Align Probiotics Review: First Glance

Align Probiotics Review: First Glance

Recently Proctor & Gamble’s marketing department got in touch with me to take a look at their flagship probiotic, Align. While I haven’t actually started taking Align yet, I’d like to share some of my first thoughts on the product.

I’ve seen Align advertised before & it has received good reviews on places like Amazon.com. I am a little skeptical on mass marketed products that have slick packaging. In some cases the word probiotic is used to attract people to a product that has little digestive benefit. In one case I got some terrible breakfast bars that supposedly had “probiotics” in them, but they were barely a step above sweetened laminated cardboard. I don’t think this is a goal of Align since they are strictly focusing on a probiotic supplement where the cardboard is only in the packaging, not the actual product.

Packaging

As I said above the packaging looks very nice. I received some sample sized versions which have a little fold out flap with information about Align & it even has a nifty 7-day calendar to track your progress. The capsules themselves come in a flat blister pack for 7-days. You can tear each capsule away from the sheet before opening it. Each capsule has a day of the week listed on it. I am not quite sure if this is how the retail 28-day supply is packaged, but I’d imagine it is similar. Additionally Align promotes the use of the AlignGI.com website, which has an online digestive tracker. All these ways to track your progress, I feel are helpful. One of the hard parts about taking probiotics is taking them consistently and at a regular time. Anything that makes it easier to remember to take your probiotic or to really be able to track your progress, I see as a good thing.

Contents

As for what’s in Align, it goes 100% with the B. Infantis 35624 strain of bacteria for it’s probiotics. There are a lot of products that mix it up and go for a bunch of different strains. I am not too worried about only one strain of bacteria being in there, it may even be beneficial to focus on producing a single high quality strain than to put in a mix of different, but lower quality strains. B. Infantis 35624 has been shown in studies to improve Irritable Bowel symptoms.

Align contains 1 Billion Colony Forming Units(CFUs) of B. Infantis 35624, this is considerably lower than other probiotics on the market. Again I don’t mind this so much as I think CFUs are overrated. Really it’s about quality. If you have 20 billion CFUs but they all die before hitting your gut or are contaminated with other things, it’s not going to do you any good. Also a lot of people have problems tolerating high doses of probiotics. Going low & slow may be the best approach.

Another positive is that it would appear Align uses a vegetable based capsule(not geletin), so vegetarians probably shouldn’t have any problems taking this. There is no lactose, gluten or soy in Align either. There is “Milk Protein” listed as an ingredient, but trace amounts are found in other probiotics as well.

Criticisms

One thing that does bug me is the use of Titanium Dioxide & FD&C Blue #1. Perhaps this was something that came out of focus groups or something. I would have preferred no artificial coloring in the product at all. I am sure there’s only a tiny bit in there, but if I am only going to see the capsule for a few seconds before popping it in my mouth, I shouldn’t care if it’s “white” or “off-white”.

Cost & Money-Back Guarantee

Align is some what pricey, especially when you are dealing with only getting 1 billion CFUs per capsule. However, if it does turn out to be higher quality & works for you, then I am sure it’ll be worth the money.

Align is offering a Money-Back Guarantee, which is actually pretty sweet. Try it for one month, if it doesn’t work, take them up on the refund.

Where To Buy

• Amazon.com
• Find a local store.

Follow-Up

Once I’ve got some real world experience with Align, I’ll post back with more information and a link here to the follow-up review.

Disclosure:  I was supplied by Proctor & Gamble with samples of Align. The positive or negative outcome of this review is not based on receiving these samples.

Trigger Foods and Valentine’s Day.

Trigger Foods and Valentine’s Day.

So it was Valentine’s day last Sunday, for which I decided to make a cake for my girlfriend. Unfortunately cakes usually do not agree with Irritable Bowel Syndrome. On top of this I was making an Asian style pork roast(ginger, soy sauce, honey, garlic, etc..), rice & steamed carrots + broccoli. Overall the meal was quite good, the only problem was that pesky cake.

Trigger foods for me are usually fatty foods that are low in fiber, plus dairy is rarely good unless something has broken it down. Cheeses are okay, so is sour cream. Plain milk is a no-no.Sometimes it’s a matter of mixing a trigger food in with something so it doesn’t bother you as much.

