Evidence map

All 885 tips from all chapters, sorted by topic and confidence score. See what is well supported and what is still experimental.

Tap a number to see the tips below. Darker cells contain more tips.

83 tips

Digestive function · Clear selection

Digestive function

83 tips – expand
  • Trust score 5 of 5:Established Lifestyle

    Replace fluid and salts

    The most important step. An oral rehydration solution to dissolve, with a low salt concentration, replaces water and salts better than water alone and, in studies, reduces stool volume and duration. Ready-made powders are available in pharmacies in many countries; what exactly they are called differs.

    Diarrhoea: understand it, place it and react the right way 2 sources

  • Trust score 5 of 5:Established Lifestyle

    Do not go gluten-free before being tested for coeliac disease

    Coeliac tests only work as long as you eat gluten. Cutting it out beforehand distorts the result.

    Lactose, fructose, gluten: making sense of intolerances 1 sources

  • Trust score 5 of 5:Established Lifestyle

    Cut down on alcohol and smoking

    Both are a main cause of chronic inflammation of the pancreas and thus of lasting enzyme deficiency.

    Stomach acid, bile and enzymes 1 sources

  • Trust score 4 of 5:Well supported Lifestyle

    Two kiwifruit a day

    In an international study, two green kiwifruit a day increased the number of complete bowel movements slightly more than psyllium and were better tolerated.

    Constipation: more than too little fibre 2 sources

  • Trust score 4 of 5:Well supported Lifestyle

    Hygiene and travel

    When travelling, only well-cooked, peeled or freshly peeled foods and bottled water. Washing your hands lowers the risk, because most acute diarrhoea is infectious.

    Diarrhoea: understand it, place it and react the right way 1 sources

  • Trust score 4 of 5:Well supported Lifestyle

    Fibre from cereals and fruit

    Wholegrains, oats, fruit and pulses make stools soft and lower the risk of diverticular disease in large studies. If you currently eat little, increase slowly over a few weeks and drink enough, otherwise you will get bloating.

    Diverticula, haemorrhoids and fissures: what can go wrong at the end of the gut 2 sources

  • Trust score 4 of 5:Well supported Lifestyle

    Lose weight if needed

    If you are overweight, losing weight is one of the most effective measures against reflux.

    Heartburn and reflux 2 sources

  • Trust score 4 of 5:Well supported Lifestyle

    Raise the head of the bed

    For heartburn at night, raise the head end of the bed by 10 to 20 cm. Extra pillows are not enough.

    Heartburn and reflux 1 sources

  • Trust score 4 of 5:Well supported Lifestyle

    Cook beans properly

    Soak dried beans overnight, pour away the water and boil them in fresh water until completely soft. Canned beans are already cooked. Do not eat raw or merely warmed kidney beans.

    Oxalate, salicylate, lectins: hidden culprits or internet myth? 2 sources

  • Trust score 4 of 5:Well supported Lifestyle

    With kidney stones: calcium with meals, less salt, drink plenty

    Don't avoid calcium; eat it with meals, e.g. dairy. Cut down on salt and large amounts of animal protein, drink plenty throughout the day. Very high-oxalate foods only in moderation.

    Oxalate, salicylate, lectins: hidden culprits or internet myth? 1 sources

  • Trust score 4 of 5:Well supported Lifestyle

    Lose weight slowly, not completely fat-free

    If you want to lose a lot of weight, it is better to do it gradually. A small amount of fat per meal makes sure the gallbladder empties regularly. In studies, higher-fat weight-loss diets reduced stone formation compared with very low-fat ones. With very rapid weight loss or after stomach surgery, ursodeoxycholic acid can be useful as prevention; your doctor decides.

    Pressure under the right ribs: bile, liver and gallstones 2 sources

  • Trust score 3 of 5:Promising Lifestyle

    Get warning signs checked

    Fatty, pale stool, unwanted weight loss or a lack of fat-soluble vitamins should be investigated before trying preparations. Elastase in the stool shows whether the pancreas supplies enough enzymes.

