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This Deficiency IS Why Your Digestion Is Screwed UpHolistic digestion solutions -
As we know, a high-fiber diet is important for bowel regularity and colon health, so it is well worth the patience it may take to slowly build up tolerance to these types of carbohydrates. Start by adding the offending high-fiber food in smaller quantities, such as a half cup or less.
Be sure that fluid intake and activity levels are adequate, as they help to move foods through the digestive tract. Many advertisements tout medications or remedies that reduce gas and bloating. Some have been shown to be of value in clinical studies, others have not yet been proven scientifically but are anecdotally helpful.
Before trying anything, you may want to consult with your physician. Two products on the market can help with food-related gas and bloating. Both products are packaged forms of the enzymes needed to break down the problematic carbohydrates.
Lactase, found in products such as Dairy Ease and Lactaid, can be taken with dairy foods to help break down lactose and lessen gas. Beano helps digest the indigestible carbohydrate in beans and other gas-producing vegetables.
In most situations, occasional gas and abdominal discomfort does not require medical attention. Over- the-counter products, or a self-assessment of habits and changes in eating behaviors can help remedy the situation. However, you should seek medical attention when there is an increase in frequency, location or severity of the symptoms, or if they are accompanied by weight loss, diarrhea, vomiting or heartburn.
For over a century, a leader in patient care, medical education and research, with expertise in virtually every specialty of medicine and surgery. Stay Informed. Connect with us. skip to Cookie Notice Skip to contents. Home Patients and Families Resources Department of Nutrition Outpatient Nutrition Nutrition and Lifestyle Tips Special Topics Gas Beat the Bloat Back to Special Topics.
Gas: Beat The Bloat. com We all have gas. The Passing Of Gas The three most common ways of expelling gas are burping, abdominal bloating, and flatus. Bacterial Fermentation The colon is filled with bacteria, yeasts and fungi, which break down the foods not digested by the small intestine, mostly different forms of carbohydrates.
Behaviors, Food Choices And Activity Eating behaviors and other habits such as gum chewing, gulping foods and drinking with eating can cause us to swallow air. Behaviors And Food Choices That Can Lead To Gas Behaviors Talking while eating Eating when upset Smoking or chewing tobacco Using a straw or sports bottle Overloading your stomach Deep sighing Drinking very hot or cold beverages Chewing gum or eating hard candy Drinking from a water fountain Tight-fitting garments Long-term use of medications for relief of cold symptoms Foods Carbonated beverages Spicy, fried or fatty foods Broccoli, cabbage, onions Beans Apple or prune juice Dried fruits Anything containing sorbitol, mannitol or maltitol, found in many low-carb or sugar-free foods Beat The Bloat Bloating is a sensation that makes the abdomen feel larger than normal.
Here are additional suggestions to decrease bloating: Eat slowly, and consume smaller, more frequent meals Chew your foods well Drink beverages at room temperature Have your dentures checked for a good fit Increase physical activity during the day Sit up straight after eating Take a stroll after eating It is important not to completely omit foods from the diet that may cause gas.
Natural And Other Remedies For Gas Many advertisements tout medications or remedies that reduce gas and bloating. Natural remedies for gas include: Peppermint tea Chamomile tea Anise Caraway Coriander Fennel Turmeric Over-the-counter gas remedies include: Pepto-Bismol Activated charcoal Simethicone Lactase enzyme Lactaid or Dairy Ease Beano When To Be Concerned In most situations, occasional gas and abdominal discomfort does not require medical attention.
Nutrition and Lifestyle Tips Skip navigation Food and Nutrition Physical Activity Tools Recipes Nutrition and Wellness Resources. Find a Doctor Request Appointment Locations Services. Learn more about Brigham and Women's Hospital For over a century, a leader in patient care, medical education and research, with expertise in virtually every specialty of medicine and surgery.
About BWH. Juicing and cleansing diets make us feel good initially as our body is purified and organ function improves, and so we assume that they are healthy and beneficial in the long term; but the reality is that they can and do burnout our digestion and create noticeable digestive problems quite quickly because they typically rely on juicing, fruits, salads and other cold, damp foods.
