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Yogurt Helps Relieve 'Belly Blues'

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(NewsUSA) - When Marla Boggs experiences occasional digestive discomfort, she doesn't have time to slow down. A Manhattan showroom manager with a busy social life, she sometimes experiences bloating and irregularity, leaving her with that bloated, "hard as a rock" feeling.

Boggs isn't alone with her belly blues. In a national survey of 1,259 U.S. women conducted by Harris Interactive for Dannon's Activia, 69 percent said they have experienced digestive health issues at some point in their lives. A large percent said their belly battles have a negative impact on their lives, and 20 percent said they have declined an invitation to a social event when they were experiencing digestive health issues.

Boggs is among that group. Her social life, she says, was sometimes at the whim of her digestive system.

"I've made excuses for not attending parties simply because I was afraid my digestive system would act up in the middle of the event," she said. Dinners out with friends, one of her favorite activities, have been cut short because of stomach discomfort.

To help improve digestive health, Liz Lipski, Ph.D., a certified clinical nutritionist and digestive wellness expert in Asheville, N.C., suggests the following tips:

* Add good bacteria. Not all bacteria is bad for you; one cup of Dannon's Activia yogurt contains billions of beneficial probiotic cultures, which help reduce slow intestinal transit when eaten daily for two weeks. Slow intestinal transit is a common cause of discomfort and occasional irregularity.

* Fill up on fiber. Get at least 25 to 30 grams per day.

* Drink water. Drinking plenty of water each day will help to ensure your overall digestive wellness.

* Chew thoroughly. Chewing food thoroughly helps the digestive system process what you're eating.

* Avoid "trouble triggers." Common "trouble triggers" such as gluten and vegetables in the cabbage family can lead to problems.

While Boggs knew about water and fiber, she was skeptical at first that something as simple as eating yogurt could help ease her digestive problems. "But I had nothing to lose," she said.

After eating a cup of Activia yogurt every day for two weeks, she began to feel a difference.

"I no longer had that uncomfortable, 'I wish I could go to the bathroom' feeling," she said. "I felt like Activia helped to get my digestive system moving."

Visit http://www.activiachallenge.com for information on how Activia can help naturally regulate the digestive system and for details about the Activia 2-Week Challenge.