Good digestion is the cornerstone to good health. It is the process that breaks down foods, allowing the body to absorb vital nutrients.
Contributors to Poor Digestion
Factors which can negatively affect digestion include stress, ageing, a poor diet, and the over use of drugs such as antacids or antibiotics.
Poor Digestion = Low Nutrient Absorbtion
Improper digestion can lead to many unpleasant signs including bloating, gas, heartburn, constipation, diarrhoea, IBS and food intolerances – some of the most common everyday complaints suffered by many people.
In fact bad digestion can have a profound effect on your overall health. No matter how healthy your diet is, by not absorbing the nutrients within your food, you may be susceptible to problems such as weak immunity, poor skin, hormonal imbalances, joint pain and fatigue just to mention a few.
As you age, your need for nutrients remains constnt, but your ability to properly digest food declines.
Hydrochloric Acid Production Declines with Age
Our requirement for vitamins, minerals and other nutrients remain relatively constant throughout adult life. Unfortunately our ability to properly digest food and absorb vital nutrients declines with advancing age, therefore one of the most common age-related causes of impaired digestive function is the reduction of hydrochloric acid produced by the stomach.
Hydrochloric Acid Aides Digestion
Hydrochloric acid is an important gastric secretion that enables the body to break down proteins, activate important enzymes and hormones, and protect against bacterial overgrowth in the gut. Hypo-chlorhydia (low stomach acid) is a common digestive problem. Normally the stomach contains enough free hydrochloric acid to maintain a constant stomach acidity of between pH 1 and 2. Normally, the amount of acid produced increases rapidly following the ingestion of food.
Lack of pancreatic enzymes and overgrowth of pathogenic organisms in the intestines can all interfere with our ability to digest and absorb our nutrients.
Tailor Made Treatment Needed
A naturopathic treatment always starts with a thorough investigation to find the root of the problem, whatever the health concern may be. We are all very individual: as there are no two snowflakes alike, neither are any two human bodies. Once we found the cause, with a tailor made menu plan and herbal supplement regime your body can be gently ushered back to health – without side effects.