    Bile, lipase and lecithin: what fat digestion really needs 1 sources

  • Trust score 3 of 5:Promising Lifestyle

    Choline comes from food

    Eggs, fish, meat, milk, soy, legumes and broccoli supply choline. A varied mixed diet covers the need; a deficiency is not to be expected in healthy people eating normally.

    Bile, lipase and lecithin: what fat digestion really needs 1 sources

  • Trust score 3 of 5:Promising Lifestyle

    Get moving

    Light movement helps move gas through the gut faster. In a study of people with bloating, physical activity clearly sped up the passing of gas. A walk after meals is often more effective and free of side effects than any remedy.

    Bloating and fullness: gas that will not move on 1 sources

  • Trust score 3 of 5:Promising Lifestyle

    Reduce gassy foods rather than cutting them out

    For a few weeks, deliberately eating fewer hard-to-digest sugars (low-FODMAP) eases symptoms for many. What matters is to keep this phase short and then reintroduce the foods, rather than avoiding them for good. Otherwise the diversity of the gut flora dwindles and the diet becomes one-sided.

    Bloating and fullness: gas that will not move on 1 sources

  • Trust score 3 of 5:Promising Lifestyle

    Prunes

    50 g of dried prunes twice a day worked about as well as psyllium in a comparative study.

    Constipation: more than too little fibre 1 sources

  • Trust score 3 of 5:Promising Lifestyle

    Watch your stool form

    The Bristol scale shows how fast your gut works. If you note for several days what you ate and what the stool looked like, you recognise your own triggers and see whether a measure works. The aim is types 3 and 4.

    Constipation: more than too little fibre 1 sources

  • Trust score 3 of 5:Promising Lifestyle

    Bland food and fibre

    Rice in the rehydration solution or as a porridge reduced stool volume slightly more than the plain sugar solution in a meta-analysis. With longer-lasting diarrhoea, soluble fibre such as psyllium husk makes the stool firmer.

    Diarrhoea: understand it, place it and react the right way 2 sources

  • Trust score 3 of 5:Promising Lifestyle

    Dose milk sugar instead of avoiding it

    Most people with lactase deficiency tolerate about 12 g of lactose, roughly a glass of milk, without notable symptoms, especially with a meal. Hard cheese and yoghurt contain less lactose.

    Digestive enzymes from mouth to colon: who breaks down what 1 sources

  • Trust score 3 of 5:Promising Lifestyle

    Nuts, seeds and popcorn are allowed

    There is no reason to avoid them because of diverticula. In the large study of men, eating them more often tended to go with less diverticulitis. Professional societies now recommend an overall high-quality diet instead.

    Diverticula, haemorrhoids and fissures: what can go wrong at the end of the gut 2 sources

  • Trust score 3 of 5:Promising Lifestyle

    Exercise, weight, not smoking

    To prevent recurrent diverticulitis, US gastroenterologists recommend a good diet, a normal weight, physical activity and not smoking. Avoid painkillers such as ibuprofen or diclofenac where possible unless prescribed. Genes play a role too; not every recurrence can be prevented.

    Diverticula, haemorrhoids and fissures: what can go wrong at the end of the gut 1 sources

  • Trust score 3 of 5:Promising Lifestyle

    Small particles: food that breaks down easily

    In the only randomised diet trial in gastroparesis so far (56 people with diabetes), a diet of foods that easily turn into a fine mash relieved nausea, vomiting, fullness and bloating over 20 weeks more than the usual diabetes diet. In practice: soft-cooked, puréed or well chewed, fewer tough skins, seeds and fibrous raw vegetables. Blood sugar and weight remained stable.

    Gastroparesis: when the stomach empties too slowly 2 sources

  • Trust score 3 of 5:Promising Lifestyle

    Small, frequent, liquid if needed

    Several small meals burden the stomach less than a few large ones. Liquids leave the stomach more easily than solids; on bad days, soups, smoothies or oral nutrition drinks can keep you nourished. Fat is often better tolerated in liquid than in solid form.

