digestion issues in the uk

ok, uncomfortable topic, but every time i’m in the uk, my digestion is terrible. slows down to almost nothing, which has caused a few issues (especially during my last 5 month visit). laxatives are not a great remedy either, cause that’s like a gut of lava. anyone else have this issue? how do you fix it?

I’d give a daily probiotic a try.

Do you eat plenty of fruits and vegetables and drink lots of water?

Lactulose is good to help things move if those tricks don’t work.  It’s a natural nectar sold in pharmacies (honey like).  It should NOT cause a rumbling gut.

But seriously, probiotics changed my life!

ok, uncomfortable topic, but every time i’m in the uk, my digestion is terrible. slows down to almost nothing, which has caused a few issues (especially during my last 5 month visit). laxatives are not a great remedy either, cause that’s like a gut of lava. anyone else have this issue? how do you fix it?

There are so many dietary reasons your digestion might slow down, and the UK diet is obviously going to be different to your US diet.  Saying that, do you eat more cheese over here (I certainly do)?  An iron-rich diet could also contribute.  What food(s) do you eat marginally (or significantly!) more of in the UK than in the US?

Oh, also, it's been my experience that a salad at the start of a meal is not so common here as it is in US restaurants.  Less roughage will lead to slower digestion.

There are a LOT more preservatives in UK food. My GI tract rebels horribly to most food here, and I have gastroparesis to begin with. Yogurt, real sauerkraut, Kefir, and/or a good probiotic and making sure you're getting enough healthy fats will help. I also don't get along with the tap water so I drink bottled spring water. I still have to take magnesium oxide gel caps but I have chronic issues and I'm also allergic to most other gentle laxatives. Magnesium citrate is also pretty gentle for keeping things moving, natural calm is the brand I use for that. Feel free to send a PM if you want, sadly GI stuff is just part of my genetic disorder so I have far too much experience with different treatment and dietary options and have no shame talking about it!

thanks for the advice guys!

well my first trip was only a week at a festival, and i hardly ate a thing. but last time there was for sure more cheese, fried foods, and almost no real coffee (just instant, which i’m used to 2 cups of fresh coffee a day at least). eventually i started only eating broth based soups cause they were easy on my tummy. found that activia yogurt at tescos, which helped some. but overall it was 5 months of being very uncomfortable

ok, uncomfortable topic, but every time i’m in the uk, my digestion is terrible. slows down to almost nothing, which has caused a few issues (especially during my last 5 month visit). laxatives are not a great remedy either, cause that’s like a gut of lava. anyone else have this issue? how do you fix it?

I've found that because it's so much cooler here than where I've lived in the past I don't drink nearly as much fluids. You might consider increasing your fluid intake, if it's low? Hot drinks, like tea, seem to help things along.

And there's always oatmeal.  But if you're stressing, it could well be that no dietary intervention is really going to help - until you calm down.

Best of luck with it!

ok, uncomfortable topic, but every time i’m in the uk, my digestion is terrible. slows down to almost nothing, which has caused a few issues (especially during my last 5 month visit). laxatives are not a great remedy either, cause that’s like a gut of lava. anyone else have this issue? how do you fix it?

I am glad you brought this up! I was going to myself. Mine is all over the place. I have found the two best things that have helped me are probiotics and charcoal capsules. You can buy high quality ones at Holland and Barrett.  When things are very uncomfortable I was so surprised to see they do not sell magnesium citrate here! The closest is Movical. I feel myself mine is partly due to some of the gluten items I sneak in here when I know I am not tolerant. My bad there! I have read that some trans fats are not banned like the US. That could play a big part. Good luck!

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I am glad you brought this up! I was going to myself. Mine is all over the place. I have found the two best things that have helped me are probiotics and charcoal capsules. You can buy high quality ones at Holland and Barrett.  When things are very uncomfortable I was so surprised to see they do not sell magnesium citrate here! The closest is Movical. I feel myself mine is partly due to some of the gluten items I sneak in here when I know I am not tolerant. My bad there! I have read that some trans fats are not banned like the US. That could play a big part. Good luck!

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I love this brands probiotics and they have magnesium.

I am glad you brought this up! I was going to myself. Mine is all over the place. I have found the two best things that have helped me are probiotics and charcoal capsules. You can buy high quality ones at Holland and Barrett.  When things are very uncomfortable I was so surprised to see they do not sell magnesium citrate here! The closest is Movical. I feel myself mine is partly due to some of the gluten items I sneak in here when I know I am not tolerant. My bad there! I have read that some trans fats are not banned like the US. That could play a big part. Good luck!

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Just be careful with charcoal. It can absorb nutrients and medication. Because my stomach is so slow to digest anything its on the big "do not ever use" list.

You can definitely find magnesium citrate over here, you just may have to get it online. Movicol is not the same at all! Movicol is the same med as miralax in the US.

Just be careful with charcoal. It can absorb nutrients and medication. Because my stomach is so slow to digest anything its on the big "do not ever use" list.

You can definitely find magnesium citrate over here, you just may have to get it online. Movicol is not the same at all! Movicol is the same med as miralax in the US.

I think she means the liquid magnesium citrate.

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Just be careful with charcoal. It can absorb nutrients and medication. Because my stomach is so slow to digest anything its on the big "do not ever use" list.

You can definitely find magnesium citrate over here, you just may have to get it online. Movicol is not the same at all! Movicol is the same med as miralax in the US.

That is true! Good to mention cause I do separate it from my prescriptions indeed. Please tell me what site you know sells magnesium citrate! I have gone into Boots and Holland &Barrett and they both have no clue about it. Yep Movical would be close to Miralax for sure but does not work as well. I do not touch any other laxatives so I would not know others. If it is the opposite I was thankful to find loperamide which is generic Imodium. I was scared so I stocked up on it in the US but it's here. It sucks to have to deal.with it.

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I think she means the liquid magnesium citrate.

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Yes for sure. Liquid. It's everwhere in the US.

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Yes for sure. Liquid. It's everwhere in the US.

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You can't buy liquid magnesium citrate here. Just the pills which I don't find works as well or as quickly.

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It's pricey here and in the US, but natural calm is a powder you dissolve in water. I was always allergic to the additives in the liquids so I hadn't even looked for them here! I'll see if I can find a brand though, I have one liquid b complex to buy but can't find the bookmark right now.

I go with 3 large swallows of prune juice in the morning......30 minutes later.....