What’s your gut feeling?
I’ve been suffering from a prolonged bout of procrastinitis!
I have often thought of a hundred stories and important issues I’d like to tell you about, but the minute I’ve sat down to write… the words and ideas have gotten stuck. Lycopodium thank goodness, has managed to get me going – an incredible remedy for writer’s block, hesitation, procrastination, getting things done and getting things down on paper. It’s also an amazing remedy for all sorts of digestion disorders … which brings me to the important question – what’s your gut feeling?
Heartburn, acid reflux, indigestion, abdominal pain, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), acidity, gas, flatulence, colic, nausea, hiatal hernia, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), diarrhoea, dyspepsia, candida, Helicobacter pylori, Barett’s esophagus… the kaleidoscope of digestive disorders that I see on a daily basis is reaching unprecedented levels. Almost every second person, including children and babies (!) is on some sort of suppressive stomach acid medication, which begs the question – is acid reflux merely the consequence of an unjustifiable assault of harmful bacteria (Helicobacter pylori, H. pylori) in your stomach or perhaps a noncompliant lower esophageal sphincter (LES), the valve which is designed to allow food to enter your stomach and also prohibit the reflux of gastric acid up into the esophagus? Can an esophageal valve possibly have a mind of its own and just decide to randomly do its own thing? Of course not! There is an underlying cause or influence.
That’s why we wouldn’t want to just suppress or hide the symptoms or undergo a surgical procedure to forcibly adjust the movement of this valve which was brilliantly designed for important reasons – to respond appropriately to errors of diet, allowing gases out, food and toxic substances out (as in vomiting) and most importantly, to act as a warning signal that something is wrong! Burping, vomiting, gagging, regurgitation of food and reflux are all the deliberate and necessary actions of a brilliant self-adjusting system. Surely if gastric acid or H. Pylori bacteria is damaging the LES or stomach lining then the underlying cause of this needs to be corrected. The conventional treatment for acid reflux includes proton pump inhibitors (PPI’s), H2 receptor antagonists and antacids and whilst the modus operandi of these differ, they are all designed to reduce, neutralise or eliminate stomach acid. PPI’s alone generate US$14 billion per annum. The side effects of this type of medication are very scary.
See “Six dangerous prescription drugs you should think twice before taking”: Read more
Do we understand what we are swallowing? Suppressive medicines cannot heal because they are designed to suppress or camouflage the symptoms – if we ignore alarm bells we will pay dearly in the long term for not correcting the underlying cause. The longer a person takes the medication, the more likely they are to experience the side effects. Although PPI’s should only be taken for a period of 14 days, I see people who have been taking theirs for five, ten and even fifteen years continuously! Because it does not correct the real issue, the medication is often taken indefinitely because symptoms keep returning with a vengeance the minute the medication is forgotten or interrupted.
Alternatively, main stream medicine offers Laparoscopic Anti-Reflux Surgery where the LES is surgically “reinforced” so that stomach acid cannot pass through. This sounds promising but the warning bells should also ring when we learn that one’s ability to belch and or vomit may also be limited by this procedure”! God forbid that the body should need to reject any harmful food or substance immediately… what then?
Not addressing the true cause of the problem is as ridiculous as agreeing to keep my hand on a burning flame whilst taking a pain killer or perhaps opting to have part of my head reinforced each time I have a headache!
The confusing issue is that main stream medicine advocates that too much stomach acid is the cause of all the problems, whilst prominent healthcare professionals will edify that most cases of reflux or gastric esophageal reflux disease (GERD) or gastric ulcer are actually due to too little stomach acid. Too little stomach acid causes food to remain longer in the stomach, which putrefies, causing toxic gases to be produced – these gases must be released and it is these, together with stomach acid, that are then pushed up into the esophagus. Even though it burns and can be corrosive, the pH of this stomach acidic is actually less acidic than it should be. In such cases, Betaine HCL with Pepsin is recommended to actually increase the acidity of the stomach acid, thereby killing of H.Pylori bacteria and allowing proper and rapid digestion to occur.
Of course low stomach acid can be genetic or acquired – either way, it leads to all sorts of further problems, including malabsorption of nutrients such as vitamins, minerals, amino acids, iron, calcium, folic acid, vitamin b12, zinc, and others. The negative influence of this can be huge. A person could have a nutritionally sound diet, but if they don’t have sufficient stomach acid, a lot of these nutrients will go to waste.
Some symptoms and conditions associated with low stomach acid:
Asthma, autoimmune disorders, bloating, candidiasis–chronic, celiac disease, constipation, diabetes mellitus, diarrhea, bloating after eating, dry mouth, eczema, fingernails – weak/ peeling/cracked, food allergies, gas, hair loss in women, heartburn, hives, indigestion, intestinal parasites–chronic, iron deficiency, lupus, malaise, multiple food allergies, nausea, nausea & reflux after taking supplements, osteoporosis, parasitic infections, pernicious anemia, post-adolescent acne, psoriasis, peripheral neuropathy, restless legs, rosacea, sore or burning tongue, vitiligo (skin disorder involving white patches), stomach or abdominal pain, Indigestion – food remains in stomach for a long time, feeling blocked up, weak memory, difficulty digesting fatty foods, undigested food in stool, heartburn / reflux in the esophagus, feeling easily full & poor appetite, belching / burping after meals, feeling fatigued immediately after meals, prone to bacterial infections & fungal overgrowth, depression, skin disorders, gallbladder disease, autoimmune disease, early aging and more.