    Gastroparesis: when the stomach empties too slowly 1 sources

  • Trust score 3 of 5:Promising Lifestyle

    Keep blood sugar well controlled

    High blood sugar slows the stomach further. With diabetes it is worth adjusting insulin and meals to the slower emptying together with your care team, also to avoid low blood sugar after meals.

    Gastroparesis: when the stomach empties too slowly 2 sources

  • Trust score 3 of 5:Promising Lifestyle

    Do not eat two to three hours before sleeping

    Late meals prolong acid contact at night.

    Heartburn and reflux 1 sources

  • Trust score 3 of 5:Promising Lifestyle

    Tablets with plenty of water, not right before lying down

    Some tablets and capsules irritate the oesophagus if they get stuck there. Swallow them upright with a full glass of water and do not lie down for a few minutes afterwards.

    Heartburn and reflux no source of its own, score based on judgement

  • Trust score 3 of 5:Promising Lifestyle

    Spread lactose over the day

    Small amounts with meals are tolerated better than a big glass on an empty stomach. Hard cheese and yoghurt contain little lactose; in cheese it has almost disappeared.

    Lactose, fructose, gluten: making sense of intolerances 1 sources

  • Trust score 3 of 5:Promising Lifestyle

    Do not stack sugar and sugar alcohols

    People who tolerate fructose poorly often notice that sugar-free chewing gum, sweets and “light” products with sorbitol or xylitol make symptoms worse. Both partly use the same absorption route in the small intestine. When testing, change only one thing at a time.

    Lactose, fructose, gluten: making sense of intolerances 1 sources

  • Trust score 3 of 5:Promising Lifestyle

    Find the triggers instead of cutting out for good

    Test in a structured way and reintroduce, ideally with a dietitian. Cutting out for good narrows the choice and with it the nutrient intake.

    Nutrient deficiency in gut problems: when food no longer arrives 1 sources

  • Trust score 3 of 5:Promising Lifestyle

    Know the blockers and the helpers

    Phytates in wholegrain and pulses, tannins in tea and coffee, and polyphenols block iron absorption. Vitamin C and a little meat or fish promote it. Soaking, sprouting and sourdough lower the phytate in grains and pulses.

    Nutrient deficiency in gut problems: when food no longer arrives 2 sources

  • Trust score 3 of 5:Promising Lifestyle

    Keep plant variety

    Don't cut pulses, whole grains, nuts, tomatoes and vegetables because of online lists. If you tolerate a particular food poorly, test it specifically instead of avoiding whole groups.

    Oxalate, salicylate, lectins: hidden culprits or internet myth? 2 sources

  • Trust score 3 of 5:Promising Lifestyle

    Soft stool makes it easier

    Drinking enough and fibre give stool that is easier to pass. This does not fix the defecation disorder, but takes pressure off.

    Pelvic floor: when stool won’t come out properly 1 sources

  • Trust score 3 of 5:Promising Lifestyle

    Exercise

    In a large observational study of more than 45,000 men, among those under 65 the most active had a risk of gallstone symptoms around 40 per cent lower than the least active, beyond the benefit for weight. A lot of sitting went along with more symptoms.

    Pressure under the right ribs: bile, liver and gallstones 1 sources

  • Trust score 3 of 5:Promising Lifestyle

    Check irritants and painkillers

    Painkillers of the ibuprofen group, smoking, alcohol and a lot of coffee on an empty stomach irritate the stomach lining. Ask whether you can do without a painkiller or take it with stomach protection.

    Sensitive stomach: fullness, upper abdominal pain and Helicobacter no source of its own, score based on judgement

  • Trust score 3 of 5:Promising Lifestyle

    A little fat per meal

    Fat is the strongest signal for CCK and thus for regular emptying of the gallbladder. A very low-fat diet, especially during rapid weight loss, increases the risk of gallstones. A little olive oil, nuts or fish with meals keeps the bile moving.

    The digestive chain: how stomach acid, bile and pancreas set each other off 1 sources

  • Trust score 3 of 5:Promising Lifestyle

    Read the labels

    Look out for excipients such as lactose, sorbitol, mannitol, xylitol, maltitol, inulin or isomalt, especially in chewable tablets, gummies, effervescent tablets and powders. Protein isolates contain less lactose than concentrates.

