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Does the thought of Holiday Food send your stomach into an uproar. Maybe it’s trying to grab your attention? Did you know over 5 million men and women have ulcers? One out of every three healthy adults has heartburn at least once a month and one out of four has indigestion during an average two-week period. In fact, millions of Americans suffer from problems associated with their digestive system. In this issue we’ll
take a look at indigestion, stomach acidity, hiatal hernia, heartburn, digestive weakness, gas, bloating, and ulcers. Suggested herbs for treating these conditions will also be evaluated.
Indigestion
When you eat, food travels from your mouth to your stomach through a tube
called the esophagus. Once in your stomach, food is broken down by acid and
other stomach secretions. As it passes through the small intestine, the process
of reducing food to small molecules that can be absorbed into the body is
complete. The waste from digestion is then passed through the large intestine
before exiting the body.
Fennel seed is used to treat conditions of indigestion, stomach ache, nausea
and vomiting. Chinese herbalists prepare a remedy by mashing 2 oz. of fennel
seed with 4 oz. of fresh ginger root, frying or roasting the mixture until brown
and then grinding it into a powder. The powder is then added to rice soup. A
more convenient way to use these herbs is to use Catnip and Fennel liquid or
open capsules of fennel, ginger or other aromatics and sprinkle them on your
food.
Chamomile has long been a popular all-purpose digestive aid. The active
components of chamomile include alpha bisabobol, chamozulene, polyines, and
flavonoids. No single herb possess all the major healing properties of whole
chamomile. Peppermint is also frequently used to relieve the stomach. Both
work best when taken as a tea after meals. Simply open the capsules and poor
boiling water over the contents. Peppermint oil is also helpful and easy to use.
Simply place a drop in a glass of water and sip slowly.
A person’s inability to digest nutrients is rarely considered a possible cause for nutritional deficiencies even though the proper digestion of food is
a preliminary step in the proper use of nutrients by the body. Instead nutritional deficiencies are commonly considered to be the result of a dietary
lack of certain nutrients. This is proven by the regularity with which dietary supplements are recommended by health care providers.
Plant enzymes can enhance the digestion of food and the delivery of nutrients to the blood even though the patient may have a weakened digestive system. When taken before a meal, plant enzymes begin their digestion of food immediately after it enters the cardiac or upper portion of
the stomach. Enzymes are necessary for every chemical reaction in the body and are the only substance that can digest food, making it small enough to pass into the bloodstream.
A urinalysis has been found to be an easy and objective test that will clearly indicate a patient’s nutritional needs and excesses, as well as the
state of his metabolic and digestive processes. With this information, the practitioner can pinpoint the exact nature of the patient’s digestive weaknesses.
An appropriate multiple plant enzyme supplement can then be recommended to return the body to its proper acid balance. Normalizing the
pH of blood and urine through the use of multiple plant enzymes will alleviate the symptoms of indigestion and, if a maintenance program is followed, will prevent it from coming back.
Anti Gas Formula and Papaya Mint tablets are carminative formulas. They are used to stimulate digestive function. The herbs increase the production of digestive fluids and enzymes, increase blood circulation, relieve muscle spasms and promote sweating. Anti Gas Formula contains papaya fruit, ginger
root, peppermint leaves, wild yam root, fennel seed, dong quai root, spearmint leaves, and catnip. It has been used to treat indigestion, belching, abdominal pains, nausea, cramps and gas.
Papaya Mint tablets are chewable tablets which combine the natural enzymes in papaya with the stomach settling power of peppermint. They
stimulate natural digestive secretions.
Hiatal Hernia
What is hiatal hernia? It is actually
a small portion of the stomach that
has slipped through an opening in the
diaphragm. This usually occurs as a
result of weakened tissue around the
diaphragm. Usually this brings about
pain in the lower chest and produces
sensations ranging from burning to a
dull ache.
Nearly one in every three people
has a hiatal hernia. Hiatal hernia
usually isn’t the cause of pain. In fact,
by itself it produces no symptoms.
Heartburn is commonly the cause of
the pain and symptoms. Therefore, if
you’re not prone to heartburn, many
people who have a hiatal hernia are
completely unaware of it. A hiatal
hernia is largely a mechanical
problem. Consult with someone who
can do body work to help resolve this
problem. Herbs that may help include
Spleen Activator Formula, licorice, lobelia, dandelion or
aloe vera.
Heartburn
Heartburn is a pain behind the
breast bone, often described as an
ache that burns. Pain can also be felt
in the back, chest or upper abdomen.
Most people suffer from heartburn at
one time or another. Stomach acid
that rises up into the esophagus is the
cause of heartburn.
