Common Conditions - Natural Solutions

1.Eat in a relaxed way in a pleasant setting, and take your time. Chew your food until it is liquid.  This is most important thing you can do to take stress off of your stomach. If you are under emotional pressure or in a hurry, eat only simple food such as fresh juice, a piece of fruit, yogurt, a few sunflower seeds, or a protein bar.

2.Have your spine regularly adjusted!  Every organ in your digestive system--mouth, tongue, throat, esophagus, pyloric valve, stomach, intestines, glands, pancreas and others—needs a healthy nerve supply from your spine.

3.Walking and yoga are both particularly good for digestion. If you want to do any type of strenuous exercise, wait at least two hours after eating any significant amount.

4.Drink enough water (6 to 8 cups a day), but not with meals unless you’re on a weight-loss diet trying to lower food intake. Minimize ice cold drinks and consume more soothing warm drinks such as hot lemon water or herb teas.

5.Get enough fiber in your diet, whether from vegetables and fruits, bran or psyllium, and an adequate amount of whole grains and fresh sprouts (or cooked legumes if you digest them well).

Dealing with Digestive Problems:

6.If you have chronic indigestion, supplement your meals with digestive enzymes and/or hydrochloric acid.  Also, be sure to supplement daily with a probiotic/acidophilus product such as Primal Defense, by Garden of Life.  Kefir is a delicious yoghurt drink that is restorative and soothing for the entire digestive tract.

7.If you are still having problems, you may need to have some further diagnostic testing with a holistic doctor to test for h. pylori proliferation in the stomach.  This is a normally occurring bacteria that can proliferate when the normal acid pH has been out of balance for some time.

8.Occasional indigestion, heartburn, bloating after you eat, and flatulence are normal, or at least quite common, and they can be remedied. But, if you have ongoing symptoms of digestive upset, get tested to see if you have food allergies, low or high stomach acid, yeast overgrowth, or an H. Pylori imbalance. Dr. Sherwood can recommend where to go for testing.

10.  Support and repair the digestive tract with the right

nutrients, such as glutamine and other vitamins and minerals. Remember: Eat a low allergenic diet, find the best foods that feel right to you, and chew your food well.