How A Sussex Bone Broth Brand And England Cricket Hero Are Helping People Transform Gut Health

If you've followed my writing over the years, you'll know I'm always curious to learn.

That curiosity has recently turned towards health and wellbeing after my own struggles with digestive problems led me to explore natural ways of feeling better.

This is the latest instalment of what I hope will become a regular series, where I'll be putting products, ideas and health trends to the test, digging into the research behind them and, most importantly, sharing my own honest experiences.

These aren't medical recommendations or miracle cures and I have no affiliation with the items/products or brands — this is one person's journey to better health that may help others who are searching for answers too.

Like many people, I'd spent years trying to work out why my stomach seemed to be constantly fighting against me.

Painful bloating became a regular part of life. Some days it was manageable, other days it was so uncomfortable that I found myself reaching for painkillers just to dull the symptoms.

They often worked temporarily, but the relief never lasted, and despite an ultrasound and colonoscopy I was told everything was tickety-boo — despite perpetual 3am agonising wakeups and chronic bloating to the contrary.

Eventually I discovered one of the biggest culprits was gluten.

Removing it from my diet made a significant difference, but I still wanted to find natural ways to support my digestive health rather than simply masking the symptoms.

That journey led me down a rabbit hole of probiotics, fermented foods, herbal teas and, eventually, bone broth.

Ironically, despite the flurry of online offerings, the company that first caught my attention regarding the latter wasn't through a health influencer or sketchy social media advert.

As a lifelong cricket fan and Hampshire supporter, I spotted that England fast bowler Sonny Baker had become an ambassador for Asthi Bone Broth after already using it as part of his own routine.

Knowing he already made and drank bone broth before partnering with the company piqued my interest, so I decided to order some myself.

First impressions

I'll be honest — the first taste surprised me!

Asthi arrives in glass bottles, and in a rich jelly-like form before being gently heated on the hob, where it quickly transforms into a warming broth.

Drinking it neat wasn't really for me at first but that's where the experimenting began:

• I added freshly cracked black pepper.

• Then fresh lemon juice.

• Then coconut milk, chickpeas, chilli...

Before long I'd accidentally created something that wouldn't have looked out of place on the menu at Wagamama — with the added bonus of it being a much healthier alternative!

The broth became a wonderfully rich base for homemade soups, adding depth of flavour while making it easy to enjoy several times a week.

My experience

Everyone's body is different, so I can only speak from my own experience.

For me, introducing bone broth alongside the other dietary changes I'd already made became another positive step in getting my digestive health back on track.

It certainly wasn't an overnight miracle and I wouldn't pretend otherwise.

But over time I genuinely felt less uncomfortable after meals and experienced fewer of the painful bloating episodes that had become such a normal part of life.

Combined with identifying gluten as one of my personal triggers, it became another habit that simply made me feel better.

More than just a health product

One thing that stood out to me was the story behind Asthi itself.

The company was founded by Steph Jones, a nutritional therapist and yoga teacher, whose own search for better health inspired her to create a premium bone broth using traditional slow-simmering methods.

The name Asthi (pronounced Us-Tea) comes from the Sanskrit word for "bone", reflecting the company's belief that good health starts with strong foundations.

Each batch is made using carefully sourced ingredients and slowly cooked to create a broth designed to be both nourishing and full of flavour.

It's refreshing to see a business built around quality rather than gimmicks.

Final thoughts

Would I recommend it?

Yes—but with one important caveat.

Not because I think it's some miracle cure, but because I genuinely enjoyed incorporating it into my diet and found it became part of a much wider improvement in my gut health.

If, like me, you've struggled with digestive issues, it's always worth speaking to a healthcare professional to identify any underlying causes.

As for Asthi, it's earned a permanent place in my kitchen. Sometimes it's simply a mug of warming broth, others it's the starting point for a homemade soup.

Either way, it's become one of those products I genuinely look forward to using and it's reassuring knowing the love put into.

You can find out more about Asthi and its story at https://weareasthi.co.uk/pages/our-story