Transcript The Key to Health - Back In Action Chiropratic

Digestion…The Key to Health
Identifying digestive imbalances…
Approaches to help resolve digestive issues…
Nutritional and Herbal synergy…
Questions ? ? ?
John Hess, Ph.D.© June 2004
Digestive Problems…
• A Common Cause of Most Chronic Illnesses !
• Poor eating habits…
• Poor food choices…
• Reliance on pharmaceuticals and OTC’s for
relief…
A Common Cause of Chronic Illnesses…
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Inflammatory Bowel Disorders… (IBS, Colitis, etc…)
Auto-immune Conditions… Arthritis, Crohn’s, Psoriasis, Lupus, etc…
Fatigue (General Malaise)…
Failure to Thrive… (Walking Wounded Syndrome)
Auto-toxicity (increased toxic build-up from within)…
Endocrine Imbalances… PMS, Infertility, Estrogen Dominance…
These are very broad categories with literally hundreds of diseases
whose etiology can be traced back to digestive problems…
Poor Eating Habits…
• Eating under stress…
Digestion is mainly a parasympathetic function…
Sympathetic dominance slows digestion…
Eating should be a pleasurable experience…
• Improper Chewing (mastication) of food…
Food is not properly broken down enough for HCL
and digestive enzymes to properly digest food…
No time to mix with saliva…
Each mouthful should be chewed 32 times before
swallowing ! ( also helps with weight management !)
Poor Eating Habits…
• Drinking quantities of fluids while eating…
Dilution of the gastric contents and digestive juices…
Slowing of digestion…
Proper hydration during the day helps prevent the
desire to drink while eating. (Helps produce saliva)
• Proper hydration should be 1oz. of water for every 2lbs. of
body weight daily… Most people do not drink enough
water !
Poor Food Choices…
• Empty-calorie processed Carbohydrates…
Little to no fiber content…
No support for the friendly GI flora…
Slow, insidious breakdown of the GI ecology…
• Allergenic Foods…(sets the stage for chronic gastric problems)
Wheat/Gluten containing grains… MAJOR
Dairy Products… MAJOR
Peanuts… Minor
Soy… Minor
Poor Food Choices…
• Processed meats…
Generally high in fat and in preservatives (nitrates)
• General lack of key vitamins, minerals and
co-factors leads to insidious degradation of
the GI tract and ill health…
Vitamins A, C, B6, Folic Acid, B12, Magnesium,
Zinc, Calcium, phytonutrients, antioxidants, etc…
Reliance on pharmaceuticals for relief…
• Millions of dollars are spent every year on antacid
medications…
• Many prescription antacids are now OTC !
• People are self-medicating… Who’s watching ? ! ? !
• What can happen with chronic antacid use ? ? ?
Poor digestion and absorption…
Increased pathogenic bacteria, parasites, and yeast…
Degradation of GI tract lining…
Chronic Illnesses…
Reliance on pharmaceuticals for relief…
• We are creating a serious health crisis in this country years
down the road…
• Patients can’t correlate their chronic use of antacids with
health degradation…
• Side-effects of medications can cause increased toxicity
and diminished liver function… (Cimetadine slows phase
II detoxification and can inhibit the body’s ability to
remove toxins…)
Where do we start ? ? ?
• When working with patients with ANY
chronic illness, ALWAYS look at their
digestive health FIRST…
• Anything you do to improve their health
without improving digestive health first will
gain modest results at best…
Let’s look at the basics…
• Digestion, absorption and elimination must be working properly…
• Digestion :
Heartburn/Indigestion : (mild to moderate)
Lactenz 2 capsules with each meal…
(provides vegetable-based digestive enzymes and friendly bacteria to help
ecolonize the GI tract)
Gastrex 2 or 3 10 minutes prior to meals (helps to relieve heartburn or gastritis
while promoting the healing of the stomach and duodenum)…
OR…
DiGest 1 tablet (suck on for 30 sec then swallow 30 minutes prior to meal…)
stimulates natural HCL and pancreatic enzyme production and release…
Let’s look at the basics…
• Digestion : (continued)
Heartburn/Indigestion : (mild to moderate)
If indigestion persists, use Zypan 1 – 3 tablets with meals…
Caution : Don’t use Zypan with ulcer or gastritis…
Persistent indigestion is common with elderly folks and those who have
compromised digestion… As your patient gets relief, try switching
them to DiGest for long term use and use Zypan for larger meals if
necessary.
Let’s look at the basics…
• Patients with Gastritis or Ulcers taking antacid medications…
Interestingly, HCL production in MOST people goes down as we
age…
Then…Why do so many of us experience heartburn, acid reflux, and the
feeling that there is too much acid ! ? ! ?
Some thoughts…
Cardiac sphincter not closing properly (poor tone)… Reflux ? ? ?
Upper-bowel dysbiosis… Gas, burping 15 – 30 min after meal
Let’s look at the basics…
• Patients with Gastritis, Reflux or Ulcers taking antacid medications…
HiPep Tablets 1 tablet 30 minutes prior to meals… (helps to reduce
stomach acid, promotes healing of the stomach and esophagus)… If you
suck on the tablet for 30 seconds prior to swallowing, it works better…
Gastrex 3 – 6 10 minutes prior to meals…(helps to reduce stomach acid,
promotes healing of the stomach and esophagus)…
In many cases, the patient may be able to discontinue their antacid
medication after using these products. They may then use Lactenz,
Multizyme, or DiGest regularly or Zypan occasionally for indigesion.