    When the supplement itself is the problem: iron, magnesium, excipients and more 3 sources

  • Trust score 2 of 5:Plausible Lifestyle

    Write down symptoms while stopping

    In the first weeks after stopping, note when heartburn occurs, after which meal and how strong it is. This shows whether it fades after a few weeks (rebound) or stays (relapse), and makes the decision about carrying on easier.

    Acid blockers (PPIs): what they change in the gut and how to stop them properly no source of its own, score based on judgement

  • Trust score 2 of 5:Plausible Lifestyle

    Try low-fat meals

    Less fat per meal means fewer bile acids are released. Some people notice a clear improvement.

    Bile acids: when bile causes diarrhoea no source of its own, score based on judgement

  • Trust score 2 of 5:Plausible Lifestyle

    Feed the converters

    The bacteria that convert bile acids, like many bacteria in the large intestine, live on fibre. A varied, high-fibre diet, especially after antibiotics, is plausible. It has not been studied specifically for bile acids.

    Bile acids: when bile causes diarrhoea 2 sources

  • Trust score 2 of 5:Plausible Lifestyle

    Pay attention to fat and fibre patterns

    Avoiding very large amounts of animal fat at once, and eating more vegetables, legumes and whole grains, is likely to ease the bile acid environment. The evidence comes from a small study on short-term dietary changes and from observation, not from treatment studies in bile acid diarrhoea. With diarrhoea, many people at first tolerate fibre from vegetables only in small portions.

    Bile acids: when bile causes diarrhoea 1 sources

  • Trust score 2 of 5:Plausible Lifestyle

    Spread fat out rather than cutting it

    If you have symptoms after a meal, it is better to spread the fat over several smaller meals rather than leaving it out entirely. A diary shows which meals cause problems.

    Bile, lipase and lecithin: what fat digestion really needs no source of its own, score based on judgement

  • Trust score 2 of 5:Plausible Lifestyle

    Pace of eating and carbonation

    Eating in a hurry, drinking carbonated drinks and drinking through a straw bring extra air into the stomach. Eating more slowly, chewing well and putting the cutlery down between bites eases things for many. The American professional society counts such habits among the first steps.

    Bloating and fullness: gas that will not move on 1 sources

  • Trust score 2 of 5:Plausible Lifestyle

    Watch out for constipation

    If stool stays in the large intestine, the gas backs up too. Anyone having a bowel movement less than three times a week should treat the constipation as well – often the bloating then improves too. The European consensus explicitly names constipation as a common component.

    Bloating and fullness: gas that will not move on 1 sources

  • Trust score 2 of 5:Plausible Lifestyle

    Use the morning reflex

    Gut movement is strongest after breakfast. Take your time, do not hold it in, and put your feet on a footstool.

    Constipation: more than too little fibre no source of its own, score based on judgement

  • Trust score 2 of 5:Plausible Lifestyle

    Everyday movement

    Walking, climbing stairs and cycling stimulate gut movement. The evidence is mixed, but exercise is cheap, has few side effects and is good for the whole body. People who drink little and sit a lot often notice it in their gut first.

    Constipation: more than too little fibre no source of its own, score based on judgement

  • Trust score 2 of 5:Plausible Lifestyle

    Narrow down triggers

    A short diary and a test phase show whether lactose, fructose, sugar alcohols or processed foods play a part. Do not cut them out for good, but test deliberately and then widen again.

    Diarrhoea: understand it, place it and react the right way no source of its own, score based on judgement

  • Trust score 2 of 5:Plausible Lifestyle

    Don’t irritate the gut further during diarrhoea

    While diarrhoea lasts, less coffee, alcohol, sugar alcohols (sorbitol, xylitol) and very fatty food help; they drive the gut. Small meals and small sips are tolerated better than large ones. With contagious diarrhoea: own towel, clean the toilet thoroughly, and do not prepare food for others for up to two days after the last diarrhoea.

