Common conditions: Digestion

Poor digestion is linked to a large number of health-related problems and is therefore one of the most important aspects of naturopathic treatment. Poor digestive function is characterised by nausea, bloating, constipation, diarrhoea and indigestion to name a few of the major symptoms.

Conditions such as Irritable Bowl Syndrome (IBS) are on the increase. IBS is now the most common reason for referral to a gastroenterologist, for which there is no conventional treatment, with relief often being found in naturopathy. Digestive problems are frequently caused by emotional stress, food allergies, poor dietary habits, low levels of good bowel bacteria, and insufficient production of digestive enzymes and juices.

Some basic measures that can be implicated on a daily basis to improve digestion function are:

• Eat when relaxed. If you feel stressed take a few deep breaths before eating. When feeling stressed blood flow is being directed away from the digestive system.
• Enjoy the aroma and sight of the food before you consume it. This triggers the release of digestive juices and enzymes.
• Concentrate on eating food and eat away from a work environment. Try not to sit at the computer, watch television or read when eating as these practises will divert blood flow away from the digestive system.
• Chew each mouthful of food well. Aim to chew each mouthful 30 times. The breakdown of food in the mouth will take the strain out of digestion further down the gastrointestinal tract.

BLOATING

An uncomfortable feeling that the abdominal area is distended. It often happens after meals but can occur at anytime.

Nutritional Advice:

• Try removing wheat and yeast from the diet.

Supplements:

• Take Swedish Bitters before meals.
• Take probiotics acidophilus and bifidus.
• Drink carminative teas after eating such as fennel, peppermint or ginger tea to reduce the bloating.

CONSTIPATION

Infrequent bowel movements, difficulty or pain in emptying the bowels, or small and hard stools. Regular bowel movement of at least once a day is recommended. The most important factors for maintaining regular bowel movements are:

• Water: Drink 1 ½ to 2 litres of filtered or spring water a day
• Exercise: Aim for 30 minutes of exercise, 5 times a week or equivalent.
• Fibre: Dietary fibre comes from fruit and vegetables, wholegrains and legumes.
• Relaxation: Stress results in muscle tension within the bowels and can cause both constipation and diarroea. If you are under stress make times for yoga, meditation, exercise or massage.

Nutritional advice

• Increase fibre: Add a fibre to the diet that will absorb water in the bowel and increase the bulk of the stools. Examples to try are psyllium husks, Slippery Elm, ground or whole linseeds. Use LSA (ground linseeds, sunflower and almonds) liberally in the diet by sprinkling on cereal, salads or adding to a smoothie.
• Drink plenty of water with these fibres or the stool will become hard.
• Try adding figs and prunes in the diet.
• Drink green tea

Supplements

• Take acidophilus and bifidus to increase good bowel bacteria needed to ferment fibres.
• Take a liver tonic such as Greenridge Livaplex 20 minutes before each meal as the bitter taste stimulates bile release which then aids digestion. Constipation can be due to a sluggish liver.
• Take Aloe vera juice

DIARRHOEA

Loose bowel movements consisting of soft or liquid stools. Diarrhoea can be due to:

• An infection
• Irritable Bowel Syndrome when it often alternates with constipation. This condition is usually associated with stress.
• Lactose Intolerance
• Reaction to certain foods such as wheat, fatty or fried foods.

If diarrhoea persists for more than a few days there is a serious risk of electrolyte loss and dehydration. If symptoms persist seek medical advice.

Nutritional Advice

• Drink plenty of water and if diarrhoea persists replace electrolytes by adding a pinch of unrefined sea salt to the water
• Carob powder has a drying, astringent effect and will reduce diarrhoea
• If lactose intolerance is suspected follow the guidelines under ‘lactose intolerance’
• Try to identify the offending food and remove it from the diet

Supplements

• An acidophilus and bifidus supplement is helpful for all causes of diarrhoea.
• Slippery elm powder helps to absorb the excessive amount of water found in the bowels with diarrhoea, It also reduces inflammation. Take 2 teaspoons 4-5 times a day.

IRRITABLE BOWEL SYNDROME (IBS)

Irritable Bowel Syndrome is characterised by the presence of certain symptoms that affects the functioning of the bowel. No actual structural problem is present, hence it is termed a syndrome rather than a disease.

