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Digestive Health
Digestive
problems react differently in all people who suffer from them.
One product may considerably help one person and adversely
effect another. Certain foods will be acceptable to one person
and cause horrible pain and grief to another. Doctors,
researchers and lay people agree on one thing and not on
another, and there is an immense amount of information that no
one can agree on. At this time there is no cure for Irritable
Bowel Syndrome and many other digestive conditions, but there
are options available to decrease the major pain and other
symptoms. It is entirely a process of trial and error.
Alternative Aids for Gastro Health
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Gastroesophageal
reflux disease (GERD) is a disorder in which
contents of the stomach or small intestine repeatedly move back
up into the esophagus (tube connecting the throat to the
stomach). This regurgitating action is called reflux. Reflux
causes heartburn, and although most people have an attack of
heartburn at some point in their lives, persistent reflux and
severe heartburn may indicate GERD.
Medications
The main aim of drug treatment is to control the acidity of the
stomach. This can be achieved with either nonprescription or
prescription drugs, depending on the severity and frequency of
your reflux. Your doctor will determine which medicine is best
for you.
There are several different types of medications used for GERD,
and each works in a different way. Over-the-counter antacids
neutralize the stomach acids; histamine H2 blockers interfere
with the production of acid; and proton pump inhibitors suppress
molecules in the glands responsible for the release of acid.
Avoid taking other medications within three hours of an antacid
because antacids may limit the absorption of other drugs.
• Over-the-counter antacids -- typically recommended for mild
symptoms of GERD; most brands are a combination of three active
ingredients: magnesium salts (often combined with aluminum to
prevent diarrhea); calcium carbonate (effective and fast-acting,
but may cause constipation); and aluminum salts (may also cause
constipation and excessive use may cause calcium loss).
• Histamine H2 receptor blockers (such as cimetidine,
famotidine, nizatidine, and ranitidine) -- relieve symptoms for
6 to 24 hours; usually taken at bedtime. These are available
both over the counter and by prescription. The prescription
forms are more potent.
• Proton pump inhibitors (including esomeprazole, lansoprazole,
omeprazole, pantoprazole, and rabeprazole) is the most effective
class of drugs for relieving symptoms of GERD; these drugs also
speed the healing of the esophagus.
• Prokinetic agents – specifically metoclopramide, which
promotes movement of stomach acids along the gastrointestinal
tract, rather than backing up into the esophagus.
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Alternative and Home Remedies for Heartburn
THE GINGER ALTERNATIVE
Many find that ingesting ginger with a meal helps to reduce suffering and stomach upset. Fresh ginger can be ground and added to foods or taken in tea or capsule form. Herbalists recommend consuming 500mg. of ginger with a full glass of water after each meal.
DIGESTIVE ENZYMES
Enzymes which help to speed the digestive process often eliminate heartburn altogether. Papaya enzymes are sold in chewable capsule form, and are taken immediately following a meal with a full glass of water. Both ginger and digestive enzymes are not medically proven to help with symptoms.
INCREASE FIBER
Consuming more fiber nutrient foods is another natural way to alleviate future suffering. Bulk foods help to absorb excess acid and gas, and allow your body to rid itself of toxins more quickly. For those who respond poorly to high fiber vegetables, fiber pills and beverages are an easy alternative.
ADD MORE WATER
The more water you drink, the less likely you are to suffer the pains of heartburn. Drinking at least 8-glasses of water each day will rid the body of toxins and allow your body to expel acid naturally.
TRY TEA
Green tea has been used for centuries in Japan as an after dinner drink. Green teas aid the body in the digestion process, and help soothe the stomach's sensitive tissue.
GO HERBAL
Herbal teas containing even trace amounts of peppermint, chamomile, ginger, licorice root and catnip help the stomach lining repair itself. Often, one cup of tea following dinner is enough to stave off future heartburn episodes.
Supplements to Ease the Burning
We all get heartburn now and then. But for some 25 million Americans, heartburn is a regular occurrence that is more than a daily annoyance. Researchers at the Karolinska Institute in Sweden report in the New England Journal of Medicine (3/18/99) that if left untreated, chronic heartburn increases the risk of esophageal cancer eightfold; this is an especially disturbing finding given the deadliness of that form of cancer. A number of potent prescription and over-the-counter heartburn medications are available, and they may be effective. Safe natural remedies and simple changes in diet and lifestyle can also provide welcome relief.
