As with diet, it’s not possible to create a one-size-fits-all supplement plan – at least not without burdening your life and wallet with countless supplements you might not need. Because the supplements you need may be different from what I need.

These guidelines help you to find the supplements you need:

• Try the betaine HCL challenge test discussed at the how to know if you have gut problems page. Supplement, if it indicates you don’t produce enough stomach acid.
• Try digestive enzymes when you eat legumes or lot of tough and hard to digest vegetables; like broccoli and cauliflower. If the enzymes improve your digestion, consider taking them before such meals.
• Some form of prokinetic is highly recommended. Iberogast is the best option. But if it’s too expensive for daily use (about $13/month if you take it once a day), at the very least have a cup of digestive tea in the evening. You can make ginger tea at home, or try one of the ones covered in the previous section.
• Pioneer Nutritional Formulas, Digestive Enzymes & Herbs seems like a good all-in-one digestive aid. It contains bitters to stimulate bile and stomach acid production, digestive enzymes to facilitate digestion, and ginger for motility. At the time of writing it costs about $12 for 60 capsule bottle. Instructions call for 2 to 3 capsules a day.

My #1 recommendation is to take Iberogast every evening and after heavy meals, and betaine HCL as needed.