Some common digestive problems

 

From a nutritional point of view, the gastrointestinal tract is considered one of the most important organs in the body. Maintaining a healthy digestive tract is paramount in achieving optimal health, as poor digestion can cause a multitude of seemingly unrelated problems. Nutritional health and gastrointestinal health are therefore closely correlated.


Some common digestive problems are as follows:


Heartburn or GERD (Gastro-esophageal Reflux Disease)

Heartburn is a burning sensation and pain in the stomach and/or chest behind the breastbone. It may be accompanied by bloating, gas, nausea, shortness of breath, and/or an acidic or sour taste in the throat. This occurs when hydrochloric acid, which is used by the stomach to digest food, backs up into the esophagus causing sensitive tissues to become irritated. Normally the sphincter muscle pinches itself shut and prevents stomach acid from surging upward. However, if the sphincter is not functioning properly the acid can slip past it and enter the esophagus causing damage to the lining which can induce cancer if not treated. Another route is to the lungs to cause asthma-like symptoms.


Causes


-  Excessive consumption of spicy foods, fatty or fried/smoked foods, alcohol, coffee, citrus fruits, chocolate or tomato-based foods can trigger GERD. In fact, in nearly 80% of acid reflux cases, low stomach acid is the culprit. As such, food that has been sitting in the stomach without enough stomach acid ferments and creates gas. By taking antacids the stomach acid is being reduced further which is the opposite of what is required.


-  Ulcers, gallbladder problems, stress, allergies and enzyme deficiencies can also contribute to its occurrence.


-  People with certain illnesses, like cancer, often have excessive amounts of acid in their systems. For some who develop an esophageal cell lining that is more acid-resistant, it can be pre-malignant and transform into cancerous cells.  Such chest discomfort can be mistaken for a heart attack at times.

What to do?

+ At the first sign of heartburn, drink a large glass of water or swallow saliva.

+ Vegetable juices are known to contain large amount of enzymes. Juices from raw potato, fresh cabbage and celery can be taken daily. Raw vegetables can be eaten in smaller, more frequent meals. However, most vegetables contain high amounts of fiber which may irritate your gastritis when get gassy. Preferred are orange vegetables like butternut squash, winter squash, summer squash, carrots, yellow peppers, yellow tomatoes, sweet potatoes and sweet corn which contain beta-carotene, capable of protecting the mucus lining of your esophagus and stomach from erosive gastritis.

+ Avoid citrus fruits and acidic foods like carbonated beverages, fats, fried foods, processed foods, tobacco, caffeinated products and sugar especially on an empty stomach. Fresh papaya and pineapple are good choices which can aid digestion.


+ Food should be well chewed to put less burden on the stomach to breakdown further. More frequent meals are recommended.

+ A local study found that curry can worsen the pain in people with upper abdominal symptoms. The more curry a person consumes in a single sitting, the more intense the pain that can last for about 3 hours. The suspected culprit is chili that triggers the pain.

+ Do not eat for 3 hours before bedtime.

+ Stop smoking as it reduces the functioning of the lower esophageal sphincter.

+ Maintain an exercise program that includes walking, biking or low-impact aerobics. Avoid running and weight-training as these activities put pressure on the stomach. Reduce the stress level if possible.

Other possible help –

+ Elevate the head of the bed when lying so that less stomach acid can flow back into the esophagus.

+ Obese people should lose weight as excessive fats exert pressure on the abdomen and stomach, thus inducing stomach acid to backflow into the esophagus.

+ Wearing loose-fitting clothes can help to reduce abdominal pressure as well.

Critical conditions -

Mild occasional heartburn is easily self-manageable, but experiencing persistent heartburn or alarming symptoms like vomiting blood, dizziness, difficulty in swallowing, chest pain in the night, black stools or unintended weight loss should warrant medical help. Surgery may be required as a last resort to tighten the lower esophageal sphincter so that acid reflux is likely to happen.

PEPTIC ULCERS DISEASE (PUD)


Peptic ulcer disease including both gastric and duodenal ulcer form a substantial part of patients seeking medical opinion world-wide.

A peptic ulcer is a spot where the lining of the stomach or small intestine and the tissues beneath has been eroded, leaving an internal open wound. The surrounding tissue is usually swollen and irritated. Failing to protect against the effect of digestive acids and enzymes, the stomach can be digested itself. The symptoms of a peptic ulcer include the chronic burning or gnawing stomach pain that usually begins 45 to 60 min after eating or awakening at night. Pain can be mild or severe. Other possible symptoms include unintended weight loss, lower back pain, headaches, a choking sensation, black stools, itching, nauseating and vomiting.


Causes
 

+  Stress is usually considered a risk factor as it increases the production of stomach acid.


+  Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and low-dose aspirin can be responsible for increase of stomach acidity over prolonged period of usage.


+ However, recent study showed that about 80% of cases are due to ulcers infection with Helicobacter pylori bacteria combined with the presence of stomach acid. This transmittable infectious bacteria, hard to rid, burrows into the inner lining of the stomach and small intestine causing damage to the mucous layer that protects the lining from digestive acids.