I’ve had experiences with cake in the past that worked out just fine. For example once I ate a white w/ cream cheese frosting without problems or very little problem. This most recent cake had the markings of being something that would probably cause me trouble. It had butter, oil, whole eggs  & milk in it. On top of those items, I was putting a whipped cream frosting on it. Truly it was digestive Armageddon. I was praying to the mighty Digestive Gods to let this one slip by, when I was eating a slice. Unfortunately the Gods were angry & I paid for it a couple hours later with mega-D & discomfort the entire evening.

Ultimately it’s frustrating what with not being able to enjoy the food you make or food others can eat with no problem. Also frustrating is how trigger foods can change from week to week or month to month. Best bet is to probably just stay away from things so loaded with trigger foods. Maybe you can sneak 1 or 2 trigger foods here and there, but not a gut bomb like that cake.

Do you notice your trigger foods change from time to time? What are your trigger foods? Leave a comment, it’d be interesting to know.

Digestive Charities You Can Donate To.

Digestive Charities You Can Donate To.

Perhaps you’re in the mood to give to a good cause, why not donate to an organization that aids in the advancement of treatments for digestive disorders. I’ve compiled a couple different organizations that could use your support. If you are aware of other organizations I should have listed here, please drop me an e-mail or leave a comment and I’ll add it.

Irritable Bowel Syndrome:

• IAmIBS.com (USA/Intl.)
• The Gut Trust (Canada)

Chron’s Disease:

• Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation of America (USA) or donate $5 by texting CCFA to 90999 via phone.
• National Association for Colitis and Crohn’s Disease (UK)
• Chron’s & Colitis Foundation of Canada (Canada)

Gastroparesis:

• G-PACT.org (USA)
• The Gastroparesis & Dysmotilities Association (USA)

GERD:

• AboutGERD.org

If you have something to spare, please think strongly about giving to one of these organizations. Thanks.

McGill University Finds Genetic Link With IBS

McGill University Finds Genetic Link With IBS

A recent study from McGill University in Canada has found a genetic predisposition for developing Irritable Bowel Syndrome due to infection:

“Although the exact cause of PI-IBS remains unknown, we now know for the first time that, in addition to the environmental trigger, genetic factors are also playing a critical role in the development of this disease,” explains McGill PhD Alexandra-Chloé Villani, who led the team under the direction of principal investigators John K. Marshall (McMaster) and Denis Franchimont (formerly of McGill). Stephen Collins (McMaster) also collaborated.

Link: Walkerton Tragedy: 10 years of research leads to breakthrough.

The Walkerton Tragedy involved massive bacterial water contamination & incompetence/negligence by the employees of the water utility. In the end 9 people died & 2,300 became ill, with approximately 1/3rd of those ill developing IBS like symptoms.

While on McGill’s website, I found this interesting video which covers the symptoms & treatments of IBS. It is presented by Dr. Serge Mayrand, who along with other things is the Director of Digestive Motility Laboratory at McGill. Please note that registration with their website & the Quicktime application are required to view the video, both of which are free.

Apple Cider Vinegar Benefits for IBS/GERD

Apple Cider Vinegar Benefits for IBS/GERD

Apple Cider Vinegar has a lot of buzz going for it on the internet and the natural health circuit. It can reportedly help with all sorts of problems ranging from gout to heartburn to weight-loss. While a lot of these claims haven’t been proven, I decided to give it a try.

Vinegar is fermented apple juice, yeast help break the apple juice to an alcohol & then bacteria break it down into the sour substance we know. Most commercial vinegar we see in supermarket shelves has been filtered & pasteurized, possibly even distilled(clear). What you want to look for is Raw Unfiltered Apple Cider Vinegar, as the other products have had all their “goodness” boiled out of them.

As far as digestion goes Apple Cider Vinegar is suppose to work two ways:

• 1) It increases acidity in the stomach which helps digest food. Now people with heartburn might think this is a bad thing, but in some cases heartburn/indigestion is caused by a lack of acid, not too much.
• 2) It has something called “mother” which is the cloudy unfiltered stuff in the vinegar. Most people purport the “mother” as being the source of Apple Cider Vinegars healing powers. Reading up on it though “mother” is an ice way of saying “dead bacteria & fermentation byproducts”. There really may not be a whole lot of  stuff inside the “mother” that does anything. It is not dangerous to drink though.

Apple Cider Vinegar on it’s own is too acidic to drink, so it is recommended to mix about 1 tablespoon(15ml) with 8oz(235ml) of water, plus you’ll probably want to add something to sweeten it a bit. It’s strongly advised to use natural sweeteners like honey instead of refined white sugar. I wonder about Turbinado or Panela sugars, as these are raw sugars without excess refining. The flavor after sweetening is like a sour apple juice.

