Episode 3: Digestive Wellness with Ben Brown

6 Aug

Healthily | 08/06/20

In my conversation with Ben Brown, author of The Digestive Health Solution, we cover some simple, and often overlooked, practical steps that can be taken to help overcome IBS and digestive health complaints. This episode is heavy on common sense and evidence, as we tackle food elimination diets, digestive support supplements and the gut microbiome.

Digestive Wellness – Beyond Food Elimination

Digestive symptoms are incredibly common — bloating, pain, reflux, constipation, diarrhoea — and many people feel stuck, confused or resigned to long-term restriction.

In this episode, Nicola and Ben explore a refreshing, evidence-based perspective:
Gut symptoms are rarely about one “bad” food — and rarely a life sentence.

TAKEAWAYs

✔️ It’s Not (Always) the Food

One of the biggest misconceptions in digestive health is:

“This food doesn’t agree with me, so I must eliminate it.”

Ben explains that in conditions like IBS, the issue is often gut sensitivity, not necessarily the food itself. The nervous system, inflammation, motility (movement of the gut), and stress all play a role.

Sometimes:

It’s not the food
It’s how the body is responding to it

Over-restricting foods may bring short-term relief — but can worsen symptoms (and your relationship with food) long term.

✔️ Start With the Foundations (Before Restrictive Diets)

Before embarking on strict regimes like low FODMAP, Nicola and Ben emphasise:

- Improve food quality first

Ultra-processed foods, emulsifiers, sweeteners and additives may disrupt the microbiome and gut function.

Simply:

Reducing processed foods
Cooking more whole foods
Improving dietary quality

…can dramatically reduce symptoms — often without heavy restriction.

- Trial simple adjustments

Reduce high-gas foods (temporarily)
Assess lactose tolerance
Consider gluten reactivity where appropriate
Moderate fatty, spicy and sugary foods

The low FODMAP diet can help some people — but it should be:

Short-term
Supervised
Carefully reintroduced
Not a lifelong plan

✔️ Chewing: The Overlooked Therapy

One of the most fascinating parts of the conversation is the role of chewing.

Emerging research shows:

Poor chewing is associated with IBS-like symptoms
Chewing influences stomach emptying
It affects gut contractions
It impacts nervous system regulation

In people with poor dentition or jaw issues, digestive symptoms often improve once chewing function is restored.

✨ A powerful reminder: digestion starts in the mouth.

Simple practices:

Slow down
Put cutlery down between bites
Aim for thorough breakdown before swallowing

✔️ The Gut Is a “Symphony”

Ben beautifully describes digestion as a symphony:
If one section is out of rhythm — the whole system feels off.

Key influences include:

Nervous system tone
Stress
Microbiome balance
Inflammation
Enzyme output
Gallbladder function
Stomach acid levels

Digestive health is rarely one single issue — it’s interconnected.

✔️ Probiotics: Helpful but Not Magic

Probiotics can be beneficial — but expectations matter.

In IBS research:

Number needed to treat = 7
→ 1 in 7 people will experience significant improvement

That’s actually strong for a non-drug intervention — but not a cure-all.

Important points:

Effects depend on strain and dose
Not all products are equal
Professional guidance helps navigate quality

They may reduce symptoms — but often don’t “fix” the root cause alone.

✔️ Digestive Enzymes: Underused & Often Transformative

Digestive enzymes may help when:

Pancreatic enzyme output is low
(low faecal elastase is common in IBS-like presentations)
Fat digestion is impaired
There’s post-meal diarrhoea
There’s functional reflux or dyspepsia

They may work by: