Chewing gum aids patients

Doctors may prescribe chewing gum after research found it helps patients recover faster from bowel operations.

People who had bowel surgery were able to go home nearly two days earlier if they were given the sweet treat.

If the patient chewed for 30 minutes in the morning, afternoon and night the chewing action triggered their gastric hormones. In turn the bowel was stimulated allowing the patient to resume normal eating.