In addition to generally consisting of abundant amounts of salad, fruits, juice and other cold foods, raw food diets rely heavily on nuts and seeds which are the most difficult to digest of all foods.
They can be broken down to a degree by sprouting, which is commonly done on raw food diets, but this does not remove them completely; and, even in small amounts, they put quite a bit of stress on our digestion and can lead to chronic digestive problems.
For these reasons it is not recommended to engage in strict raw foods diets long term. As a short-term cleansing protocol, or as part of a more balanced overall diet incorporating cooked foods, raw foods can be an incredible asset towards promoting health, but be sure to listen to your body.
If you are suffering from digestive problems, it is recommended not to follow raw food diets as they almost always make things worse. Our digestive secretions are extremely acidic; and when we regularly drink alkaline water or beverages, it neutralizes our stomach acidity, which eventually breaks down our digestion.
Alkaline water can be beneficial in moderation if it is naturally alkaline—meaning that it is alkaline due to naturally occurring or added minerals such as those which occur in spring water.
All minerals are alkaline, and mixing them with water causes the water to become alkaline. However, many brands artificially alkalize water by passing it over metal plates with slight electric charges, which manipulate the ion balance as a shortcut to alkalinity.
Even in healthy diets , there can be a considerable amount of sugar. When you eat sweet foods, the sugar contained therein finds its way into your bloodstream and quite quickly at that. Your body maintains a very delicate balance of sugar levels in the blood; and a sudden influx from eating highly sweetened foods—especially if the sugar therein is refined—causes your blood sugar levels to spike.
In order to get things back under control, your pancreas begins to secrete insulin, which then safely transports the excess sugar out of your bloodstream. This is a normal, healthy process; but like anything in excess, it leads to digestive problems. As mentioned, your pancreas is critical for healthy digestion, releasing a number of vital digestive enzymes to break down foods as they enter the intestines.
Over stressing it by consistently eating sugary or sweet foods whether or not you are aware of it greatly diminishes its ability to produce enzymes and your digestion suffers.
Over the course of weeks, months and years, this can severely affect the ability of the pancreas to function normally and your digestion is weakened as a result. A piece of fruit or two per day, if your digestion is in good working order, is fine and nothing to be concerned about.
However, if you suspect you may have digestive problems, it is best to avoid all sugar or limit your intake to a piece of fruit on occasion until your body gets back into balance. By becoming mindful of your eating habits, you can quickly bring your digestive health back into balance.
The simple knowledge I have outlined so far of how digestion operates and digestive problems are formed in a general sense is enough to empower you with the foundational skills you will need to maintain resilient digestive strength for your entire life and correct imbalances as they occur.
Healing your digestion has two main components: diet along with herbs and supplements that can speed the process. Diet alone is enough to repair most digestive problems, but is a more drawn out process on the whole.
Those who find restricted diets difficult, for reasons social or otherwise, will appreciate the added boost of powerful herbs, supplements and special medicinal foods that can greatly speed up the healing process , sometimes cutting the time needed to restore digestion in half or less.
Always listen to your body. If whatever you are doing is too intense or uncomfortable, back off and move at a slower pace, giving your body the space it needs to heal at a pace it is comfortable with.
Consequently, if you feel like a gung-ho approach is doable and necessary, then by all means give it a try. Maintain balance.
Traditional Chinese Medicine recognizes two fundamental forces in the universe that apply to everything in life, diet included— Yin and Yang. Keep this in mind as you work to heal your digestive problems.
Balance forward momentum with rest, activity with peace. So, apply that wisdom to the healing process as well and keep everything balanced. If your symptoms worsen or you suspect there may be more at play, consult a Naturopathic, Ayurvedic or Traditional Chinese Medicine doctor for guidance.
Although the recommendations below are safe for anyone, if in doubt, get it checked out. The following suggestions, with the exception of eliminating artificial sugars, are only necessary until you get your digestion functioning back at optimal levels.
At that point, you can reintroduce foods and see how your body is reacting to them. If you feel fine, then you can include them in your diet in a balanced manner.