Results were iffy. They seemed similar to results I received with digestive enzymes. Some days it seemed to help, other days it seemed to make my symptoms worse. One meal I’d feel less bloated, another day I’d feel more bloated and sometimes nauseated. Overall I do not think the apple cider vinegar helped a whole lot, but heck it’s pretty cheap & worth a try if you’re suffering from some sort of digestive malady. There is very little harm or risk of side-effect so long as you are taking it with water.

You can find Raw Unfiltered Apple Cider Vinegar at your local supermarket in the health food aisle or check local health food stores. You can also order online. BRAGG is a brand that is widely available, but there are probably others out there.

Fighting Nausea with Ginger & Peppermint.

Fighting Nausea with Ginger & Peppermint.

I’ve probably talked about ginger & mint here before, but I’d like to highlight two products that not only help with nausea but also are quite addictive, err tasty…

Ginger Chews are chewy candies that have a strong ginger kick. They come in individually wrapped rectangular chunks and are lightly coated with powdered sugar. These aren’t at all like those weird jellied fruit squares you might find masquerading in the produce section of your local grocery. They have real ginger flavor & they’re not sickly sweet. There is quite a bit of chew to them(as the name would suggest), so they can get stuck in your teeth if you’re not careful. It’s not a requirement that you chew them, you can treat them like you would a hard candy and they’ll slowly melt.

I get Ginger Chews locally from Trader Joe’s. If you don’t have a Trader Joe’s near you, you could instead buy in bulk at Amazon.com or check out the Ginger People’s Store Locator.

Altoids are “Curiously Strong” mints as the slogan on the front of the tin states. Don’t be too shy about their strength, you’ll soon get used to them, although this is coming from someone who is certifiably an Altoid Fiend™. I think they need to make an Altoids Anonymous 12-step program for me & I know there are others out there! Once you get started, it’s hard to stop nibbling on these things. You’ll start with just one, then two, then three or four at a time. You suddenly realize you just ate the entire tin over the span of one evening. Alas, don’t let my tale of addiction keep you away from Altoids. There aren’t actually any addictive substances inside of Altoids, so maybe if you’re not as compulsive as I am you’ll be able to control their power!

I’d strongly suggest sticking with the Peppermint flavor. Altoids does make a Ginger flavor as well as other minty flavors, but Peppermint uses all natural flavors and no colorings. Some of the other flavors have less than natural flavorings & colorings, plus they taste much sweeter.

Altoids can usually be found at your local grocery in the candy section or in the impulse buy area near checkout. They are usually a bit more pricey if you by them individually(up to $2/tin). If you check the candy aisle you might be able to find a twin-pack for a lower cost per unit($3/2-tins, $1.50ea). You could also check out restaurant supply stores & buy them in a 12-packs($17.04/12-tins, $1.42ea). Sometimes local pharmacies run ads for Altoids as low as $1/tin, which is quite the value! I once found a local grocery offering them for $0.75(75 cents) per tin if you bought 10. I bought the last 10 they had ! If you can’t find them locally, you could buy a 12-Pack of Peppermint Altoids from Amazon.com, although the value may not be as great.

There are other products that use ginger and/or peppermint to help combat nausea. GPAdvocate recently did some reviews for QueaseEASE & some Sea-Band Anti-Nausea Ginger Gum. You might want to check those out as well !

Preventing and Treating Oral Sores

While this isn’t directly digestion related, I am here with a terrible pain in my mouth due to the evils of oral sores(may also be called canker sores) & it’s kinda the only thing on my mind right now. Not only do I have one sore, but I actually have two, on top of having two sores, they are both on my tongue! Normally I do not get sores on my tongue, but I guess I am just super lucky this time around. I thought I was getting over the one on the back-bottom of my tongue, only to accidentally bite down on my the front of my tongue, causing another sore to form. So instead of hearing about my woes, let’s get down to some basics and try to think of solutions to these sores, as I am sure if you’ve dealt with them, you already know that they’re a pain in the but… mouth…

What is an Oral/Canker Sore?

To put it bluntly, a sore is essentially an open wound that forms usually as a reaction to something. It actually seems to be worse than a cut or a gash caused by physical trauma(although physical trauma can lead up to a sore) because the interior of the sore is ultra sensitive & unlike wounds, they take their sweet sweet time to heal.