Source: Slater, PhD, DNM, CHT, RNCP, ROHP, Cobi. Wellness News, August 27, 1012.
There is an awful lot more that can further influence our digestion. Have you heard the saying that ‘your psychology becomes your biology’?
It’s very important for us to realise that in addition to all the digestion organs, the same area of the body also ‘houses’ the adrenal glands. These glands are stimulated to produce certain hormones such as adrenaline in response to what is going on around us – they produce the fight or flight response and can be understood as managing our ‘gut instinct’. Our digestion is the seat of certain emotions such as anger, fear, anxiety, trust issues, self-esteem, confidence, self-respect, sensitivity to criticism. Those of us living in big cities, for instance, may need to use our ‘gut instinct’ more than someone living in more tranquil surrounds. Our day-to-day lives therefore impact directly on our digestion.
Now we can start to understand why a child gets a sore tummy before their first day of school, or a teenager before an exam; why the fast-lane executive sleeps with a large pack of anti-acid tablets next to his bed, and an important public speech would bring on an untimely bout of diarrhoea for the nervous presenter.
To correct any digestion disorder it is essential to address all underlying physiological, mental and emotional imbalance and we therefore need to look carefully at improving lifestyle, diet; eating habits; pH balanced diet – more alkalizing foods; reduced alcohol, caffeine, tea, nicotine, stimulants, refined carbs and sugars, junk food, GMO’s; reduced stress, anxiety and any emotional dis-eases; increased exercise ; improved posture and most importantly avoidance of suppressive medicines such as antacids, PPI’s, pain killers, antiinflammatories, antibiotics, antihistamines, antihypertensives, anti spasmodic, statins and so many more drugs – almost all of which disorder digestion – one way or another!
To heal naturally the following single remedies will assist with numerous digestion disorders and where relevant, to select the remedy that most closely matches our specific symptoms at an emotional, physical and mental level :
Nux Vom – for digestive disorders such as abdominal cramps and spasms, nausea, vomiting and retching, dizziness, heartburn, typical IBS symptoms with either constipation or diarrhoea, irritability, feeling stressed, impatient and fault finding. You may want to vomit but cannot. Heaviness and pain felt in the stomach with lots of gas and indigestion. Great bloatedness. This remedy is an excellent choice for the ill effects of life in the fast lane, too many business lunches or after over-indulgence in rich, spicy foods and stimulants. An excellent hangover remedy. Read more
Cuprum – the greatest remedy for nausea with severe colic/cramps, abdominal spasms. Possibly accompanied by spasmodic, watery diarrhoea. Giddiness often accompanies ailments. A long-trusted remedy for colicky babies.
Arsenicum Alb – the first remedy for gastroenteritis, vomiting and diarrhoea. First remedy for gastric or duodenal ulcer. For cases of food poisoning with nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, anxiety, exhaustion, restlessness, cold sweats or feeling cold, weak, trembling and faintness. Cannot bear the sight or smell of food. Suits a fussy, picky, OCD type eater where any emotional upset brings on immediate digestion disorder and / or diarrhoea. An excellent remedy for heartburn and burning pain in the oesophagus or stomach experienced after the slightest error in diet.
Carbo Veg – use when the stomach is extremely bloated and you need to burp constantly. You feel faint and short of breath and need lots of fresh air in spite of feeling cold. You may feel that you must have air, and need to open all the windows. The abdomen is greatly distended/bloated and you cannot bear anything tight around your waist. For constrictive pains in the stomach extending to the chest, with great bloating, flatulence and distention of the abdomen. Feeling of fermentation in the stomach and upper digestion – burping brings temporary relief. The pain makes you bend over double. Foul flatulence.
Lycopodium – digestion disorders especially prevalent during periods of emotional turmoil which manifest as hesitation, procrastination, performance anxiety, anticipatory fears, stage fright, self-esteem and confidence issues, fear of making a mistake, failing brain power, weak memory, anxiety, must have company but is irritated by people; very helpful remedy where there is severe acidity, reflux or burning and gasy/sour rising from stomach up the esophagus as well as bloating of the lower abdomen brought on by only a light meal. Feeling full on only a little food. Heartburn or reflux brought on by pastries, bread or other carbohydrates; severe flatulence. Symptoms are usually worse between late afternoon and early evening and especially on lying down.
Over the years I have developed a range of formulas that combine the best possible remedies to effectively and rapidly address every imaginable digestion disorder… give them a try – you’ll be amazed!
Gut repair / probiotic formula
Digestion disorders / IBS formula
Reflux, heartburn & indigestion formula
Abdominal cramps & spasms formula
Stomach & duodenal ulcer formula
pH/hydration/mineral balance formula
Candida, thrush fungal infection formula – especially helpful for correcting the ill effects of antibiotics
TIP: Some important supportive supplements to assist with maintaining a healthy digestive system include a good probiotic, digestive enzymes and an alkaline powder.
So there it is. My gut feeling is – if we fix our digestion problems properly , naturally and without delay, we’ll save ourselves years of eroding health, years of misery and lots of money!
So what’s your gut feeling?