    Diarrhoea: understand it, place it and react the right way no source of its own, score based on judgement

  • Trust score 2 of 5:Plausible Lifestyle

    Chew thoroughly

    Chewing breaks food up and gives salivary amylase time. Small bites and thorough chewing take the load off the later stations. This has hardly been studied directly for symptoms, but it does no harm.

    Digestive enzymes from mouth to colon: who breaks down what 1 sources

  • Trust score 2 of 5:Plausible Lifestyle

    Build up legumes slowly

    If you rarely eat legumes, you notice them strongly. Small portions, well soaked and cooked, raised in small steps, give the gut bacteria time to adjust. This is plausible and often reported, but not well studied. If legumes cause strong symptoms, a FODMAP issue may also be behind it, see low-FODMAP.

    Digestive enzymes from mouth to colon: who breaks down what no source of its own, score based on judgement

  • Trust score 2 of 5:Plausible Lifestyle

    Match triggers to an enzyme

    Write down after which sugars or starches the symptoms come: milk, table sugar, legumes or bread. Each pattern points to a different enzyme, and the list helps in the doctor’s office. A diary does not replace a test, but it narrows things down.

    Digestive enzymes from mouth to colon: who breaks down what no source of its own, score based on judgement

  • Trust score 2 of 5:Plausible Lifestyle

    Short toilet visits, leave the phone outside

    Only go when you feel the urge, do not strain, and get up after a few minutes if nothing happens. A footstool makes emptying easier (see the pelvic floor chapter). The phone tempts you to sit for long.

    Diverticula, haemorrhoids and fissures: what can go wrong at the end of the gut 2 sources

  • Trust score 2 of 5:Plausible Lifestyle

    Only avoid triggers if they affect you

    A blanket ban on coffee, chocolate or spicy food is not supported by evidence. Pay attention to your own experience.

    Heartburn and reflux 1 sources

  • Trust score 2 of 5:Plausible Lifestyle

    Smaller, less fatty meals

    Large and fatty meals stretch the stomach for a long time and trigger reflux more often. Several smaller meals and a little less fat relieve the stomach entrance. This is plausible and often recommended, but not clearly proven by large studies.

    Heartburn and reflux no source of its own, score based on judgement

  • Trust score 2 of 5:Plausible Lifestyle

    Train the diaphragm

    In a small study, four weeks of belly breathing training reduced acid reflux. The diaphragm is part of the closure. The study was small; trying it costs nothing.

    Heartburn and reflux 1 sources

  • Trust score 2 of 5:Plausible Lifestyle

    Fructose: a diet trial instead of a test

    A targeted trial with less fructose shows more than a breath test. Fruits with a balanced sugar content, such as berries or citrus fruits, are often better tolerated than juice, dried fruit, honey or sweetened drinks. Important: after a few weeks, check again how much works.

    Lactose, fructose, gluten: making sense of intolerances 1 sources

  • Trust score 2 of 5:Plausible Lifestyle

    Try fermented dairy products

    Yoghurt and kefir are often tolerated better with lactase deficiency because the bacteria in them already split lactose. In a small study of 15 adults, kefir led to fewer symptoms. A trial is worthwhile before you cut out dairy altogether, since it supplies calcium and protein.

    Lactose, fructose, gluten: making sense of intolerances 1 sources

  • Trust score 2 of 5:Plausible Lifestyle

    Spread fat out rather than cutting it

    A strict low-fat diet is usually unnecessary after surgery. If you notice that large, very fatty meals trigger diarrhoea or pressure, spread the fat over several smaller meals rather than leaving it out entirely.

    Life without a gallbladder: diarrhoea, fat and symptoms after surgery 1 sources

  • Trust score 2 of 5:Plausible Lifestyle

    Watch for a few months

    Changes in bowel habits are common in the first weeks and improve on their own in many people. A diary shows whether things are getting better and which meals cause problems. If watery diarrhoea lasts longer than a few weeks, targeted investigation is worthwhile.

    Life without a gallbladder: diarrhoea, fat and symptoms after surgery 2 sources

  • Trust score 2 of 5:Plausible Lifestyle

    Fibre and variety for the gut microbiota

    After surgery the microbiota is less diverse. Whether a high-fibre, varied diet makes up for this has not been studied, but it is plausible and good for the gut anyway. With diarrhoea, increase slowly.

