High Energy for Life - Digestion with Dr. Mark Stengler

Common problems associated with poor digestion—gas, bloating, constipation and diarrhea—other problems caused by poor digestion are reflected throughout your body—in your skin, joints and hair.

Here are some basic ways to improve your digestion, starting with the foods you eat.
First, cut down on excessive amounts of sugar. Sugar feeds the bad bacteria in the digestive tract.

Rotate different grains in your diet. Too much gluten in the form of wheat, rye, barley and most oats can result in fatigue, digestive problems, skin problems and bone problems. Non-gluten grains like quinoa or buckwheat can take a big burden off your digestive tract.

Avoid packaged foods as much as possible, especially ones containing harmful fats, such as trans fatty acids, which are not only bad for your heart, but bad for your digestive tract.

To restore the good bacteria in your digestive tract, eat organic yogurt every day. Fermented foods also have these good bacteria. Examples include sauerkraut, miso, tofu and tempeh.

Detoxify every day. We’re bombarded by toxins through our foods, the water we drink, the air we breathe. Super green foods, such as spirulina and Chlorella, which you can get in capsule or powder form in health food stores can help the body to detoxify naturally.

Make your own fresh vegetable juices.

Don’t drink tap water; it has chlorine which is harmful to your good bacteria. Instead, use distilled water or get a reverse osmosis filter.

The liver helps to detoxify everything that comes into our bodies. When you improve liver detoxification, you often can improve your energy level. Studies show that a supplement known as milk thistle can help support liver detoxification. So do saunas. You may have access to one at the local gym or at home. Saunas help to accelerate the detoxification through the skin, which is your body’s largest organ of elimination. So as you sweat through saunas or even through exercise, you are rid¬ding your body of unwanted toxins.

It’s no surprise that stress wreaks havoc on your digestive tract. That’s why stress reduction techniques are critical to digestion and energy.

Here are some natural ways to treat two very common digestion problems—acid reflux and constipation.

If you are experiencing heartburn or acid reflux, try changing your diet: Avoid carbonated beverages, alcohol, coffee, nonherbal tea, cow’s milk, citrus, chocolate, peppermint and spicy foods. If symptoms improve, reintroduce these foods one at a time to see which specific ones trigger your symptoms, and then avoid those foods in the future. If problems persist, a holistic doctor can test your sensitivity to different foods.

There are some soothing supplements—all are sold at health-food stores and are safe for everyone (but not recommended if you are pregnant). Start with aloe vera, an anti-inflammatory plant that soothes the digestive tract lining. If heartburn persists after one week, look into adding the homeopathic remedy Nux vomica to your regimen.

To ease constipation, I often recommend flaxseeds to my patients. They contain fiber, which prevents and treats constipation. Flaxseeds have many other health benefits.
Best: Ground flaxseeds, available at your health-food store.

Choose a product in a vacuum-packed, resealable bag to prevent spoilage. Once opened, keep the bag in the refrigerator. Add to cereals, salads and shakes.

To prevent cramps and constipation, always drink 10 ounces of water when eating flaxseeds. (If you have the digestive disorder diverticulitis, ask your doctor before eating seeds.)

Source: http://highenergyforlife.com/event/uploads/BetterDigestionSummary.pdf

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