.
Some days we get on, other days we can’t stand each other. But throughout it all I’ve never stopped marvelling at its ability.
Did you know there are more bacteria in your gut than cells in your body, altogether weighing around 2kg – roughly the same weight as your brain! There are also 100 million neurones in your gut, which interact with your gut bacteria and send messages to and from the brain. No wonder things can get a bit chaotic in there! And it’s easy to see the chain – that if things are out of balance in our gut, it can have a knock-on effect to our nervous systems and therefore our mental wellbeing. More and more studies are finding links between the health of our insides, our general health and the state of our mind.
As I’m sure you know by now, the Low FODMAP Diet has massively helped my reduce my IBS symptoms, improved my general health and certainly bettered my state of mind. Now on the maintenance/personalisation phase of the diet, I’ve worked out my food triggers: wheat, garlic and onion. Rarely having these has made the world of difference but I’m a firm believer in feeding your gut with as much good stuff as you can too! That’s why I’ve decided to try Symprove, to get that extra bit of goodness to my gut.
So what is Symprove? Why should you give two hoots?
Symprove is a water-based multi-strain supplement that contains 4 unique strains of live activated bacteria. These include: L rhamnosus, E. faecium, L. acidophilus, and L. plantarum.
Normally a healthy gut would already contain all four of these (alongside lots of other stuff and types of bacteria), but as you well know, diet, lifestyle and many other factors can cause these to become unbalanced. Because these four strains are found in the guts of healthy people, the plan is that our body recognises them and they can work to thrive. So basically each day you take Symprove, you’re giving your gut a whole lotta’ love and topping up your good bacteria.
In 2014, University College London carried out an independent study on eight leading products containing bacteria said to be great for your gut. To meet the criteria for a good probiotic they needed to arrive in the gut in a live state, survive stomach acid transit and thrive in the gut.
Symprove was the only product to pass all three tests. Get the full low down on the probiotic study here.
So how does it work?
You drink 70ml each day, ten minutes before food (to ensure optimum delivery) and it comes with a cup so it’s super easy to measure. It’s slipped easily into my morning routine. It might not the most delicious-thing-ever, but it’s drinkable and you totally get used to it after a few days. Think fruity but also a bit sour and tangy. Besides, I always think stuff’s got to be good for you if it’s got a bit of a kick to it! It’s a 12 week programme, which sounds like a long time, however published research has shown that establishing a healthy balance of gut bacteria takes a bit of time and care.
I’m a few days in and everything’s going smoothly so far. I’ll be blogging about my experience every step of the way and I’m excited to see how I’ll feel.
One of Symprove’s slogans reads ‘You’ve got guts. Make them happy!’ And I couldn’t agree more. It’s time for a whole lotta’ gut love people.
What do you guys think? Have you tried Symprove? Let me know in the comments below or head over to my Instagram @shecanteatwhat! According to Symprove, many clinicians have used Symprove alongside the FODMAP diet with great results. Have a chat to your GP or dietitian about the two working together.
This post was in partnership with Symprove. Opinions (and experience!) entirely my own.