    Life without a gallbladder: diarrhoea, fat and symptoms after surgery 1 sources

  • Trust score 2 of 5:Plausible Lifestyle

    Spread fat over the day

    Anyone who digests large, very fatty meals poorly is better off spreading the fat over several smaller meals instead of cutting it out entirely. The fat-soluble vitamins need fat in the food anyway to be absorbed.

    Nutrient deficiency in gut problems: when food no longer arrives no source of its own, score based on judgement

  • Trust score 2 of 5:Plausible Lifestyle

    Soft food during an acute flare, but only briefly

    During a flare, soft, low-fat foods can ease things for a few days. As a permanent diet they often lack protein, fibre and vitamins, so widen again as soon as possible.

    Nutrient deficiency in gut problems: when food no longer arrives no source of its own, score based on judgement

  • Trust score 2 of 5:Plausible Lifestyle

    With little appetite, eat nutrient-dense

    If you eat little because of symptoms, small nutrient-rich meals help more than empty calories: protein sources, eggs, fish, legumes in a tolerable form, nuts and oils. This matters most with weight loss. Good studies on particular diets in gut complaints are scarce; the advice follows the mechanism.

    Nutrient deficiency in gut problems: when food no longer arrives no source of its own, score based on judgement

  • Trust score 2 of 5:Plausible Lifestyle

    Rotate instead of concentrating

    Spinach, chard and rhubarb are healthy, but not by the litre as juice or smoothie every day. Eaten together with some calcium, such as yoghurt or cheese, less oxalate is absorbed.

    Oxalate, salicylate, lectins: hidden culprits or internet myth? 1 sources

  • Trust score 2 of 5:Plausible Lifestyle

    Feet up: a stool in front of the toilet

    With your feet on a footstool and leaning slightly forward, the rectum straightens. In 52 healthy people, bowel movements were shorter, with less straining and more often a feeling of complete emptying.

    Pelvic floor: when stool won’t come out properly 1 sources

  • Trust score 2 of 5:Plausible Lifestyle

    Don’t strain, let go

    Breathe into your belly, let it bulge gently outwards and consciously relax the pelvic floor. Don’t sit for more than a few minutes; try again later instead.

    Pelvic floor: when stool won’t come out properly 1 sources

  • Trust score 2 of 5:Plausible Lifestyle

    A set time after breakfast

    The bowel is most active after eating. A set toilet time in the morning with good posture clearly increased the number of complete bowel movements in a small study.

    Pelvic floor: when stool won’t come out properly 1 sources

  • Trust score 2 of 5:Plausible Lifestyle

    Don’t strengthen by reflex

    If you have a defecation disorder and do pelvic floor exercises of the “tighten and hold” type (Kegel exercises), you may increase the tension. The goal is coordination: being able to let go on purpose. First have someone show you whether your pelvic floor is too weak, too tense or both.

    Pelvic floor: when stool won’t come out properly no source of its own, score based on judgement

  • Trust score 2 of 5:Plausible Lifestyle

    Coffee

    In a Danish study of more than 100,000 people, more coffee went along with fewer gallstone symptoms, and a genetic analysis supported a causal link. This is no reason to drink coffee, but also none to avoid it for the sake of the gallbladder.

    Pressure under the right ribs: bile, liver and gallstones 1 sources

  • Trust score 2 of 5:Plausible Lifestyle

    Smaller meals, eat slowly

    With fullness, several small meals instead of a few large ones and chewing thoroughly often help. This is experience, not tested in large studies.

    Sensitive stomach: fullness, upper abdominal pain and Helicobacter no source of its own, score based on judgement

  • Trust score 2 of 5:Plausible Lifestyle

    Check fat and late meals

    Fatty food slows stomach emptying. The symptom diary can show whether fatty food, coffee, alcohol or spicy food play a role for you.