Calcium neutralizes excess
stomach acid, but this does not really
deal with the cause. Chamomile,
marshmallow and slippery elm have
soothing and healing properties and
marshmallow and slippery elm will
also absorb impurities and draw
poisons out of the body. One
ounce of aloe vera juice
can be effective for
heartburn. Catnip
may soothe the
smooth muscles of the
digestive tract. Have a cup of catnip
tea after meals if you are prone to
indigestion or heartburn. And again,
licorice is a great remedy for
decreasing acidity. Eliminating all
coffee, sugar, alcohol, cigarettes and
fat from your diet is also suggested.
Stomach Acidity
The acid balance of the stomach is
important. Too little, and
microorganisms in your food, such as
bacteria, viruses and yeasts can
survive in your body and cause you to
get sick. Too much acid at the wrong
times or acid that is improperly
regulated by the body causes acid
indigestion, heartburn and ulceration.
Herbs can assist with managing
the stomach’s acid levels. Licorice
decreases the acidity from the stomach
as does catnip and fennel.
For
symptomatic relief consider Stomach
natural alternative to antacids. It is
a combination of natural ingredients
that help neutralize excess acid, soothe
the stomach, improve digestion and
prevent stomach acid from “back
washing” into the esophagus. It
soothes burning sensations in the
stomach and lessens acidic tastes in
the throat and mouth.
The ingredients in Stomach-Comfort are calcium carbonate, alginic
acid (from kelp), slippery elm bark,
ginger papaya fruit, licorice root
concentrate and wintergreen oil.
Calcium carbonate is alkaline in
nature and reduces the pain associated
with heartburn. Alginic acid helps
protect the mucus lining of the
esophagus against acid irritation, and
reduces the discomfort of back washed
stomach acid. Slippery elm bark calms
the digestive tract and ginger root,
papaya fruit and licorice root
concentrate work together to aid
proper digestion. Licorice root has
also long been used to support healthy
stomach function. Wintergreen oil
provides a pleasant taste. Take two
tablets when experiencing digestive
difficulty.
A dull burning pain in your
stomach may actually mean your
stomach is not acidic enough. Throw
a pinch of capsicum (cayenne pepper)
on your food or use ginger root
or American Ginseng.
For severe acid
insufficiency you can supplement your
stomach acid with PDA.
Digestive Weakness
This problem is identified as poor
function of the gastrointestinal system,
poor food combining, and sluggish
energy after eating. Nausea, belching,
appetite loss and abdominal pain are
also symptoms of digestive weakness.
Agashtache and Shengu
Combination, or Anti Gas Chinese formula, enables the
digestive and detoxifying functions of
the body. This formula has also been
sold under the name Xiao Dao, which
means to clear the congestion. This
refers to the treatment of stagnant
and undigested food in the stomach
and intestines. This combination of
herbs work to increase the production
of digestive fluids and enzymes, soothe
inflamed tissues, increase blood
circulation, increase the flow of urine
and are mildly laxative.
The herbs in this formula promote
proper digestion. Oryza, crataegs, and
shenqu increase digestive power and
quickly eliminate the problem of
accumulating partially digested foods.
Pinellia and platycodon treat phlegm
congestion, nausea, fatigue, and
headaches. Gastrodia also treats
headaches and sleepiness that follow
meals when the digestive system is
weak. Ginseng and licorice strengthen
the Chi. Hoelen and atractylodes help
clear excess moisture from the
digestive system.
Another herbal combination is Spleen Activator Chinese Formula or Wen Zhong. Wen Zhong means to
warm the center. It treats poor muscle
tone, poor physical development in
children, progressive loss of energy,
cold feet, cramping in the legs,
menstrual cramping and easy
bruising. It aids the entire digestive
process, improves assimilation of
foods, enables muscle tone including
those supporting the internal organs,
promotes production of blood and
relieves inflammation and infections
of the gastrointestinal tract.
The combination of herbs in this
formula strengthen the digestive
system by using Chi tonics such as
ginseng, atractylodes, licorice,
dioscorea, dolichos, and astragalus.
Magnolia, saussurea, hoelen,
chaenomeles, and citrus aid
assimilation of nutrients and removal
of excessive moisture. Internal cold,
which causes prolapse of the internal
organs (including hernia), are
addressed with ginger, zanthoxylum,
and galanga. Production of blood is
aided by danggui. Inflammation and
infection are treated with pinellia,
dolichos, magnolia bark, and sausurea.
If you are interested in a more
simplistic approach to treating
digestive weakness and would like to
just take one herb try American ginseng or Licorice as they would be a great
place to start and may combat the
problem. A cup of warm herbal tea is a
relaxing way to end a meal and may
also promote digestion. Peppermint exhibits spasmolytic activity on smooth
muscles and stimulates the production
of digestive fluids, which account for
its carminative action. Catnip unlike
other mints, has a tranquilizing effect
that calms a nervous or weakened
stomach.
Gas
Microbes in the intestine start to
break down the food that can’t be
absorbed by the body. This break down
creates gas. As you know, broccoli,
cauliflower, cabbage, brussels sprouts,
dried beans and bran cause gas.