Let’s look at the basics…
• Patients with lower bowel gas, bloating, constipation or cramping…
Once we begin to improve digestion, the whole system starts to heal…
These patients may still have small and large intestinal problems and
may also be suffering from intestinal dysbiosis, or an imbalance in the
GI ecology…
This ecology is a wonderful, complex system kept in balance through
proper eating, digestion, proper liver/biliary function, the immune
system, friendly flora, and food specifically used by the flora to help
keep the flora colony and the bowel healthy…
Now, lets look at the role of the liver/biliary/gallbladder in GI health…
Let’s look at the basics…
• The liver produces bile, which performs several functions…
Breakdown, repackaging and absorption of dietary fats in the gut…
Helps neutralize stomach acid in the duodenum along with HCO3…
Carries high molecular weight toxins from the liver to the GI tract for
excretion in the feces…
Bile should flow freely from the gallbladder with a meal especially
containing fats…
If the bile quality is low, or it’s release from the gallbladder sluggish, it
can manifest in constipation, poor fat absorption, poor release of
toxins, GI symptoms and degraded health…
Let’s look at the basics…
• Poor bile quality or release… How do you know ? ? ?
GI discomfort after eating a fatty meal…
Light-colored stools (should be dark brown in color)…
High-floating or oily stools (steatorrhea)…
Constipation…
A-F Betafood 3 tablets 3X/day (helps improve bile quality and flow)
LivTon 2 tablets 2X/day (helps improve bile quality and flow)
Livaplex 3 tablets 2X/day (general liver support)…
Globe Artichoke 4ml/day (most powerful single herb for bile health)
Use caution with these products if known gallstones are present…
Let’s look at the basics…
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Constipation…
Once proper bowel flora, digestion and bile flow has been established,
constipation usually resolves… However…If not…
Other important factors in bowel health and constipation relief…
Dietary fiber… This does more than provide bulk for stool. It provides food
for friendly bacteria which manufacture short-chained fatty acids that maintain
a healthy bowel pH and help keep the gut cells healthy. It also helps to prevent
bowel cancer…
GastroFiber 3 – 5 capsules 2 – 3 X/day with 12 oz. water… If GastroFiber
tends to increase constipation, then find Slippery Elm powder and use 2 – 3
X/day with 12 oz. water… Or Use Okra-Pepsin E3 3 – 6 capsules 2X/day
with 12 oz. Water…
If constipation is not resolved, use Colax 1 –2 tablets before bedtime work up to
effective dose, then drop back to minimal dose as possible…
Drink 1 oz. water for every 2 lb. of body weight daily ! ! !
Let’s look at the basics…
• IBS, Colitis, bowel inflammation…
First step is to identify the cause of the inflammation…
Dysbiosis or imbalance in the GI ecology due to bacterial
overgrowth, parasites, or fungus…
Food allergy or sensitivity…
Food or Drug consumption…
If these cannot be readily identified, you can still make attempts to reduce
inflammation, promote healing, and restore balance to the GI
ecology…
Let’s look at the basics…
• Reducing Inflammation (quenching the fire)…
Boswellia Complex 2 tablets 2 – 3 X/day (powerful anti-inflammatory
herbal formula)
Drenamin 3 tablets 3X/day (improves adrenal health important in
normal body response to stress and inflammation)
• Reduction of Intestinal Cramping…
Cramplex 2 tablets 3X/day (reduces smooth muscle spasms and is
also great for menstrual cramps)
Let’s look at the basics…
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Re-balancing the GI Ecology…
Suspected Parasites…Wormwood Complex 3 tablets 2X/day for 10
days…wait 10 days and repeat…
Zymex II 2 – 4 capsules 2X/day for 30 – 60 days
Suspected Bacterial Imbalance… Golden Seal 1 tablet 3 – 4 X/day for 15 – 30
days
Suspected Yeast Infection… Cats Claw Complex 1 tablet 4 – 6 X/day for 30
– 60 days (eliminate all simple sugars and carbohydrates)
Garlic 5000mg 1 tablet 3X/day
Vitanox 1 tablet 2X/day (enhances effectiveness of all formulas above)
Let’s look at the basics…
• Re-balancing the GI Ecology… Adding back friendly bacteria…
Lactenz 2 capsules 2 – 3 X/day for 30 – 60 days
Lactic Acid Yeast 1 – 2 wafers 2 –3 X/day for 30 – 60 days
Continue to consume high fiber foods or take fiber supplements like
GastroFiber or Slippery Elm. Consistent use of fiber in the diet will
help keep a healthy GI Ecology…
Side Note : If you need to use probiotics all the time, it means you’re not
keeping a healthy floral balance . Look to increase dietary fiber…
Let’s look at the basics…
• Healing the GI mucosal lining…
Besides the restoration of the GI Ecology and consistent use of dietary
fiber, there are products that can help speed up healing of the intestinal
mucosa.
Okra Pepsin 2 capsules 2 – 3 X/day (helps remove excess mucous
build up on intestinal wall, cleanses the GI tract and enhances
absorption…
Golden Seal 2 tablets 2X/day (tropho-restorative for mucous
membranes)
L-Glutamine 3 – 5 grams 2X/day between meals for 30 – 60 days.
(helps promote healing of the mucous membranes)
In Conclusion…
• If your patient does not respond to your
recommendations or approach within 2
weeks, there is obviously something
missing… Use the Symptom Survey, and
any recent lab tests to make further
determinations as to next steps…
Questions ? ? ?
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John Hess, Ph.D.© June 2004