What causes an Oral/Canker Sore to form?

This is a good question, there is no definitive answer. There are illnesses/diseases that can cause sores, most notably people think of herpes. Just because you get oral sores, does not mean you have herpes. This association with herpes has lead to a stigma regarding oral sores which may prevent people from openly discussing it.

Other things that can cause sores are allergic reactions to things like toothpaste or mouthwash, auto-immune disorders, physical trauma or stress.

What are the symptoms?

Usually a person developing a sore will have mild soreness at a certain area, with redness. Usually sores start as a tiny red dot. This dot may tingle or even have an ‘itch’ to it. It may also taste somewhat metallic. As the sore develops the dot gets bigger and usually a ridge forms around the outer edge of the sore. The interior might develop a white film on it. If pressure is applied to the edges of the sore, it may start to bleed.

Usually pain is mild at first, however as the sore becomes bigger, it’s sensitivity increases dramatically. This leads to the sore progressively becoming more painful until pain levels peak for a few days and then the sore starts to heal, reducing in size and pain levels.

This entire process usually takes between 7 – 14 days, though it could be more or less depending on your situation.

How do you prevent oral sores?

While there is no 100% sure fire way to prevent oral sores, there are some things you can do that may help:

• Try to reduce stress. This is something that would help the world in general. The problem is that the world can be a stressful place. I always feel that this suggestion almost puts blame on the sufferer. It is true that stress can lead to sores. Stress puts strain on the the immune system & in some cases the sores may be caused by an immune system related.
• Get proper sleep. Another basic, that is easily said, not always easily implemented. This is a valid way of reducing stress. Try turning in a bit earlier so you are getting a full 7 – 8hrs each night.
• Proper oral hygiene. Keeping a proper oral hygiene regimen can be very helpful. Try to find a toothpaste & mouthwash that works best for you. It has been suggested that the ingredient “Sodium Lauryl Sulfate” can lead to canker sores, but this hasn’t been definitively proven. You could try Tom’s of Maine SLS Free Natural Toothpaste. I seem to have better luck with anti-septic alcohol based mouthwashes than the alternative alcohol free ones. Your mileage may vary though.
• Get a mouth guard. Some people have reported that grinding their teeth at night exacerbates the problem. Getting a well fitted mouth guard from your dentist can help. These are not cheap though.
• Supplement Lysine, Glutamine & Vitamin A*. Lysine & Glutamine are amino acids which are helpful with regards to healing. Lysine, has been shown in some cases to help with healing of sores. By taking them as part of a supplement routine you may be able to help prevent sores from forming. *Vitamin A is helpful with healing the skin, however most people get enough Vitamin A in their basic diets. Too much Vitamin A can be bad for you. I’d only suggest supplementing it if you already have a sore or know you’re lacking in Vitamin A.

What should I do at the onset of an Oral sore?

• Start taking Lysine/Glutamine supplements.
• Be extra diligent with your oral hygiene. If you’ve been slacking time to kick it into high gear. You can try some of the rinses suggested below. This doesn’t mean being brutal with your gums though!
• Avoid acidic foods. Not only can they be painful, but they may irritate and promote the sore to become larger.
• Get plenty of sleep. Sleep is healing, especially for conditions where the body may be attacking itself. You may find yourself more tired when dealing with a sore as well, so this may not be hard. Indulge yourself and take those cat-naps or sleep-in.
• Get a treatment option via prescription for either Kenalog(Triamcinolone, a steriod) in Orabase paste or Debacterol(chemical cauterizing & band-aid agent). Keep in mind that regular Orabase does NOT contain any steroid.  If you can’t see/afford a doctor, try ORA5. You might want to order these before you start to develop a sore as they could take some time to arrive in the mail or get from a pharmacy.

How do you treat an oral sore after it’s formed?

You can still try any of the above. I would strongly suggest keeping up with the Lysine, Glutamine & possibly the Vitamin A supplementation. Getting a prescription option like Kenalog in Orabase or Debacterol would definitely be of benefit, or ORA5 if you can’t get to a doctor. There are some other things you can try though.

Oral Rinses:

Keeping a clean mouth, reduces germs in the mouth which could further irritate the sore. This is especially important after a meal.

• Mouthwash. I’d suggest an anti-septic mouthwash.
• Hydrogen Peroxide. Mix equal parts water and hydrogen peroxide.
• An Oral Wound Cleanser such as Amosan.
• Salt rinse. Two teaspoons salt to one cup of warm water.