Whole, gluten-free grains brown or any other colored rice, non-GMO corn, millet, amaranth, quinoa, etc. It is important here to note that the above mentioned foods are not bad for you by any stretch, especially if they are eaten in a whole, unprocessed form again, with the exception of artificial and refined sugar.
In fact, they are all highly nutrient-dense foods that provide many health benefits and should be included as part of a well-rounded diet. However, if you are suffering from digestive problems, they can be aggravating because of their difficulty to digest.
Eliminating them from your diet in the short term will allow you to heal much faster, so you can get back to eating the foods you enjoy once again. If unsure, check in with your body and see how it reacts when you eat them.
As always, listen to your body. In this case small amounts of berries are usually tolerable. The time needed for your digestion to regain its strength and digestive problems to heal is largely influenced by how closely you follow the suggestions in this article, your individual mindset and life circumstances and how deficient your digestion has become.
For someone who is tenacious and committed, great progress can be made in a few weeks. For others, it may take a bit longer. Remember you are reversing a pattern that may have been months or years in the making, and so it is important to be patient and give yourself space during the recovery process.
That being said, if you follow these suggestions even loosely, you should start to see progress immediately. Ghee, which is simply clarified butter, is the most revered food in Ayurvedic medicine, with an incredible array of remarkable healing properties, not least of which is the ability to rapidly repair digestive problems.
Ghee is a building food, meaning that it is ideal for people recovering from a deficiency due to its deeply nourishing effects on the body.
According to Ayurveda it restores ojas, loosely translated as vital or foundational energy. In a more scientific sense, ghee heals digestive problems because it is extraordinarily rich in butyric acid, which is used in the treatment of ulcers, IBS, ulcerative colitis and colon cancer, among other things.
Butyric acid works by soothing and reducing inflammation in the digestive tract and healing wounds in the mucus lining of the stomach and intestines. It also balances the hydrochloric acid levels in the stomach, which are frequently disturbed in those with digestive problems.
As an added benefit, Ghee is delicious and makes just about everything it comes into contact with taste much richer and more flavorful. click here to order. Trikatu is the Sanskrit name for a highly revered Ayurvedic herbal blend of long pepper, black pepper and ginger, all herbs with the remarkable ability to powerfully stimulate digestion—particularly the production of digestive enzymes and hydrochloric acid in the stomach.
Significant increases in energy and elimination of digestive problems after the first dose are not uncommon, however, for such a powerful herbal blend it is important to start slow and be aware of how your body reacts.
If you have acid reflux it is best to begin with something milder and more soothing like ghee or slippery elm bark until your stomach lining has had a chance to heal.
Ironically enough, most cases of acid reflux are actually caused by a deficiency of hydrochloric acid, but the use of trikatu may be too intense at first. Start with a half tablet with the first bite of every meal and see how your body reacts. Adjust upward as needed by a half tablet every day until you reach a max of 2 tablets with every meal.
You can taper off once you feel your digestive problems beginning to significantly improve. Bitters are a medicinal beverage dating back to Medieval times that is made from a blend of bitter herbs hence the name that stimulate digestion.
Traditionally, they are taken as an aperitif at the end of a meal , however, for those with digestive problems, it is recommended to take them just before eating.
Furthermore bitters heal the liver which is often compromised in cases of digestive deficiency and stimulate it to produce bile, which is essential in digesting fats and clearing out undigested food residues from the gut. Although alcohol should generally be avoided in those with digestive problems, the small amount consumed with a bitters preparation is actually beneficial.
Highly purified alcohol, the likes of which is used to make bitters, clears out stagnancy in the body, which is a very common condition in those with digestive problems. Aloe vera is widely used as a powerful skin moisturizer, scar remover and wound healer and is truly one of natures most useful medicinal plants.
When taken internally, Aloe has many of the same effects on the digestive tract. It works wonders on constipation, soothes ulcers, eases heartburn, gently draws toxins from the body and is an excellent remedy for healing digestive problems. When any organ is weakened, be it the stomach or intestines, the other organs are also affected, having to overcompensate to deal with excess toxins, stress, etc.
