Tips to Solve Chronic Stomach Problems

A few simple changes may assist in fixing stomach issues.

Your digestive system plays a key role in the health and energy you experience. However, many people experience problems all the way down the line. From symptoms like heartburn, GERD, to bloating and gas, all the way to constipation or diarrhea, these problems plague many people on a regular basis.

To that end, many people rely on medicines like antacids, just to get through the day comfortably. While these are occasionally necessary, for many people, they are a daily necessity. Some would likely choose to live without needing medicine every day. But often, especially if you go to a doctor, you are offered little by way of advice; you are simply prescribed more pills or recommended over the counter medicines.

Certainly, there is a better, more natural way to deal with chronic stomach and digestion problems. While no advice should supersede that of your doctor’s, there are some common sense items that are worth trying if you are experience stomach problems.

Change Your Diet

It would make sense that if the role of the digestive system is largely to digest food and absorb the nutrients, the food we introduce into this system would play some sort of role in the health of that system, or at least be implicated if that system is at all dysfunctional. It is, however, shocking that more advice to change your diet is not issued more from healthcare providers, but often pills are advised in lieu of dietary change.

Regardless, changing your diet may go a long way towards eliminating many stomach problems.

Changing your diet should begin with elimination. To this end, The Kaufmann Diet might be a good place to start, as it eliminates many of the foods that people eat every day. Grains, corn, and sugar are eliminated, along with anything that might contain those ingredients. Starchier foods (such as potatoes) are eliminated, along with most dairy, legumes (including soy, peanuts, and other beans) and the sweeter varieties of fruits. Instead, you are encouraged to eat vegetables; lean, organic meats; nuts and seeds; healthy fats (i.e., olive oil, avocado); and the fruits lower in sugar.

While The Kaufmann Diet is not necessarily designed to fix stomach problems, many adherents find that their stomach issues seem to fix themselves while on the diet.

Digestive Enzymes

The old saying, “you are what you eat” is likely less accurate than the saying, “you are what you absorb”. Supplemental digestive enzymes may be beneficial for those who are having stomach issues, particularly properly digesting their food. Digestive enzymes simply assist in breaking down macronutrients, including as carbohydrates, fats, and proteins, into their more absorbable form. Your body naturally makes these enzymes, but supplementing with them may assist those who are having stomach issues.

Probiotics

Probiotics are simply an important part of everyone’s supplement regimen. The beneficial bacteria that are inherent in everyone’s digestive tract are critical for overall health; these bacteria manufacture certain nutrients, assist in the digestion and absorption of food, and play a key role in immunity.

Because of toxic environmental factors, antibiotics, and poor lifestyle, however, these bacterial colonies can become damaged and depleted. This may contribute to stomach issues, among other health issues, but it also creates an environment where more virulent organisms can flourish in the gut, such as yeasts. Probiotics, along with an anti-fungal diet like the Kaufmann Diet, are critical for keeping these yeasts at bay. The added benefit, however, is that once those bacterial colonies are replenished, stomach problems often subside, as well.

What Are You Drinking, and When?

For many of us, a beverage with meals is commonplace, but some practitioners advise avoiding even water when you are eating a meal. Now, obviously drinking water is very beneficial for overall health; many practitioners recommend drinking half your body weight in ounces per day. When you drink that water, however, may have an effect on proper digestion. The idea is that for proper digestion, food should only be mixed with saliva. All the water you consume should be had between meals.

Other things that we drink, however, such as caffeine and alcohol, can also play a role in stomach irritation. While on the Kaufmann Diet, it is recommended to avoid all alcohol and any beverages other than water or (non-caffeinated) herbal teas. For those not on the diet, try switching exclusively to water for a period of time, eliminating any caffeine or alcohol from your diet.