Natural health: What can I do to improve my weak digestion?

It will certainly make a great difference to your holiday if you can enjoy the local food. Interestingly, the remedy you may find most helpful for you is from Greece.

The weakening of digestion is primarily caused by an underlying bacterium called Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori).

This can not only impact digestion directly but also is a common trigger for stomach ulcers and gastritis.

Approximately 90% of individuals with these conditions are found to have H. pylori in their gastrointestinal tract.

Mastic gum, the resin of the Pistacia lentiscus tree, found on the island of Chios, helps reduce gut inflammation, relieves various digestive issues, and, most importantly, destroys H. pylori.

H. pylori causes significant trouble in the gut because it surrounds itself with a protective layer of ammonia to shield against the acidic environment of the stomach, then penetrates the gut lining and attaches itself to the epithelial cells.

Mastic gum has been used to treat gastrointestinal disorders for centuries, with records dating back to the time of Hippocrates.

The pure gum can be chewed, and chewing gum products are available to prepare the digestive system before food.

The best plan would be to prepare your gut before you travel using a mastic gum supplement.

Mastika is a supplement containing 500mg of mastic gum and can be purchased from health stores, where 60 capsules cost €26.95.

You will need to take two capsules before bed with water for one month, then reduce the dosage to one capsule a day as a maintenance dose.

Often, we find that foods we don’t tolerate well at home are less problematic when we are relaxed on holiday, which highlights the close connection between stress levels and digestive health.

Underlying stress is thought to play a key role in a wide range of chronic health conditions.

Make sure to try a little of any foods on offer, rather than committing to a full meal, just to assess how your body handles certain foods.

This will help you establish which foods are more agreeable and which ones to avoid during your holiday.

I’m in perimenopause and experiencing repeated UTIs — the pain can be excruciating. I’ve stopped drinking tea and coffee and drink plenty of water, but this hasn’t made a difference.

Perimenopause can throw our systems into complete chaos, and ongoing urinary tract infections will make you miserable.

You have already made beneficial changes, but there are undoubtedly other steps that can bring much-needed relief.

One product I highly recommend in the prevention and treatment of UTIs is D-mannose, a mono-saccharide naturally found in fruits.

It works by binding to the bacteria responsible for bladder and urinary tract infections, which are then flushed out with the water you drink.

The good news is that D-mannose is water-soluble, which means that it works relatively quickly.

You haven’t mentioned whether you have also cut out sugar.

The bacteria responsible for UTIs tend to multiply out of control when feeding on sugar, so if you eliminate sugar from your diet as much as possible, particularly processed sugars, you should notice a significant change.

Sugar intake can be at the root of many perimenopausal symptoms (including hot flushes), so managing blood sugar levels can really help women during this time.

Waterfall D-mannose is available at pharmacies or can be ordered online from waterfall-d-mannose.com.

• NOTE: The information contained in this column is not a substitute for medical advice. Always consult a doctor.