In today’s hectic world it can be challenging to balance optimal nutrition and lifestyle to maintain good digestive health function. And for some of us, we may indulge from time to time and need a little support to make us feel better.

Research shows that a properly functioning digestive system is essential for optimal health, maintaining your energy and helping you focus on what’s most important to you.

“When I first started working in this field 25 years ago, there wasn’t much awareness around digestion and how crucial it is for overall health,” says Sherry Torkos, a natural health expert and pharmacist based in Fort Erie, ON, and author of The Canadian Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine. Fortunately that has changed, with increased awareness among healthcare providers. At the same time, chemicals, dyes and additives consumed (many in processed foods) and increasingly hectic lifestyles continue to contribute to digestive issues.

While some symptoms can be addressed with drugs, they don’t work for everyone, have side effects, and may only work for a limited time.

stimulates digestion, while providing a dose of vitamin C. What’s more, it also helps you digest fat and boosts your energy levels.

you can reduce the incidence of digestive problems such as bloating and flatulence by choosing foods according to the speed at which they are digested. To maintain your stomach’s pH balance, start with foods that are broken down the fastest, and then have those that take longer to break down.

• Avoid fruits after meals.
• Avoid having protein and starch in the same meal
• Enjoy vegetables with proteins or starches, but not at the same time as fruits
• Opt for whole, unprocessed foods

Herbs can help heal your digestive system. Some of the most effective medicinal herbs are:

• Artichoke: has the highest natural fibre content of any vegetable and over most grains, which helps break down food and keep your digestive system moving. The bile-producing cynarin in artichoke also alleviates bloating and other digestive pain.
• Milk Thistle: one of the most powerful herbs for liver detoxification and can relieve dyspepsia (indigestion) symptoms including upset stomach, nausea, feeling bloated, and burping.
• Boldo: Native tribes of South America have been using the leaves of boldo for hundreds of years both as a culinary spice and herbal medicine. Boldo is considered one of the best medicinal herbs for many digestive disorders such as bloating, heartburn, and poor absorption of nutrients in the stomach and intestines.
• Dandelion: Dandelion leaf is one of the best herbal diuretics. It is also a very good source of carotenes and potassium. The whole herb is used for loss of appetite, dyspepsia, flatulence and feelings of fullness after meals.    

Since it can be challenging to take the required amount of these herbs to get the medicinal effect, A.Vogel has developed a powerful herbal complex called Bold-O-Cynara which is made up of the combination of artichoke, milk thistle, and boldo.

We know it works, not only because all the herbals in the combination have been traditionally used for digestive disorders for many, many years (if not centuries) but also because it has been clinically proven to help relieve common symptoms of a poor digestion such as: heartburn, acid reflux, excessive burping, abdominal bloating, nausea, a feeling of abnormal or slow digestion, or early satiety.

Over a 6 week period, an open, multi-centre clinical study was performed to test both the efficacy and safety of Bold-o-cynara® with just two tabs per day.[1]

According to patients’ assessment the frequency of their digestive disorders was reduced by 78 % and the impact on their daily routine was reduced even further by 81%.

Many of us eat on the go which can negatively impact our digestion. Stress can also be a factor: when your body is running on adrenaline, your digestive system shuts down. Do your best to take a little time to relax and appreciate the flavours, textures and joy of eating.

• Eat seated upright at a table, shoulders back, not hunched over your plate.
• Take 2-3 deep breaths before your meal
• Avoid multi-tasking and put your phone aside
• Candlelight is a great way to enjoy a meal and unwind at end of the day
• Take a break of at least five minutes once you’ve finished your meal

Regular exercise can promote good digestion too. Walking at a good pace for 15 minutes after a meal is a great way to get your digestion going, and can help reduce bloating and feelings of fatigue or heaviness that often follow meals.

Finally, if you are travelling and eating foreign foods or simply enjoyed a rich meal and washed it down with some good wine, beer or spirits take two Bold-O-Cynara tablets before bed with a tall glass of water to ensure you feel good the next day. It’s a simple trick you’ll be glad you know!     

A.Vogel was founded in Basel, Switzerland in 1923 by the company’s founder and namesake, Alfred Vogel, a phytotherapist, naturopath and a pioneer in natural health. From 1937 Alfred Vogel cultivated and harvested herbs to manufacture remedies from fresh, organic GMO free plants. Today, A.Vogel (Bioforce) has over 500 employees and operates in 30 countries. The company’s headquarters remain in Switzerland with subsidiaries in Holland, France, Finland and Canada. A.Vogel’s commitment to organic farming methods means they use their own, carefully selected seeds, knowing the history of each plant, and having full traceability.