Ditch the Meds and Deal with Your Digestive Problems Naturally

How to Deal with Digestive Issues Naturally

by Dr. Frank Painter, D.C. and Dr. Richard Brouse

The Upper Digestive Tract

The mouth (which is dependent on the health of our teeth, and the quality of our chewing) is the first step in the digestive process. Our saliva starts breaking down the complex carbohydrates, and chewing breaks food into smaller pieces, thus increasing the surface area for the digestive enzymes to work on.

By the age of 30 the body is already producing less digestive enzymes than we need, so the first product to support healthy digestion is a general digestive enzyme like Shaklee’s  EZ-Gest . It is designed to help us digest the three organic materials we just reviewed. It is particularly helpful for those who are lactose intolerant, and can also help to digest many of the “problem foods,” such as beans and broccoli, without experiencing that gaseous bloated feeling.

The stomach is the acid-filled cauldron, where giant molecules are broken into smaller units. When operating properly, the pH of the stomach is about one, and that’s acidic enough to dissolve nails within 36 hours. WOW! On occasion, people may suffer from acid reflux (aka heartburn), when contents of the stomach back up into the esophagus. In a recent Swedish study, 67 % of those interviewed reported experiencing reflux symptoms daily, and 14 %  of them experienced it at least weekly.

However, if we are not producing enough acid taking 1 T of Apple cider vinegar in a little water and touch of honey 30 minutes before eating and taking supplements with calcium can help break them down easier.

Reflux is associated with gas, bloating, nausea, heartburn and burping. Most pharmacies devote entire aisles to selling chalky pills and fizzing tablets to alleviate these symptoms, but neutralizing the acid in your stomach also defeats the stomach’s ability to digest properly. Reducing your intake of coffee and soda, and managing your stress levels are frequently successful at extinguishing heartburn.

Stress is often a major contributor to heart Burn, so Shaklee Stress Relief Complex  is a natural and safe way to calm both the stomach and the nerves. SRC also blunts excessive cortisol release. which will reduce the impact of stress on ali the other the organ systems.

The OptiFlora System provides both pre- and probiotics to balance and heal the digestive tract. You may want to check out the Acidophilus Page to review the wide spectrum of digestive disorders that OptiFlora can help with.

Also a product called Stomach Soothing Complex contains a combination of ginger and peppermint oil that is very soothing to the stomach, and is especially helpful with reducing the nausea associated with early pregnancy 0r motion sickness.

Finally, chewable Cal Mag Plus can provide relief for that occasional acid-stomach upset, because the calcium carbonate molecule neutralizes acid.

The small intestine combines bile and other enzymes from the pancreas and liver to finish the job of breaking food into the pieces that we can absorb. The overall surface area of the small intestine is vast (it’s the size of a baseball diamond) so we have a giant environment for absorbing all those nutrients.

The Facts on Fat and Why it May be Causing Inflammation

Diseases of the intestine and colon usually evolve because of inflammation. This includes the whole inflammatory spectrum, from irritable  or inflammatory bowel to the more severe ulcerative colitis. As inflammation increase and the ability to absorb nutrients declines. This is the vicious circle. What is the cause? The average American diet has an imbalance between the Omega.3 and Omega-6 fatty acids, and this creates a pro-inflammatory environment in the body. The ideal dietary ratio between these two essential fatty  acids is 1 : 1 (one{o-one).

Omega 6’s are used to start the inflammatory cascade, while the Omega 3’s are used to extinguish it. It’s estimated that the Omega 6 to 3 ratio is now a lopsided 20:1, because of the preponderance of com oil used in cooking and prepared foods. This imbalance is what has caused such a dramatic increase in inflammatory and autoimmune disorders during the last 30 years.

The solution is in restricting the use of Omega 6 cooking oils (derived from vegetables, seeds and nuts) and increasing the use of Omega 3 oils (found in flaxseed oil, canola oil, walnuts, and Brazil nuts). The purest available source of dietary Omega 3’s is from Vitalizer or OmegaGuard.

For those with extreme intestinal symptoms, they should start a program with OmegaGuard, OptiFlora, EZGest, and Stress Relief Complex. As the inflammation reduces. add Vitalizer and a Shaklee  NON GMO soy product like CINCH shakes or Energizing Soy Protein. The idea is to reduce the inflammation first. As the intestines heal, the other supplements will be much better tolerated and absorbed.

Dr. Richard Brouse on Acid Reflux

Usually, people with this level of gastric distress have a long
history of late night eating, high stress lifestyle and poor food choices. The muscle at the top of the stomach which keeps food and stomach acid from entering the esophagus (cardiac sphincter) has been stretched and does not regain its function. Sometimes the advice for hiatus hernia sufferers can help;

1) do not eat within 3 hours of bedtime,

2) do not drink within 1 hour of bedtime,

3) elevate the head of the bed 4 inches or use several large pillows to raise the head and shoulders,

4) drink 12 ounces of warm water the first thing in the morning and do 10 straight-leg heel drops to traction the esophagus.

I might add, this condition is rarely due to too much stomach acid. It is the result of poor food choices, eating schedule and stress………………Dr. Brouse