+  Foods and other substances that are acidic and anti-inflammatory should be avoided to reduce or prevent symptoms include:

• Alcohol and smoking
• Spicy foods eg. chilli, peppers
• Fatty foods
• Fried and barbecued foods
• Acidic foods eg. meat, coffee, processed foods

Also note following foods that are detrimental:

• Toxic eg. cigarette smoking
• Burning effect or irritate eg. garlic, tomato, drugs

Remedies

Most sufferers have few or short-term symptoms and recover completely. Even those with underlying causes that are appropriately treated can recover fully too.
A classic example of clinical study done is Vitamin U, administered as raw cabbage juice to 100 patients with peptic ulcer, was apparently effective in promoting the rapid healing of uncomplicated peptic ulcers. The evidence of therapeutic benefit was -

1. the rapid relief of the symptom, pain, without the use of any set plan of symptomatic treatment, and;
2. the average crater healing time for seven of these patients who had duodenal ulcer was only 10.4 days, while the average time in 62 patients treated by standard therapy of diet and drug therapy was 37 days. Also, the average healing time for six patients with gastric ulcer treated with cabbage juice was only 7.3 days, compared with 42 days for similar number treated by standard therapy.

However, if left unattended after prolonged period, inflammation and anemia can develop, with growths appearing as polyps and cancer if left unattended. Watch for any signs like indigestion, bloating, heartburn, nausea and loss of appetite.


For stomach cancer - see link: http://vivajoyhealth.blogspot.sg/2014/02/gastric-cancer.html


LACTOSE INTOLERANCE

 

Lactose intolerance is the inability to digest lactose (milk sugar). It is caused by a lack or deficiency of lactase, an enzyme manufactured in the small intestine that splits lactose into glucose and galactose. Hence, when a person with lactose intolerance consumes milk or other dairy products, some or all of the lactose they contain remains undigested, retains fluid and ferments in the colon, resulting in abdominal cramps, bloating, diarrhea and gas. Most Asians are lactose intolerant but it is not a serious threat to health and can be easily managed through dietary modification.

BULIMIA NERVOSE / ANAREXIA

Bulimia is an eating disorder characterised by episodes of uncontrolled binge eating, often involving extremely large amounts of high-calorie foods, followed by one or more of the following: induced vomiting or the use of laxatives, diuretics, or enemas and/or obsessive exercising to purge the body of the food eaten during the binge. The binge/purge episodes vary in frequency, from a few times a week to several times daily.
 

Some of the many serious problems Bulimia can lead to include anemia, depletion of fluid balance, electrolyte imbalances, erratic heartbeat, hypoglycemia, infertility, internal bleeding, kidney or liver damage, malnutrition, cessation of menstrual cycles, mental fuzziness, loss of muscle and bone mass, a low pulse rate and blood pressure, a ruptured stomach or esophagus, stones in the salivary glands, tooth and/or gum erosion, ulcers, and a weakened immune system. Not only is the body turns topsy-turvy, life-threatening problems can result, including cancers of the organs and cardiac arrest.

Just the reverse is an Anorexia patient who tends to think she is fat though underweight. Such person starves herself, vomit deliberately and/or takes huge doses of laxatives resulting in depletion of minerals like potassium and zinc. Zinc deficiency can lead to heart failure, menstruation irregularity, dry skin, brittleness of hair and nails, premature death. Many anorexia patients require hospitalisation to feed potassium and multivitamins through intravenous tube.

CONSTIPATION

Constipation is difficulty in passing stools or the infrequent passage of hard, dry stools as a result of food moving slowly through the large intestine. Most people experience constipation at one point of their life but usually improved lifestyle and better eating habits help to relieve the symptoms and prevent recurrences.


Causes

In most instances, inadequate intake of fibre and fluids in the diet causes constipation. As we know fibre is found in plant foods, such as whole grains, fruits and vegetables. Fibre that is soluble in water takes on a softer texture and helps soften the stools. Insoluble fibre passes through the intestine largely unchanged and adds bulk to stools, which helps in peristalsis movement.

Other contributory factors are: lack of exercise, advanced age, muscle disorders, structural abnormalities, bowel diseases and a poor diet, especially heavy consumption of junk food. Iron supplements, painkillers and antidepressants can cause constipation too. Also a common problem for pregnant women.

Constipation can give rise to many different ailments, including appendicitis, bad breath, body odor, coated tongue, depression, fatigue, gas, headaches, hemorrhoids, hernia, indigestion, insomnia obesity and varicose veins. The worst to happen is colon cancer.

Regulating bowel movements are an important mechanism for removing toxins from the body. The colon serves as a holding tank for waste matter. If toxins are not discharged timely, they can be re-circulated into the bloodstream and poison the other organs. As a result 80% of diseases originate from the colon.

Hard to swallow? Do not worry…

Having examined the eating disorders mentioned above, good nutrition is urgently needed to put ‘house in order’. Patients may display a variety of medical and psychological complications but reversible results appear through re-balancing of lifestyle.

 

(1) Multivitamins, protein and mineral supplement are three essential components to replenish in such extreme dire condition.

 

(2) Our gut consists of a maze of both friendly and bad bacteria totally about 100 trillion. The friendly bacteria protect against harmful pathogens by guarding our intestine. To ensure a stronger defend, is advisable to introduce probiotics and prebiotics at a frequent interval. Probiotics are beneficial bacteria whereas prebiotics are non-digestible foods that stimulate the growth of friendly bacteria

(3) As we age, digestive enzymes are depleting from our liver. The main enzymes, namely amylase (carbohydrates), protease (protein) and lipase (milk sugar) help to break down food into smaller molecules of nutrients which our body can assimilate.

(4) Last but not the least, fibre in the form of soluble and insoluble fiber is indispensable to our gastrointestinal health. Soluble fiber from fruits and vegetables help to promote movement of waste material while insoluble fiber from oats, brown rice and green barley are crucial in adding bulk to the waste material.

Source: Prescription to Natural Healing, Ezyhealth and Beauty,www.hpb.gov.sg

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