More people than ever are experiencing stomach and digestive upset. For many, it’s becoming the norm. Sixty to 70 million Americans are affected by digestive disorders, including inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), chronic constipation, peptic ulcer, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), gastroesophogeal reflux, GI infections, and pancreatitis, not to mention general indigestion and food intolerances. The most common functional gastrointestinal disorder, accounting for 10 to 15 percent of digestive issues and 12 percent of visits to primary care physicians, is IBS. Many people don’t realize that digestive problems can cause health issues and symptoms beyond the digesting system, including headaches, upper back pain, mid-back pain, sinus issues, gall bladder symptoms, appendicitis-like symptoms, stabbing low back pain, front thigh pain, and knee pain. Continue reading
Tag Archives: digestive health
For a Healthy Body, Start with a Healthy Gut
A healthy gut provides needed nutrients for the entire body. To absorb and properly utilize all needed nutritive building blocks, the upper and lower gastrointestinal (GI) tracts need to maintain appropriate pH levels, a healthy probiotic (friendly bacteria) population, a strong immune response, needed enzymes and digestive cofactors, and appropriate permeability of the digestive tract lining. When any of these areas are out of balance, digestion and overall health are compromised. Continue reading
Use Probiotic Supplements for Better Digestive Health and Overall Wellness
When most of us think of bacteria, we think of it as negative. But our digestive systems actually need bacteria to keep pathogens in check, help digestion and absorption of nutrients, and keep our immune system running at peak performance. Nearly 100 trillion microorganisms live in a normal bowel. A poor diet can have a negative effect on the balance of good and bad bacteria, as can antibiotic use. Most of us don’t give a lot of thought to our gastrointestinal health until we get sick. But there are steps you can take to keep your gut flora in balance and maintain a healthy digestive system. Continue reading
