Jess Trengove talks to us about the positive impact MOJO has had on her health.

Jess Trengrove, Olympian, Commonwealth Games Bronze Medallist and Australian Marathon Runner (and all ’round delightful lady!), and her partner Dylan – took the time to share their MOJO experience with us. They both began drinking MOJO early 2016.

As a teenager, Jess had tried to manage painful IBS symptoms with mixed success. On top of this challenge, she has also had to deal with low iron levels, that required the support of medication and affected training output. 

Dylan started running in 2014, and found persistent issues with colds and flus, that sometimes developed into respiratory infections which all affected training capabilities, and sometimes required time off work. 

They both spoke openly about the shift that has taken place since the regular inclusion of MOJO in their daily routine. 

After serious bloating and cramping episodes starting about the age of 14, an endoscopy revealed Jess’s stomach was inflamed, compunded by exposure to FODMAP foods. These stomach episodes, alongside a low iron issue, were effecting her running.

Fast forward 8 years, to when Jess introduced kombucha as a regular feature of her daily diet.  The flare ups have not entirely disappeared, but since drinking MOJO, and understanding the impact of emotional stress as a trigger, Jess has noted the obvious stabilisation of her gut health, and the ability of her body to maintain her iron levels with only the occasional need for supplements. 

“I just feel better in general, these days…and I have been able to manage a higher load of training in the last year. To enable the intense training regime of an elite marathon runner, energy availability is so important.  Poor gut health is a contributing factor to nutrient absorption, so when you’re body isn’t working effectively to source what it needs, it affects you significantly as an athlete and as a person.”

While being aware of the potential benefits of probiotics, Jess was keen to avoid having to resort to a pill format, and instead looked to simple changes she could make in her diet and lifestyle choices.

Never being a home that stocked soft drink, you might have found juice in the fridge, but Jess and Dylan have found MOJO filled a different spot. 

There wouldn’t be a dinner now where we don’t have a kombucha on the table. It is part of our daily routine – Jess

“Sometimes when you come home from a run, you don’t just want a water, you want something with a bit of flavour. Kombucha has completely filled that space. It is everything you want after a hard, hot workout, and you can feel good about having it too. There wouldn’t be a dinner now, where we don’t have a kombucha on the table. It is part of our daily routine.” 

Dylan also shared his kombucha journey:  

“When Jess and I started seeing each other, I had taken up running, and was getting sick all the time. I suppose generally during my life I was fairly healthy. In my first year of running, Jess noticed that I was often getting sick, nothing serious, just constant colds and sniffles that interfered with my training, sometimes progressing to respiratory infections and sometimes meaning days off work. It may have just been an adaptive issue, but certainly there has been a definite line where I just stopped getting sick –  there has been a definite change in my health.

I have only had one cold this year, and that was in the two weeks that we ran out of MOJO. – Dylan

“I did a lot of research, and was reading about vitamin K and started taking vitamin K supplements, and the more I researched I found vitamin K is naturally occurring in kombucha.  It is said to help improve bone strength and transport calcium around the body.  So it is not just the probiotics, it is the other general health benefits of kombucha because it is fermented…”

“When I started seeing Jess, my diet gradually improved.  I have always been pretty healthy, but I now that I am with Jess I eat more healthy leafy greens, more vegetables and maybe a bit less sugar.  So it is definitely a combination of things, but there has been a change in my life since having kombucha.” 

Jess went on to explain that Kombucha is their go to in other situations. 

“When we go to parties, Dylan always packs MOJOs – you can drink it and feel like you are part of the action, socialising while having something that is good for you.”

Cheers to your health, Jess and Dylan!

Team MOJO.