All Gassed Up-But Unable to Go
"Doctor, I'm having trouble with my digestion"
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| Digestion is a complex business. |
There's nothing worse than having a good dinner and having to pay for it later. Your stomach is bloated, you've got gas pains, and the food sits like lead in your stomach.
Or maybe your problem is heartburn or acid reflux.
What's going on that you can't simply enjoy a wonderful meal?
I see many patients with problems with their digestion. Many people have what has been called irritable bowel syndrome. They have symptoms of gas, bloating, diarrhea, constipation, or alternating diarrhea and constipation. Intestinal problems are a frequent complaint today.
First the good news. There is no reason for you to continue having the digestive problems, abdominal pain, gas, diarrhea, constipation, and even diarrhea alternating with constipation that you may be experiencing now.
And, too, if you're not overweight but have a bulging belly, all that bloat is just plain un-sexy. But you don't have to look this way.
We've become a society that expects to have to pop Tums, laxatives, and other medications after we eat. But it doesn't have to be this way. The problems so many of us have stem from the fact that the entire gastrointestinal tract is out of whack, and rather that just covering up the symptoms, what's required is getting everything back in balance.
Overview of Gastrointestinal Function
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| Digestive discomfort can ruin a fun day. |
The gastrointestinal tract has many important functions that are critical to the health of the whole body. If the gastrointestinal tract isn't functioning properly, the other organs of the body become sick from a lack of nutrients and immune function impairment.
It helps to know what your GI tract actually does. We all know that it digests and assimilates the food we take in. But did you realize that the GI tract is also the single largest organ of immunity in the body?
Your gastrointestinal tract contains between 40 and 80% of the lymphoid tissue in your body. The lymph rids the body of infectious agents and toxins. It also removes antigens-foreign invaders-that enter your system from food.
Your GI tract is the interface between your body and the majority of your intestinal bacteria. It forms a mucosal surface, like wet skin, known as the mucosal barrier. This has a unique ability to derive nutrients from your bloodstream, like all other body tissues, while also drawing them from what's known as the lumen, which is the interior of the intestinal tract.
Just so it's clear in your mind what the GI tract does, here's a synopsis:
- Digests and assimilates all dietary intake
- Immunity
- Enables the body to differentiate between harmful and harmless bacteria or infectious agents, as well as identifying food antigens
- An interface between the body and the majority of our total intestinal bacteria
- A mucosal surface layer-the mucosal barrier-which is unique in deriving nutrients both systemically or directly from the lumen.
You can see why maintenance of the health and optimal functioning of the GI tract is paramount.
Restoring Intestinal Health
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| A complex system that determines the quality of your life. |
A lack of mucosal health is a cause or complicating factor in virtually all cases of GI discomfort. What do you do once your digestion is impaired?
For over 25 years I have been interested in what it takes to restore normal function to the intestinal tract in cases ranging from irritable bowel syndrome to inflammatory bowel disease and a variety of stomach disorders. The protocol I have designed is not only effective, but it is short.
You are looking at three months of therapy-that's all.
In that period, we will weed and feed your GI tract so that it once again functions without discomfort.
This program is designed to actually heal the intestinal tract, not simply to supply symptomatic relief.
What It Takes: "Weed and Feed"
Treatment to restore the functionality of the gastrointestinal tract focuses on "weeding and feeding" the entire length of the track. To accomplish this, we:
- Remove the bad guys. This entails eliminating candida, parasites, and abnormal bacteria
- Replace with the good guys. Restoring adequate health-promoting bacteria is crucial
- Tackle the inflammation. This means providing nutritional support for the mucosal cells that comprise the mucosa (the wet surface of your intestinal wall).
You now have the cornerstones of a restorative treatment program. The recommended nutrients will provide comprehensive support for healthy bacteria and optimal functioning of the mucosal barrier-the wet surface of your intestinal tract.
For the treatment to be effective in the long-term, three months of therapy are required. The good news is that most people notice a decrease in their symptoms within the first two weeks. After the first month, patients are usually markedly improved, allowing them to drop back the number of supplements substantially.
After the third month, most patients have no more gastrointestinal symptoms and are able to discontinue all of the supplements except the "good bacteria." It is recommended to continue the nutrients that are required for general health, such as vitamins, minerals, essential fatty acids, protein, digestive enzymes, and probably a maintenance dose of "good bacteria."
What can you expect from this treatment?
The program I offer is designed to heal, not just treat symptoms. Most people notice a decrease of symptoms within the first two weeks. After a month, they are markedly improved and able to substantially cut back on supplements.
Three months down the line, the patient usually has no more symptoms and is able to discontinue all supplements except for the provision of good bacteria. Only nutrients required for general health, such as vitamins, minerals, essential fatty acids, protein, and digestive enzymes are needed beyond this point.