Pain Relief:

• Menthol Throat Drops, preferably one that does not contain a citrus flavor. These worked surprisingly well at curbing the pain. Better than the Benzocaine which seemed to wear off after only a few minutes.
• Benzocaine is found in many products. Similar to novocaine, it has a numbing affect. It can be a bit painful to put on at first. Some products have a bad flavor to them. Supposedly Orabase is pretty good. I don’t like how Ambesol tastes, plus it has a tendency to get all over your mouth and make random spots numb.
• Canker Sore Covers are gel like patches that you can stick over dissolves over the sore and protects it, hopefully preventing pain.
• Some suggested remedies “work” by overstimulating the nerves, thus they get “worn out” and the pain subsides temporarily because of this. So something that seems like it “works” may really just be irritating the sore and causing this reaction. Just keep that in mind.

Alternative Remedies:

There are some alternative remedies that I’ve read on the web which I am not quite sure about, but are here for your information.

• Alum is a substance which you might find in the spice aisle of your local supermarket. It is suggested to roll a wet q-tip in Alum and then firmly press the q-tip against the sore. Alum looks to be an acidic compound which I think could possibly irritate.
• Raisins. Some one suggested splitting open a raisin and placing it on the sore. Not sure how that’s going to help???
• Silver Nitrate. This is an antimicrobial, it is also destructive to mucous membranes. Prolonged use or in high doses could be bad for your health.
• Beeswax or cocoa oil. I don’t know enough about these, but I guess wax could form a seal around the the sore. It is very stiff though and I don’t want to be dragging something with the properties of a crayon across an open sore.

Hopefully this has been of some help, if you have any tips or remedies. Please, do leave a comment !

What is the best probiotic supplement for Gastroparesis?

What is the best probiotic for Gastroparesis?

The Living With Gastroparesis blog just posted some interesting survey data about Gastroparesis which does include information about probiotic usage w/ Gastroparesis. Of 46 people who responded as taking probiotics, 25 reported mild to significant improvements of their Gastroparesis symptoms, which is actually impressive as I was not thinking they would have that large of an effect. It is important to note that the majority of positives results, were on the mild side, but some people did respond well to probiotics.

If you’re not aware, Gastroparesis is paralysis of the stomach. Basically the stomach no longer churns properly or doesn’t do it as often as it should. There can be variations on why this is, such as nerve damage, muscle damage or the pyloric sphincter does not relax. Basically, food does not empty from the stomach like it should. The symptoms essentially are like having a stomach flu 24/7. It is very difficult to eat food like a normal person and it can be very debilitating. The causes range from viral infection to diabetes to gastric surgeries.

Probiotics are healthy bacteria that live in the lower gut. These bacteria help digest food & aid in preventing infection. They do not usually have a direct impact on the stomach, but keeping your lower gut healthy, may prove beneficial. This would be especially true if you’re dealing with a wonky upper digestive tract.

Here are a few things I’d suggest trying, possibly before trying probiotics. But there is nothing saying that you can’t try probiotics at the same time.

1. Iberogast – This is an herbal pro-kinetic, it helps the stomach and digestive tract move again. I would say this should be #1 on everyone’s list, including doctors!

2. B12 Vitamins – There is a theory that gastroparesis could be caused by damage to the vagus nerve. B12 is VERY important in the recovery of damage to nerves. Given that someone dealing with gastroparesis might not have very good absorption, talk to your doctor and get a B12 deficiency test or ask to get B12 injections. Not only could this be helpful for nerve health, but could also improve your energy levels as well.

If you want to try oral supplementation, you could try Nature’s Way B-Stress Complex which has a small B-complex dosage that would probably be easier to digest. I’d also strongly recommend a Methylcobalamin B-12 supplement, the one I stand by is NSI’s Methylcobalamin 500mcg capsules. They do not have any fake sugars like most methyl-b12 supplements. Methyl-B12 is B12 in a form easily absorbed by the body.

3. Digestive Enzymes – Enzymes breakdown your food, I’ve read some reports that they are not effective with gastroparesis, but I would not write them off. Anything you can do to help breakdown your food before your stomach tries to go to work on it can help! You could try Enzymatic Therapy’s CompleteGest or Now Foods Plant Enzymes.

4. Probiotics - While they don’t directly affect the stomach, having a healthy lower digestive tract could help keep things in sync and hopefully reduce symptoms. I’d suggest Primadophilus Junior which has a low probiotic count (3 Billion CFUs), you can then double or triple it if you feel the need for a higher dosage. Starting small is probably important.

