Is your gut ready for a romantic Valentine’s dinner date?

As more people are vaccinated and restrictions are loosened or lifted entirely, people are starting to meet up again for in-person dates. First dates can be notoriously nerve-wracking, will the person be interesting? Will they find me interesting? Will it be awkward? Will you get nervous? And you might need an early exit strategy. Now, add to that the anxiety or discomfort of flatulence and your Valentine’s date could spiral into a nightmare, fast.

Studies have shown that there is a link between the brain and the gut, called the gut-brain axis that runs along what’s called the vagus nerve. Emotional stress can result in bowel disturbance, as the brain releases certain endorphins that can lead to what your mother would have called “butterflies in the tummy. IBS can be caused and triggered by a host of things, one being anxiety, which the early stages of dating might potentially heighten. Going on a date when dealing with irritable bowel syndrome can make the experience even more panic-inducing.

GP Dr. Phil Kieran from RTE's "You Should Really See A Doctor." advises people to Drink Water, Reduce Alcohol & Move!

"Water is the healthiest thing to drink and is particularly important for gut health. It's easy to drink too much alcohol over Christmas, which can harm the lining of the gut and the balance of bacteria which is not a great start to any new year. Staying well hydrated with water can reduce some of this negative effect. Although we might enjoy having a few beers or a few glasses of wine to relax, our guts too often pay the price. Cut down/ out in the run up to Valentine's Day. Flatulence, bloating, and belching are all common effects of booze on the gut and this is not something you want on date night. One of the best things you can do is to instead hydrate with water. Exercise is that magic medicine that positively affects every aspect of our health, and our gut is no exception. In fact, there is evidence that exercise changes the bacteria in our guts for the better. It also helps prevent constipation and moves along with unwanted gas which can be an issue around post-Christmas".

Embarrassing Gas

Of course, passing gas is something that everyone does but a first date is clearly not the place for it. While some find the topic of wind funny, for others it can be a serious issue causing pain and discomfort and there are few serious health consequences to temporarily holding gas in.

Dr Deirdre O’Donovan, Gastroenterologist at the Blackrock Clinic, says that unfortunately it is completely normal to vent gas from your body at stressful times, “Flatulence is natural and completely normal. Gas is a combination of swallowed air and gas generated by resident gut flora in our intestine. Despite protests, we all do it regularly during the day. The problem arises when the volume, quantity or odour of these emissions becomes unsociable and we become embarrassed by our gut.”

Considering most healthy people do it between 14 and 23 times a first or valentines date requires some strategising if the need arises. Excessive gas can be embarrassing and uncomfortable but Dr O’Donovan has a few easy steps that may help –

Eat regularly

Eat regularly. Don’t allow too long between meals, and when you eat, make sure you chew your food well before swallowing. Give your gut every chance to absorb the best nutrients it can from what you eat as the food passes through.

Prebiotics and probiotics

Explore the use of prebiotics and probiotics. Prebiotics are foods that can encourage the growth of good bacteria in the gut, such as asparagus, leek, artichoke, onions and garlic. Probiotics are products that can directly add good bacteria to the gut to help it stay healthy, such as Alflorex, which is available in chemists and health food shops.

Vitamin D

As well as probiotics and prebiotics, consider adding some vitamin D to your diet. Known as the sunshine vitamin, it interacts well with your gut flora.

Sleep

Try and get a good night’s sleep. Those with irregular sleep patterns, such as shift workers, can experience a disturbance in their gut flora as their circadian rhythm is disturbed. Taking a product like Alflorex can sometimes help.

Don’t ignore

Most importantly don’t ignore red flag symptoms that your gut is in distress. These include unexplained weight loss, persistent heartburn, a change in bowel habit or any bleeding from the back passage. Should you experience any of these, seek urgent medical help from your GP.

 

Alflorex is available over the counter from pharmacies and health food shops.