The Woes of Indigestion & How To Prevent It

Anything that disrupts normal functioning of the digestive system may cause nausea, heartburn, gas, and bloating. These could be signs of poor digestion. Learning more about how digestion works may help you prevent the upsets of indigestion.

The food you eat is broken down into molecular components by specific digestive enzymes (i.e. lipase, amylase, and protease). Without them, food is not broken down properly and will stay longer in the digestive tract to become food for “bad” bacteria. These bacteria putrefy the undigested food and release volatile fatty acids and gasses that cause bloating and often foul smelling gas.

Digestion begins when we see, smell, or even think about food. Doing this causes us to salivate which releases a digestive enzyme called amylase. Amylase starts to break down carbohydrates while we chew. Unfortunately, we rarely chew long enough to allow the amylase in our saliva to have any effect. That’s why it’s important to slow down and chew your food well, while enjoying the sight, smell, and taste.

The other digestive enzymes are produced in the pancreas which is located in the abdomen just below the stomach. It produces enzymes required for digestion and absorption of food which include: lipase to break down fats, oils and fat-soluble vitamins, amylase to digest carbohydrates into simple sugars and protease to break down protein into amino acids. The pancreas is often overworked, so supplementing your diet with digestive enzymes can help many cases. Ensuring your body has enough enzymes to break down food is important.

The Importance of Proper pH

Water comprises 70% of the human body and is the most abundant compound. Consequently, the body contains a wide variety of solutions, which are more or less acidic. pH (potential of Hydrogen) measures of the acidity or alkalinity of a solution - the ratio between acid-forming and alkaline-forming. The higher the pH reading, the more alkaline and oxygen rich the fluid is. The lower the pH reading, the more acidic and oxygen deprived the fluid is.

Enzymes function properly at different pHs throughout the body. The digestive enzyme amylase requires an alkaline environment to become active while protease needs an acidic environment. When proteins and starches are combined in a meal, the digestive environment is neither acidic nor alkaline enough for either group of enzymes to be activated. This can result in poor digestion leading to gas, bloating, and stomach upset. Changing the way you eat, by practicing proper food combining, can have a significant impact on digestion.

Principles of Food Combining

Proteins (beans, nuts, seeds, meat, fish, and poultry) and starches (grains, pasta, breads, potatoes, cereal, rice, carrots, etc.) should be eaten at separate meals. You can combine either protein with non-starchy vegetables, or starch with vegetables.
Do not eat more than one protein at a meal. Mixing more than one protein, such as eggs and ham, or cheese and meat, can be taxing on the digestive tract.
Fruits should always be eaten alone. (Fruits are high water content, simple-sugar foods that digest easily and ferment. Eaten on top of meals they lie in the stomach and bacteria turn them into alcohols, acetic acids, and vinegars which causes gas and bloating).
Eat melons alone. Melons do not combine well with any other food.
Some people handle a variety of foods at the same time without experiencing gas, bloating and indigestion. However, switching to a diet higher in fresh fruits, vegetables, and whole grains can still be helpful because they contain naturally occurring enzymes. For others, taking supplemental digestive enzymes improves digestion immensely. Supplemental digestive enzymes help break down food properly so nutrients are absorbed instead of feeding bad bacteria. This results in less indigestion, gas, and bloating. Since there are many digestive enzyme products on the market, talk to your local health food store to find one that is right for you.

Helpful Hints For Better Digestion

• Don’t drink when you eat. Lab tests show that water leaves the stomach about ten minutes after you drink it. It carries diluted and weakened digestive juices along with it, thereby interfering seriously with digestion. Cold drinks especially impair and slow down digestion. Cold stops enzyme action. They pause until stomach temperature returns to normal before resuming their action.
• Eat more fresh fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, which contain naturally occurring enzymes.
• Eat less processed foods which lack the vitamins, minerals and electrolytes the body needs to make enzymes.
• Eat smaller meals.
• Slow down and take the time to enjoy the sight and smell of your food.
• Chew your food well.
• Practice proper food combining.
• If necessary, take digestive enzymes.

Test out these tips and find out which best apply to you. Stick with it and indigestion may become a thing of the past!

References

Haas, Elson M.(1992). Staying Healthy with Nutrition The complete guide to diet and nutritional medicine. Berkley: Celestial Arts. Pgs 514-515.