As digestive problems are healed, neighboring organs may need to be cleansed and rejuvenated as well and aloe serves a double purpose as a tonic for the entire organ system. It deeply cleanses and nourishes the body, pulling out wastes from the affected tissues and helping the liver to excrete them.
The fresh plant gel is best, but juice from high quality suppliers can also be used. If you keep it refrigerated, which is recommended, be sure to let it warm up to room temperature before drinking.
In cases of mild to severe digestive problems, nutrient absorption is frequently impaired and the body is suffering from sub-clinical nutrient deficiencies. Not surprisingly, many vitamins and minerals are necessary for proper digestive function, which can create a vicious cycle without a source of easily absorbable nutrients.
Taking a high quality multivitamin and can make a major difference in the time it takes to recover by supplying the body with much needed nutrition to bridge the gap while digestion is restored. Avoid whole food multivitamins, which are typically yeast-based and tend to aggravate digestive problems.
Instead look for vitamins and minerals in a form most absorbable by the body, free from binders and fillers and from a reputable, high-integrity company. In this arena, Pure Encapsulations is by far the leader in quality, purity and potency, used by Naturopathic doctors worldwide.
Slippery elm is derived from the bark of the Elm tree and has been used medicinally in traditional cultures for thousands of years.
The bark absorbs toxins from the digestive tract, speeds digestion and transit time of food in the bowels, heals damage to the intestinal walls and feeds beneficial probiotic bacteria.
Be sure to drink at least an 8 oz glass of water with a dose of slippery elm, as it absorbs water and toxins from the digestive tract and can be drying otherwise.
Justin Faerman has been studying and writing about holistic health practices, herbalism and natural medicine for over 14 years and is a leading authority on both modern and ancient therapies for creating lasting health and wellness.
He has a degree in Environmental Science from the University of California, Santa Barbara and has conducted field research into organic and regenerative agriculture practices and eco-social sustainability during his time there.
He is also the Founder of Lotus Superfoods, a boutique purveyor of rare herbs and superfoods as well as the Co-founder of Conscious Lifestyle Magazine and the Flow Consciousness Institute. Learn more about his work at flowconsciousnessinstitute.
com and lotussuperfoods. When you really think about it, RAW Veggies such as broccoli and Carrots are hard to digest because of the Fiber and cell walls of the plant, basic Biology tells us the Plant cell is one of the strongest structures in the cellular realm.
Our bodies need to break down these cells to get the nutrients they contain. Heating our foods allows this cell wall to break down, thus giving us an easier digestive process.
Now in this article you said juicing is considered to be tough on digestion, IDK how that would be, the juice is mechanically separated, the cell wall is broken down by the blades in the machine allowing the nutrients to be extracted.
A soluyions functioning digestiion Holistic digestion solutions is critical to good Holistic digestion solutions. In fact, problems with the gastrointestinal Metabolic health habits tract dlgestion cause more than just stomach ache Digstion diarrhoea. GI issues may digesgion several other chronic health problems that seem unrelated to digestive health, including autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and type 1 diabetes, skin problems such as eczema and acne rosacea, and heart disease just to name a few. Probiotics in the form of supplements or food can be helpful in re-inoculating the gut. Probiotic powders are versatile and argued by some experts to be more effectively utilised by the body in a free powder of liquid form.
photo: istock. Holistic digestion solutions 0 I t is no coincidence that both Traditional Holistic digestion solutions medicine and Ayurveda, arguably Effective cholesterol management techniques two solutinos systems of medicine on Hoilstic planet, consider dolutions to be one of the key factors influencing our Holistlc. In fact, some of the vigestion radical Ayurvedic doctors go so far as to not even acknowledge Holistic digestion solutions presence of individual diseases, believing that all imbalances in the body stem from digestive problems and faulty diet in one form or another. Patients are treated with a combination of specific herbs and dietary therapies aimed at strengthening and healing the digestive tract and any underlying digestive problems, quite frequently with remarkable success. Modern nutritional research has in large part validated this ancient knowledge, confirming that diet does indeed play a major role in health. So much so, in fact, that we have been led to believe by many well-meaning nutritionists and doctors that eating whole, organic, unprocessed food is the single most important thing we can do to improve our overall health.
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