Steve Yap
Posted on 7 June 2010 - 06:33pm
A SIGNIFICANT number of adults suffer from gastrointestinal discomfort or disorders arising from poor digestion, mal-absorption or unhealthy bowel flora (bad bacteria) in their digestive tract (Drossman et al, 1993).
Eli Metchnikoff, who won the Nobel Prize in Medicine in 1908, made the now famous statement that “death begins in the colon”. He discovered that friendly bacteria could normalise bowel habit and fight disease-causing bacteria and parasites. He also discovered that the good bacteria, B. acidophilus, could prolong one’s life.
Managing our bowel flora is critical to our medium- and long-term health. The main digestive enzyme in our saliva is amylase, which can break down complex starch (polysaccharides) into maltose (diasaccharides) and glucose (monosaccharides).
Swallowing solid food before it is thoroughly chewed puts a strain on our digestive system. This is the principal cause of poor digestion and mal-absorption of nutrients. It can also cause uncomfortable bloating and excessive gas production.
It pays rich dividends to ensure that your teeth are strong enough to chew high fibre foods, nuts, seeds, complex starches and meat. Filling them with ‘silver’ is ill-advised as its large mercury content can bring grave health consequences later on.
Protein is broken down by the enzyme pepsin in the stomach into polypeptides, which are later broken down into amino acids by pancreatic juices when the ball of food (chyme) has ‘travelled’ down to the duodenum and small intestines. Hormones are believed to play the role in releasing the chyme.
Low digestive acid level (hypochlorhydria) can be improved by taking minerals like magnesium and zinc. Digestive juices in the stomach break down approximately 40% of starch, 12% of proteins, but none of the dietary fats consumed.
Other than alcohol, some excess water and glucose, very little gets absorbed in the stomach. This explains why drinking alcohol on an empty stomach creates such a rapid response from its toxicity.
The 20-foot-long small intestine (gut) represents our principal digestive order. Its segment-to-segment contraction (motor activity) moves the chyme, while complex enzymes and hormones aid digestion and proper absorption.
Our diet decides the type of bacteria that lives in our colon. Low fibre and high meat diets create toxicity and can lead to colon cancer (Bingham et al 2003). Most adults do well on a high-vegetable diet rather than a diet rich in sweet fruits. Only probiotics from human origin are recommended for therapy to improve intestinal flora.
> H.PYLORI
This bacterium is commonly found in uncooked fish or meat. It is the main cause of gastric ulcers, gastric inflammation, and stomach cancer (Dowsett and Kowolik 2003). It can be destroyed by either special antibiotics or nutraceuticals or both. The Japanese are known to have the highest stomach cancer rates in the world.
> FOOD ALLERGIES
This can be tested by the serum IgG and IgE antibodies score. Elevated score for the former suggests the presence of allergies with delayed reactions whereas elevated score for the latter could mean acute allergic attack from problematic foods consumed.
In addition to foods that trigger the allergies, delayed allergic reactions can come from candidiasis (yeast infection) promoted by refined starch, sugar and sweet fruits. Tropical fruits are unlikely to rot quickly unless loaded with fungi attracted by their high fructose content.
Nutritional therapists use vitamin C to reduce IgE production of histamine, which manifests the allergy, and quercetin to reduce the unpleasant effects of allergies.
Foods rich in this flavonoid include onion, guava fruit and leaves, and green apple skin (but beware of its several layers of preservatives/wax).
> LEAKY GUT SYNDROME
This is believed to be caused by chronic inflammation of the gut resulting in tiny intestinal ‘gaps’ which allow toxins and semi-digestive foods to leak into the bloodstream causing allergies and possibly autoimmune disorders in the long term.
Many individuals are allergic to gluten found in products made from wheat (bread, noodles, biscuits, and buns), oat (instant oat, oatmeal), rye, and barley. Rice and millet are free from gluten.
Regular consumption of foods which cause allergies can trigger strong immune response resulting in chronic inflammation. The same may be said about ‘safe’ foods containing preservatives, colours, pesticides and high refined starch or sugar.
Avoidance of the offending foods is essential for recovery. In addition, the free-form nutrient L-glutamine is widely used by nutritional therapists to repair the lining of the gut.
> IRRITABLE BOWEL SYNDROME (IBS)
The symptoms include bloating, diarrhoea/constipation, abdominal cramps, excessive gas, and heartburn. IBS is believed to be caused by improper diets consisting of excess refined starches, sugars, omega-6 fats, and pro-inflammatory foods over prolonged period, other than the possible presence of GI diseases and colon tumour/cancer.
Pineapple enzyme bromelain, and nutraceuticals such as gingerol, curcumin, and EPA/DHA are often used to control or reverse IBS.
http://www.thesundaily.my/node/142147