Helpful supplements
The supplements below can be very effective for relieving heartburn. Some (calcium carbonate, licorice, aloe vera juice, for example) are recommended for immediate relief of symptoms. To improve the entire digestive process, try either gamma-oryzanol, a natural extract from rice bran oil, or a combination of choline, pantothenic acid, and thiamin. It may take a month or so for these longer-acting supplements to take effect.
Calcium carbonate
A well-known heartburn reliever, calcium carbonate is the principal active ingredient in antacid tablets such as Tums. It can provide immediate relief and may be particularly effective for treating sporadic heartburn. However, avoid brands that include peppermint, which has been shown to relax the low esophageal sphincter (LES), the muscle at the base of the esophagus that normally keeps food and digestive acids in the stomach. A weakened LES can lead to heartburn.
Suggested dose:
250-500 mg of calcium carbonate 3 times a day. Take with food for best absorption. Chewable tablets provide the quickest relief.
Deglycyrrhizinated licorice
Deglycyrrhizinated licorice (DGL) can also bring quick relief and may help heal damaged mucus lining in the stomach.
Suggested dose:
2 DGL licorice tablets (380 mg), 3 or 4 times a day between meals as needed. Make sure you get the deglycyrrhizinated form of licorice, which is safer than other types.
Aloe Vera Juice
Aloe vera juice is another fast-acting supplement that frequently helps soothe an agitated esophagus.
Suggested dose:
1/2 cup of aloe vera juice 3 times a day. Take between meals. Make sure it contains 98% aloe vera and no aloin or aloe-emodin.
Gamma-oryzanol
Also known as rice bran oil, gamma-oryzanol may be especially appropriate for those who have chronic reflux. This rice bran oil extract can help repair the entire digestive system and also improve the central nervous system's digestive control.
Suggested dose:
150 mg gamma-oryzanol 3 times a day. Take on an empty stomach.
Choline, pantothenic acid, thiamin
Choline, pantothenic acid, and thiamin are B-complex vitamins that can have long-term digestive benefits. If you suffer from chronic heartburn, try them in combination for a month or so to see if they help.
Suggested dose:
Choline: 500 mg 3 times a day. For chronic heartburn, use in combination with pantothenic acid and thiamin for one month to see if symptoms abate. Sold as plain choline or phosphatidylcholine; either form is fine.
Pantothenic acid: 1,000 mg twice a day.
Thiamin: 500 mg a day. Take first thing in the morning. Also called vitamin B1.
Effectiveness
All the recommended supplements are effective for relieving heartburn. The quick-acting ones can halt a heartburn attack. The longer-acting supplements may enhance the whole digestive process and benefit people with chronic heartburn. Mix and match to see which work best for you. All can be used along with prescription or over-the-counter heartburn medications as well.
Call the doctor if...
You have episodes twice a week or more often.
You have trouble swallowing or food lodges in your throat.
You experience nausea or vomiting or pass black stools.
You have crushing chest pain that spreads to the neck or left arm, as well as dizziness, shortness of breath, sweating, or rapid heartbeat. If you are suffering from any of these symptoms, get to the hospital immediately; you may be having a heart attack.
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Acid and Digestive Disorders: Breaking the Vicious Circle
By Maria Dolgova
THE RISK
The primary symptom of acid reflux is obvious to those who have it.
During the digestive process, acid flows up into the throat and causes a
burning sensation. This is caused by a breakdown in the valve that
separates the stomach from the esophagus. It’s an indication that the
acid-alkaline balance in the digestive tract has been disrupted. Unless
that balance is restored, any attempt to treat or correct the acid
reflux problem will provide nothing more than short-term relief.
The accumulation of acid in the digestive tract is often the result of
eating the wrong types of food. Acid is not caused only by excessive
consumption of junk food. Anything processed or overloaded with
additives can upset the acid-alkaline balance in the digestive system.
Even foods that you think are healthy can be highly acidic.
In a digestive tract that’s already out of balance, something as
simple as cooking your food can lead to further problems. Cooking
destroys natural enzymes in the food that assist with digestion. When
your digestive system is unable to produce the necessary enzymes for
digestion, the loss of natural enzymes makes the problem worse.
Lifestyle also contributes to digestive disorders. Stress intensifies
hyperacidity. Blood is diverted away from the stomach to the heart,
lungs and muscles for the “fight or flight” response. The stomach is
deprived of necessary oxygen and nutrients and cannot form sufficient
enzymes for proper digestion.
