It’s easy to get carried away during the holidays with all the wonderful food. Digestive complications can lead to many systemic ailments.
Hiatal hernias are quite common and can be created by over stuffing the stomach. This is where the stomach is pushed up through the diaphragm, crowding out the heart and lungs.
It doesn’t take but a portion of the stomach to push up through the diaphragm to compromise respiration and to put a greater burden on the heart, creating sensations of cardiac problems.
Often times a person will have heart symptoms with a healthy heart. When the pericardial cavity is compressed by the stomach protruding into it, the heart muscle is forced to work harder to move blood. These symptoms tend to increase after a large meal.
When the stomach is caught in the diaphragm, the sphincter at the top of the stomach may remain open, allowing stomach contents to pass up into the esophagus. Since the esophagus isn’t designed to handle acids, symptoms of heartburn are the result as stomach acids reflux up into the esophagus.
If the sphincter remains open while food remains in the stomach, lying down allows acids to go up into the esophagus and throat. The most common treatment sought is that of acid blocking drugs, and for many, sleeping in a propped up position. In some cases patients have undergone hernia surgery to place the stomach back under the diaphragm. A non-surgical approach usually isn’t discussed with the patient, but should be considered before going under the knife.
Preventing hiatal hernia is the most important consideration here. Doing the holiday binge, where we want to sample every wonderful food out there, can stretch the diaphragmatic notch to the point the stomach can slide up into the chest cavity easily. Remember, gluttony is every bit an issue as drunkenness. Both cases are examples of going to the extreme.
Going to bed on a full stomach allows the weight of the stomach to press upwards on the diaphragm, weakening it’s ability to maintain the stomach’s position. Make sure you give a good two hours of digestion prior to going to bed after a large meal.
Insufficient stomach acid allows foods to ferment and putrefy in the stomach, creating gas and pressure buildup within the stomach. If you find yourself belching lots after eating, chances are your food isn’t digesting. This is usually a sign of insufficient hydrochloric acid production. Your stomach possesses cells who’s sole purpose is to create acid. This acid is required to break up proteins to their smallest size in order to extract amino acids responsible for cellular function.
Most cases where acid blockers have been dispensed, the opposite was required. When I tell the patient with acid reflux they need more acid, I usually get the deer in the headlights look. For some, just using some Bragg’s vinegar has done wonders for digestion and wellbeing.
Besides the complications of acid reflux and eroding the lining of the stomach, the lack of stomach acid inhibits release of enzymes from the pancreas as well as emptying of the gall bladder. Impairing these components of normal digestive function can result in a hot gall bladder and stone formation as well as impairing nutrient uptake into the bloodstream. I like to put it this way, When this happens, your fuel economy goes down the drain.
Food that isn’t properly digested in the upper digestive system creates a greater problem in the lower digestive system. This includes the production of toxic material by the existing bacteria, as well as allowing for mutation of healthy bacteria into an unhealthy state. Usually for this, we see people seeking probiotics, which is a good thing, but without proper digestion, is a losing battle.
Ultimately, various bowel problems arise, from constipation alternating with diarrhea, to irritable bowel conditions and diverticulitis. These can be avoided, but everything trickles down from above. Ignoring digestive problems fails to make them go away. The best approach is to correct your digestion from your mouth down. Take time to fully chew your food, mixing the saliva with the food. This is where your digestion starts. Don’t just wash your food down with fluid.
If you’re dealing with heartburn and acid reflux, you could be too low on stomach acid. Taking an antacid may reduce the symptoms but has a greater cost down the road. Repairing bacterial imbalance isn’t hard as long as we work with your entire digestion and select proper food choices. One of the best measures of digestion is to evaluate bowel function, stool formation and consistency.
Hiatal hernias are quite common and can be created by over stuffing the stomach. This is where the stomach is pushed up through the diaphragm, crowding out the heart and lungs.
It doesn’t take but a portion of the stomach to push up through the diaphragm to compromise respiration and to put a greater burden on the heart, creating sensations of cardiac problems.
Often times a person will have heart symptoms with a healthy heart. When the pericardial cavity is compressed by the stomach protruding into it, the heart muscle is forced to work harder to move blood. These symptoms tend to increase after a large meal.
When the stomach is caught in the diaphragm, the sphincter at the top of the stomach may remain open, allowing stomach contents to pass up into the esophagus. Since the esophagus isn’t designed to handle acids, symptoms of heartburn are the result as stomach acids reflux up into the esophagus.
If the sphincter remains open while food remains in the stomach, lying down allows acids to go up into the esophagus and throat. The most common treatment sought is that of acid blocking drugs, and for many, sleeping in a propped up position. In some cases patients have undergone hernia surgery to place the stomach back under the diaphragm. A non-surgical approach usually isn’t discussed with the patient, but should be considered before going under the knife.
Preventing hiatal hernia is the most important consideration here. Doing the holiday binge, where we want to sample every wonderful food out there, can stretch the diaphragmatic notch to the point the stomach can slide up into the chest cavity easily. Remember, gluttony is every bit an issue as drunkenness. Both cases are examples of going to the extreme.
Going to bed on a full stomach allows the weight of the stomach to press upwards on the diaphragm, weakening it’s ability to maintain the stomach’s position. Make sure you give a good two hours of digestion prior to going to bed after a large meal.
Insufficient stomach acid allows foods to ferment and putrefy in the stomach, creating gas and pressure buildup within the stomach. If you find yourself belching lots after eating, chances are your food isn’t digesting. This is usually a sign of insufficient hydrochloric acid production. Your stomach possesses cells who’s sole purpose is to create acid. This acid is required to break up proteins to their smallest size in order to extract amino acids responsible for cellular function.
Most cases where acid blockers have been dispensed, the opposite was required. When I tell the patient with acid reflux they need more acid, I usually get the deer in the headlights look. For some, just using some Bragg’s vinegar has done wonders for digestion and wellbeing.
Besides the complications of acid reflux and eroding the lining of the stomach, the lack of stomach acid inhibits release of enzymes from the pancreas as well as emptying of the gall bladder. Impairing these components of normal digestive function can result in a hot gall bladder and stone formation as well as impairing nutrient uptake into the bloodstream. I like to put it this way, When this happens, your fuel economy goes down the drain.
Food that isn’t properly digested in the upper digestive system creates a greater problem in the lower digestive system. This includes the production of toxic material by the existing bacteria, as well as allowing for mutation of healthy bacteria into an unhealthy state. Usually for this, we see people seeking probiotics, which is a good thing, but without proper digestion, is a losing battle.
Ultimately, various bowel problems arise, from constipation alternating with diarrhea, to irritable bowel conditions and diverticulitis. These can be avoided, but everything trickles down from above. Ignoring digestive problems fails to make them go away. The best approach is to correct your digestion from your mouth down. Take time to fully chew your food, mixing the saliva with the food. This is where your digestion starts. Don’t just wash your food down with fluid.
If you’re dealing with heartburn and acid reflux, you could be too low on stomach acid. Taking an antacid may reduce the symptoms but has a greater cost down the road. Repairing bacterial imbalance isn’t hard as long as we work with your entire digestion and select proper food choices. One of the best measures of digestion is to evaluate bowel function, stool formation and consistency.
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