Healthy digestion is fundamental to optimal health. If your
digestive system is irritated, inflamed or constipated, it can't
do its job, and your health will steadily decline.
Digestive problems are among the most common health problems
among women in particular.
Women complain of bloating, fullness, pain in the upper abdomen,
flatulence, diarrhoea and constipation more often than men,
although men also suffer their fair share.
A
frequent cause of these symptoms is a low level of digestive
enzymes which are needed to break down the carbohydrates, fat
and protein in food. This makes digestion slower and more
incomplete than it should be, so that partially digested food
reaches the large intestine.
These undigested foods are now broken down by bacteria in the
gut, and form gas, with bloating and possibly cramps as a
consequence.
Sufferers often feel their meal lying like a stone in their
stomach.
Meanwhile, less than adequate nutrients will have been obtained
from the food, leading to poor digestion of the next meal.
Two
or three very simple remedies are often immensely helpful to
break this vicious cycle, and improve digestion.
These are:
-
Digestive enzymes in supplement form taken with meals
-
Hydrochloric acid (stomach acid required for protein
digestion) in supplement form
-
Probiotics, such as lactobacillus acidophilus
There are several good digestive enzyme preparations on the
market - one of these is
Similase.
Similase is a plant enzyme formula, which, when taken at the
onset of a meal, can help optimise nutrient digestion by
supplementing the enzymes produced in the body to carry
out digestion. Similase contains enzymes which can do their job
in the acid conditions of the stomach as well as the alkaline
conditions of the small intestine.
Hydrochloric acid is naturally produced in our stomachs to aid
in the digestion of protein (it has other functions too, such as
killing parasites which come in with food and drink)
. Although
many people believe they already have too much acid in the
stomach, ironically the symptoms of excess acid can be the same
as too little acid, and, the older we get, the more likely it is
that the cause is actually lack of hydrochloric acid (leading to
inadequate protein digestion). Taking antacids can
exacerbate symptoms of indigestion in the long run, although
they appear to reduce symptoms in the short term. Older people
in particular, are more likely to need extra acid, rather than
less. However, if in doubt, first check with your medical
advisor.
Probiotics to help restore proper bacterial balance and aid with
digestion are also extremely important to our health.
