Ask the Naturopath...

Gut feelings How to handle a GI tract that's complaining Dear Nature Doctor, I have always had an occasional bout of burning in my chest from certain foods or sometimes for no known reason. Recently however I seem to be having this symptom more often and it is becoming a concern. I know that if I go to the MD he will give me the same thing a number of my friends are on to inhibit the production of acid in my stomach. Is this the only way to handle this problem or are there natural alternatives? BC, East Longmeadow Dear BC, This type of symptom can be related to a number of different conditions, and is often just called indigestion. It can include not only the burning in the chest you describe but also gas (belching or flatulence) and upset stomach and heartburn etc. Heartburn refers to a burning feeling, which can be caused by stomach acid regurgitating into the esophagus from the stomach caused by gastritis (inflammation of the lining of the stomach), or by an ulcer of the stomach or duodenum (also called peptic ulcer). I like the term indigestion because it tells you what the problem is you are not digesting well. Heartburn or heart attack? Many believe symptoms such as yours are caused by too much stomach acid. However the same symptoms can be caused by too little stomach acid. The burning is from the stomach acid irritating the esophagus through the lower esophageal sphincter or LES, but does not necessarily mean that there is too much acid causing this. There are a number of tests, such as a pH test of the stomach acid, that your physician can do to determine the source of the problem. With any chest pain you should err on the side of caution and get it checked out. No one should die of indigestion (because it was really a heart attack that went unchecked). With all the legal stuff out of the way lets talk alternatives. It could be diet There are, as usual, a number of them. The first step is one I'm sure you already know. Look at your diet. If you are consuming too many processed foods, sugars, bad fats etc. your stomach is bound to start complaining about it in one way or another. So this could be the motivation you need to get started on a new, healthier you. Change your diet to whole organic foods, avoid those foods that you already know cause symptoms, stay away from the food saboteurs that ruin your health, make you gain weight, make you feel sluggish, raise your cholesterol and cause indigestion. Natural symptom relief You could pursue symptomatic relief but remember that the problem was caused by something that is out of balance and simply resolving the symptom is not going to resolve the problem, and may in fact create more problems. With that said, you could try to get some symptomatic relief (while your working on those healthy life style changes) with digestive enzymes or digestive bitters. These will enhance the activity of your stomachs digestion, which in turn will relieve the symptoms. This would be a better way to address the issue than antacids, which can turn off the acid pumps in the stomach, no matter what the problem is. This can lead to a significant problem if the original cause was too little acid. Now there will be no acid in a place that our bodies need acid to function properly. More alternatives to Pepcid If this does not resolve the problem, there are a number of other natural options to help correct digestive conditions from indigestion, to ulcers, to IBS. There are herbs that are soothing and healing to the mucous membrane we often refer to as the Gastro Intestinal tract or GI. There are herbs that are able to help increase peristalsis and help to relieve constipation. Some amino acid supplements and supplements that replenish the gut flora are also helpful in treating GI conditions. These options are all dependent on the patient and the symptoms or condition. The only thing that can be applied to every case is that a healthy diet is the key to help correct the problem in the digestive tract. Having a healthy digestive tract is the key to healing almost every other condition. This is why your Naturopathic doctor will spend a lot of time asking you about your diet, digestion, BM's and every other facet of your food intake and your body's reaction to it. So if you ever had the "gut" feeling that getting and staying healthy could depend on having a healthy GI, you're right. If you have a question you would like to have addressed, please send it to DrAnnAresco@comcast.net or via mail to The Integrative Health Group 1502 Allen Street, Springfield Mass 01118