    Sensitive stomach: fullness, upper abdominal pain and Helicobacter no source of its own, score based on judgement

  • Trust score 2 of 5:Plausible Lifestyle

    Include the gut–brain connection

    Stress noticeably worsens stomach complaints. Relaxation techniques, gut-directed hypnotherapy or psychotherapy are used for functional gut complaints when other measures are not enough.

    Sensitive stomach: fullness, upper abdominal pain and Helicobacter 1 sources

  • Trust score 2 of 5:Plausible Lifestyle

    Breaks between meals

    If you constantly eat small portions, you interrupt the cleaning wave that empties the stomach between meals. If several small meals help you, still leave a few hours in between. Both approaches can be tried; neither is proven.

    Sensitive stomach: fullness, upper abdominal pain and Helicobacter no source of its own, score based on judgement

  • Trust score 2 of 5:Plausible Lifestyle

    Move gently after eating, do not lie down

    A short walk after eating supports emptying; lying down keeps the chyme in the stomach longer and favours reflux. This is experience-based knowledge, little tested in studies.

    Sensitive stomach: fullness, upper abdominal pain and Helicobacter no source of its own, score based on judgement

  • Trust score 2 of 5:Plausible Lifestyle

    Chew thoroughly

    Chewing breaks down food, gives salivary amylase time and starts digestion in the mouth. This has hardly been studied directly for symptoms, but it is physiologically well founded and costs nothing.

    Stomach acid, bile and enzymes 1 sources

  • Trust score 2 of 5:Plausible Lifestyle

    Smaller portions

    Smaller meals ease the load on the stomach and pancreas and reduce the feeling of fullness. Large, very fatty meals stay in the stomach for a long time.

    Stomach acid, bile and enzymes no source of its own, score based on judgement

  • Trust score 2 of 5:Plausible Lifestyle

    Eat calmly and leave gaps

    Sit down to eat and eat without distraction so that the preparation via the vagus nerve can run. Between meals, three to four hours without food help, because the MMC housekeeping wave only runs when fasting. This is worth a try especially with bloating or a tendency to small intestinal bacterial overgrowth. It is physiologically plausible but has hardly been studied as a treatment.

    Stomach acid, bile and enzymes 2 sources

  • Trust score 2 of 5:Plausible Lifestyle

    Note symptoms with timing

    For a few weeks, write down what happens when after eating, what the stool looks like and how your weight develops. This lets you spot patterns, such as stomach symptoms straight away or bloating later, and raise them in a targeted way. The site’s symptom diary is made for this.

    Stomach acid, bile and enzymes no source of its own, score based on judgement

  • Trust score 2 of 5:Plausible Lifestyle

    Give the cephalic phase a chance

    Smelling, looking, eating in peace and chewing thoroughly start the chain via the vagus nerve. If you eat on the go or in front of a screen, you skip part of it. This has not been studied directly for symptoms, but it is well founded physiologically.

    The digestive chain: how stomach acid, bile and pancreas set each other off 1 sources

  • Trust score 2 of 5:Plausible Lifestyle

    Drinking with meals is fine

    A glass of water with a meal does not disturb digestion. If you eat faster or chew less while drinking, watch your pace anyway. Chewing and calm matter more than whether you drink alongside.

    The digestive chain: how stomach acid, bile and pancreas set each other off no source of its own, score based on judgement

  • Trust score 2 of 5:Plausible Lifestyle

    Write a list of all products

    Write down everything you take daily, with dose, form and timing, including chewable tablets, powders, teas and bars. This list alone often shows that it is more than you thought. It also helps at the doctor’s, because some products interact with medicines.

    When the supplement itself is the problem: iron, magnesium, excipients and more 1 sources

  • Trust score 2 of 5:Plausible Lifestyle

    Test phase: two weeks without, then back one by one

    If no product has been prescribed, you can leave out all supplements for two weeks and keep the diary. Then add back only one product at a time and wait a few days. Do not stop prescribed products such as iron for anaemia, vitamin B12 or vitamin D after a deficiency on your own, but discuss the approach. You can find the matching test phase under Test phases.

    When the supplement itself is the problem: iron, magnesium, excipients and more 1 sources