THE DAMAGE
Acid reflux irritates and swells the mucous lining in the throat,
esophagus and stomach, which disrupts the digestive process. The
irritation can form ulcers. The acid-alkaline balance of the digestive
tract is also upset, leading to further accumulation of acid.
The intestines are affected even more severely. Unlike digestion in the
stomach, the intestinal digestive process is meant to be alkaline, not
acidic. Therefore, the intestinal walls do not have a thick mucous
lining that protects from acid as the stomach does. The intestinal walls
are meant to facilitate the absorption of nutrients into the
bloodstream.
When acid inflames the intestinal walls, it disrupts the acid/alkaline
balance of the digestive tract. It kills off the friendly bacteria that
aid in digestion – friendly bacteria that are no longer present in
much of our food supply. The intestinal inflammation also slows down
peristalsis, the contraction of the colon that pushes food along the
intestinal tract. Undigested food particles putrefy and lead to greater
accumulation of acid.
The liver and gallbladder are also affected. When the liver becomes
overloaded with acidic waste that it can’t eliminate, it crystallizes
bile and acid waste into gallstones. The gallbladder has difficulty
releasing bile, which inhibits proper digestion and further slows
peristalsis. Acid levels continue to rise, the liver becomes damaged,
and all other body organs become vulnerable to deterioration.
Degenerative disease sets in.
THE BENEFITS OF A BALANCED pH
The best way to restore pH balance to your digestive tract is to
eliminate foods that cause acid reflux. This also means identifying and
eliminating foods that cause an allergic response.
Certain raw foods and whole foods and the right combination of vegetable
juices can heal the digestive tract lining and eliminate further
accumulation of acid waste. They can heal and prevent the formation of
ulcers.
Supplements that replace the friendly bacteria and the digestive enzymes
destroyed by acid can also help.
If you truly want to change and help your body
heal itself you need to take a proactive approach. Don’t expect to
feed your body processed foods, not exercise, then pop a pill and be all
better… it just doesn’t work that way. If you want to bring your
body into pH balance then you need a complete approach. A great place to
start is the Immersion Kit, you can learn more by going to
http://www.pH-health.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/
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Heartburn 101
Lifestyle Changes: One of the first steps doctors advice their
patients to take when treating chronic heartburn is lifestyle changes.
Heartburn symptoms can often be relieved if sufferers make a few of
these lifestyle changes.
Diet: Approximately 94 percent of sufferers can link their heartburn symptoms to specific foods. Therefore, it is important that heartburn suffers manage their diets as a way to treat their heartburn. There are foods that are usually pretty safe for heartburn sufferers to eat, that have little risk of causing acid reflux, while other foods should be avoided as they are major heartburn triggers.
Over the Counter: This type of drug works by decreasing the amount of
acid the stomach produces, and is used to treat conditions in which the
stomach produces too much acid and conditions in which acid comes up
into the esophagus and causes heartburn, such as gastroesophageal reflux
disease, or (also known as acid reflux disease).
Prescription Medications:
Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) are a group of prescription medications
that prevent the release of acid in the stomach and intestines. Doctors
prescribe PPIs to treat people with heartburn (acid reflux), ulcers of
the stomach or intestine, or excess stomach acid (Zollinger-Ellison
Syndrome).
Alternative Treatments:
For many chronic acid reflux sufferers, they want an alternate,
natural way of treating their acid reflux. These range from folk and
homeopathic remedies to healthy diets to lifestyle changes.
More:
Alternative and Home Remedies for Heartburn
Nissen Fundoplication:
The laparoscopic surgery for treatment of GERD, fundoplication,
involves constructing a new "valve" between the esophagus and
the stomach by wrapping the upper portion of the stomach (the fundus)
around the lowest port of the esophagus. This site details that
procedure, and it's aftermath.
More: Information
on Nissen Fundoplication
Enteryx Procedure:
The Enteryx procedure involves the use of a polymer
device and a solvent that is implanted in the wall of the cardia during
an endoscopy.
More: Information
on the Enteryx Procedure
Stretta Procedure:
The Stretta procedure is an approved technique for acid reflux
disease. The Stretta procedure uses radiofrequency energy delivered to
the lower esophageal sphincter and gastric cardia (uppermost part of the
stomach) which improves the function of the LES.
More: Information
on the Stretta Procedure
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