Digestion Support for the Holidays:

Indigestion, Gastritis, & Acid Reflux

Background and Rationale:

Millions of Americans suffer from digestive and upper-gastric health problems.  Since many of the antacid medications have gone “over-the-counter,” people are self-medicating to get relief from the “burn”.  It is ironic that as we age, MOST folks’ stomach acid actually decreases!  So, why then are so many experiencing the “burn”?  Well, there is a lot of speculation, however, poor Hydrochloric Acid (HCL) and digestive enzyme levels may set the stage, as well as poor tone on the sphincter muscle at the top of the stomach.  This circular muscle keeps the stomach closed during the digestive process.  With poor tone on this muscle, pressure from digestion pushes gastric juices up through the esophagus causing the reflux and burning sensation.  The tone on this muscle may be so weak that some people may experience the burning at night when they lay down to sleep. 

Poor HCL and digestive enzymes prevent the proper breakdown of foods eaten, and they may literally ferment (rot) in the stomach and upper bowel causing the release of gas and elevation of organic acids caused by the partially digested food.  Natural HCL levels also help to keep the upper bowel healthy since it helps to kill offensive bacteria hidden in fresh foods.  In some individuals with low HCL, this can result in upper bowel gas/burping about 15 to 20 minutes after a meal, especially with simple carbohydrates, due to over-growth of these organisms. 

Finally, some people who chronically use antacids, may experience imbalances in their digestion and upper/lower bowel months or years after starting to use them.  They then cannot easily correlate their ill-health and symptoms to antacid use. 

What to do? (Standard Process Wholefood Supplements)

Occasional Indigestion:  Almost everyone experiences this sometime.  The easiest and very effective way to deal with it is to make sure you’re chewing each mouthful of food 30 times.  This has two important benefits:  (1) it thoroughly mixes each mouthful with saliva which begins the digestive process of carbohydrates and provides protection against some harmful bacteria; and (2) it will slow the speed of eating and allow the body to reach a level of “fullness” faster.  Just chewing each mouthful 30 times may help you lose weight even if you do nothing else!

If you still experience indigestion, you can use one of the four products listed on the following page.

Occasional Indigestion:

*DiGest-Forte:  Herbal Formula; take one tablet about 20 to 30 minutes prior to meals.  It helps to stimulate HCL and digestive enzyme release to help properly digest food.

*Zypan:  Pancreatic Digestive Enzymes and HCL; take 1 to 3 tablets with normal meals.  It provides additional HCL and digestive enzymes to help properly digest food.

*Enzycore:  Our vegetarian-based comprehensive digestive enzyme formula.  Take 1 – 2 capsules with each normal meal.  We are getting rave reviews about this product!

*Multizyme:  Pancreatic and plant-based digestive enzymes (no-HCL); take 1 – 2 capsules with normal meals.

Occasional or Mild Heartburn/Gastritis/Reflux:

*Gastrex:  Take 2 – 3 capsules 15 to 20 minutes prior to meals with an 8 oz. glass of water.  It provides nutrients that may help soothe irritated tissues and support digestion.

Moderate to Severe Heartburn/Gastritis or Acid Reflux:

*HiPep:  Herbal Formula; take one tablet 20 to 30 minutes prior to meals and/or at bedtime.  For acid reflux, this product is more effective if you suck on the tablet like a lozenge till gone and swallow without water.  This allows the herbs to soothe and stimulate healing of the irritated tissues in the esophagus and stomach.

Burping/bloating 15 to 20 minutes after a meal:  Usually, this is the result of a bacterial imbalance in the upper bowel, and can be the result of chronic antacid use, and excessive simple carbohydrates in the diet.

*Zypan:  Pancreatic Digestive Enzymes and HCL; take 1 to 3 tablets with normal meals.  Zypan provides additional HCL and digestive enzymes to help properly digest food.  After 30 days, if you still experience the burping/bloating, the bacterial overgrowth should be addressed.

Courtesy of John Hess, Phd

*The dietary supplement products mentioned in this document are not intended to “diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease,” because only a drug can legally make such a claim.

Contact Dr. D for more information or to set up a patient direct supplement account with Standard Process. 434-481-2012, email: DrD@totalchiro.net