Don’t give up hope. Many people have recovered from Gastroparesis. I myself dealt with some very tough symptoms for 3 months during the summer of 2006. I know for some they have dealt with it much longer than I ever did. As far as I know my cure was a steady diet of Rice Krispie Treats & a B-Vitamin Complex(for the record it was Nature’s Bounty Time Released B-Complex). But perhaps it was also the Zelnorm or the Prozac or a bunch of the other stuff I was trying at the time. The B-Complex though seemed to be night and day after I started taking it.

Even for those who are not helped by these suggestions, there are still options like the Enterra Pacemaker or hopefully Tranzyme will see the light of day. Don’t give up hope!

If you’ve used a probiotic and have or have not found success, please post the brand/type you use.

-Best Wishes

Zinc could help Irritable Bowel Syndrome Diarrhea?

I was recently reading an article from Time magazine about Zinc being used in 3rd world countries to fight childhood diarrhea which is a very serious cause of death in these countries. This got me to thinking that perhaps Zinc could be useful for people dealing with Irritable Bowel Syndrome diarrhea.

Zinc is an essential metal the body needs to function. Not only could Zinc help with irritable bowel syndrome diarrhea, but it could also help other bodily functions & your immune system. I used to take Zinc quite a bit as a child because my mom wanted me to & we were able to get through a winter season without getting sick. Zinc can be hard on your stomach, so it’s important to take a supplement with food or get a multivitamin that includes it in the mix. Probably a good idea to take all your vitamins with food.

I’d suggest trying out Nature’s Way Calcium, Magnesium and Zinc complex or Nature’s Way Alive Multivitamin. Note that Calcium can also help with chronic diarrhea as well.

Hopefully these guys will help you out in reducing whatever chronic diarrhea you’re experiencing.

- Best Wishes

Review: Gas-X Thin Strips for gas & bloating with Irritable Bowel Syndrome(IBS)

Review: Gas-X Thin Strips for gas & bloating with Irritable Bowel Syndrome(IBS)

So I am sure we’ve all probably had times were we’re filling gassy or bloated. When dealing with IBS these times are probably more often than we’d wish. Now, normally I’d suggest a natural product, but in some cases a less than natural product is needed. This is were Gas-X Thin Strips step in. Why do I like Gas-X Thin Strips? A) It works. B) The packaging and form factor are very discreet.

Thin strip style products have been around for awhile, I first saw them showing up in the early 2000s for things like mints. At the time my co-worker handed me something that looked like a piece of colored tape and said “try it”… I pondered for a bit as I wasn’t sure if I was being handed some sort of psychotropic drug or an actual piece of tape. Luckily it turned out to be a a minty breath freshener. I don’t think my co-worker was trying to tell me something as we didn’t sit near each other, he was just showing me this cool new product(at least this is what I tell myself). So now instead of minty freshness we have minty gas relief thanks to Gas-X Thin Strips.

Gas-X contains Simethicone which is basically an anti-foaming agent, it helps the bubbles that form in your digestive tract form into large bubbles which makes it easier to pass gas. So while it’s advertised as an anti-gas drug, it actually makes it easier to fart. This is probably of benefit for people with IBS, I’d rather fart than feel bloated. Being bloated makes you feel tired & flabby. One of the benefits I’ve found with Gas-X is that it seems to also help motility so if I am feeling constipated as well, it usually helps get things moving again.

The main reason I tried Gas-X Thin Strips in the first place, was because it was in thin strip form. These things are very handy & very discreet. You can fit a bunch of them in your wallet, which is just not possible when dealing with pills. The only thing non-discreet about them is that it says “Gas-X Gas-X Gas-X Gas-X Gas-X” all over the outside of the package. It’s not that big of a deal though as you can easily tear it open and gobble it down with no one the wiser.

Overall Gas-X & Immodium(though haven’t been using this in quite awhile) are my trusty over the counter standbys which I use from time to time. There are probably other similar products that use Simethicone & they would probably work in a similar fashion. Gas-X is just the one I’ve been using. You get 18 strips per box, which is a pretty good value. I am still on my first box and it’s been a few months since I bought it. You can probably find it at your local pharmacy or department store – OR you can support this site and buy it from the Amazon.com link below !

Purchase Gas-X Thin Strips Peppermint from Amazon.com.