The defining symptoms are constipation or diarrhoea, though these two symptoms often alternate, abdominal cramping, abdominal bloating and mucus in the stool. Any number or combination of these symptoms may be present.

Often the underlying factors are food allergy, overgrowth of bad bacteria in the intestines, stress and anxiety. Try to keep a diet diary to identify problem foods.

Nutritional Advice

• Normalise bowel motion by adding fibre to the diet. The best fibres to use are those that are soluble and add bulk to the stool. Try psyllium husks, oatbran, and linseed meal and increase fibre from vegetables and fruit. Fibre from grains, such as wheatbran may exacerbate the symptoms as there may be a grain intolerance. In severe grain intolerances bloating may occur after taking psyllium husks as well.
• If diarrhoea is persistent drink at least 2 litres of water a day to prevent dehydration. Add a pinch of sea salt to the water to replace electrolytes.
• Check for food allergies. Try a wheat-free, dairy-free diet. Gluten may be a problem so eliminate all gluten containing grains (wheat, rye, barley and oats). Often multiple food allergies are implicated in IBS and therefore professional advice is recommended as food allergy tests or elimination diets may be appropriate.
• Carminative teas after food such as fennel, peppermint or ginger can help reduce bloating and cramping pain.
• If stress is a trigger try yoga, meditation, walking, gardening or other relaxing activities.

Supplements

• Take acidophilus and bifidus to replace good bacteria and reduce bad bacteria.
• Aloe vera juice is very calming to the digestive tract as gut inflammation may be present.

HEARTBURN/REFLUX

Heartburn is charcterised by a burning sensation behind the breastbone that sometimes radiates up to the throat and can cause an acid taste in the mouth. It is due to stomach acid and pepsin, a protein digesting enzyme rising from the stomach into the oesophagus. This can cause damage to the oesophagus mucous membrane, and therefore it is important that the membrane is protected.

One of the most common causes of heartburn is a Hiatus Hernia, where the junction between the stomach and oesophagus protrudes upwards into the chest cavity. Hiatus Hernias may occur as a result of increased pressure from the abdomen, due to obesity, pregnancy or straining e.g. heavy lifting.

Another commonly accepted cause of reflux is the malfunction of the sphincter muscle between the stomach and oesophagus, which becomes too relaxed to close tightly. However the malfunction of the muscle may be the result rather than the cause of reflux.

A more controversial reason for reflux is that the stomach digestion of food is very poor. Insufficient production of stomach acid and pepsin leads to decreased protein digestion. The food then ferments in the stomach and produces gas putting pressure on the sphincter to open. Reflux then occurs that damages the sphincter muscle.

Orthodox medicine utilises acid-suppressing medication to help reflux but from this view-point it is obvious that suppressing acid production contributes further to heartburn and results in dependence on the medication.

Nutritional Advice

• Eliminate foods that lower sphincter muscle pressure or initiate stomach acid reflux. These are:
  • chocolate
  • alcohol
  • citrus juices
  • tomatoes
  • coffee
  • spicy foods
  • fatty and fried food
  • carminatives (peppermint, ginger as these relax and lower - sphincter muscle pressure)
  • salicylate - containing foods. These are herbs and spices.
  • certain fruit such as stone fruit, berries, pineapple, melons and grapes.
• Do not over-eat thus avoiding too much stomach pressure. Eat 5-6 smaller meals regularly.
• Eat slowly and chew the food well as this will aid digestion lower down in the digestive tract.
• Do not go to bed straight after eating. Allow 3 hours between the evening meal and bed.

Supplements

• Increase acidity of the stomach especially if antacids have been used. Sip 5 ml of Swedish bitters in a little room temperature water 20 minutes before each meal. These stimulate digestive juices.
• To put a protective coating on the digestive system mucous membrane, especially the oesophagus, take 2 teaspoons of Slippery Elm powder in a little yoghurt, water or soy milk, 20 minutes before each meal and before bed if heartburn occurs at night.

Other

If heartburn occurs at night, take the following measures.

• Elevate the top of the bed by putting telephone books under the feet of your bed head. This is more effective than just propping up on pillows.
• Sleep on your left hand side to keep contents of the stomach away from the stomach and oesophageal junction.