However, some surprising foods that
produce gas are mushrooms and bagels.
As you can see, if you are eating
lots of whole
grains, fruits and
vegetables it’s
common to have
gas. There are also
several conditions that
produce excessive flatulence. These
include peptic ulcers, stomach
infections, gallstones, irritable bowel
syndrome (a mixture of stomach pain,
gas, bloating, and irregular bowel
movements), lactose intolerance, and
food allergies. In addition, swallowing
too much air while chewing can give
you gas. Gas forms in less than two
hours after food reaches the colon, so if
you’ve eaten a food that causes
flatulence at lunch time, you can plan
on the consequences by late afternoon.
The predominant use of mints today
in both home remedies and in
pharmaceutical preparations is to
relieve the stomach of intestinal gas
that is often caused by certain foods.
The many varieties of after-dinner
mint candies and liqueurs
serve as proof of mint’s
competence in this role. A drop
of peppermint, cinnamon or
ginger extract mixed in a cup of
water has been used for years as a
home remedy for gas. These herbs
relax the muscles of the esophagus,
allowing trapped gas to escape. They
also increase blood flow to intestinal
membranes, which allows gas to be
absorbed out of the bowel and into the
bloodstream. Catnip, chamomile and
Anti Gas Formula are also carminatives.
Eating frequent small meals
rather than a few large ones also
reduces the amount of bacteria in the
stomach, creating less gas. Activated
charcoal is a detoxifier that contains
an ingredient that helps prevent gas
from forming. Experiment whether
or not your body needs it before or
after meals. However, don’t take it
for longer than two weeks. If you
have gas that is accompanied by
abdominal pain or weight loss see
your doctor because you may have
ulcers or gallstones.
Bloating
Bloating can be a result of lactose
intolerance. It means your stomach
is unable to digest the milk sugar in
dairy foods As people age they produce
less lactase (the enzyme needed to
digest lactose). Without lactase, the
undigested milk sugar ferments and
makes the stomach bloat. Food
allergies can cause the belly to puff
out. If you eat too fast and swallow
air it can also cause bloating.
Consistent bloating with pain could
indicate digestive diseases like
obstructions in the bowel or kidney,
diverticulitis, ulcers, appendicitis,
gallstones or a tumor.
Bloating is usually a sign of an
open ileocecal valve. Like the hiatal
hernia, this is a mechanical problem.
Consult with someone who does body
work and can show you how to close
this valve. The Formula Intestinal Soothe & Build often helps this
problem.
Peppermint, chamomile or fennel
tea help to dispel bloating. Catnip
and Fennel (1/2 teaspoon taken with 4
to 6 oz. warm water) can ease bloating.
Add more fiber to your diet by eating
vegetables and whole grains. Fiber
softens the bowel contents and helps
intestinal spasms.
Ulcers
Ulcers generally occur in the
stomach and the first portion of the
small intestine. Recent research shows
that ulcers are linked to a bacterial
infection called Helicobacter Pylori
(H.pylori). Conventional wisdom held
that stress increased the level of
stomach acid, which then caused
ulcers. Now we know that H.pylori
infection causes persistent stomach
inflammation - chronic superficial
gastritis. If left unchecked, this
inflammation will blossom into painful
ulcers. Symptoms of ulcers may be
pain, nausea, vomiting, increased or
decreased appetite, diarrhea,
constipation, and weight loss.
Gastro-Health Concentrate is made to both
inhibit the growth of H.pylori bacteria
and help the body relieve the stomach
of the irritation and discomfort
H.pylori causes. Ulcers and their
symptoms are one of the most common
ailments in the United States.
Medications such as Tagamet and
Zantac are among the best selling
pharmaceuticals in the nation.
Unfortunately, such drugs only
treat ulcer symptoms. They can relieve
the burning sensation, gas and upset
stomach that typically accompany
ulcers, but they do nothing about the
ulcer itself.
Gastro-Health Concentrate combines herbs
that may help support the digestive
system during times of stomach
distress, strain and discomfort.
Scientific studies have shown three of
these herbs, pau d’arco extract, cloves
powder extract and inula racemosa
powder, actually inhibit the activity of
H. pylori bacteria. These same herbs
have been shown not to inhibit other
friendly bacteria that exist in the
digestive and intestinal tracts. It also
contains deglycyrrhizinated licorice
extract (DGLE) and capsicum fruit.
Gastro-Health Concentrate is capable of
helping soothe stomach irritations and
similar discomfort.
Some other traditional herbs that
are used to treat ulcers include the
following: Black walnut’s antiseptic
hulls fight parasites. The azulenes in
peppermint and chamomile provide
antiinflammatory and anti-ulcer
properties. Licorice root is an
antiinflammatory and has long been
used in the treatment of ulcers. It
strengthens the stomach lining by
increasing the number of mucus
secreting cells.
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