Improving Gastrointestinal Function By Dr. Laura Thompson Most people have had a digestive problem in their lifetime. Some people have them every day, and know it. Others have them every day, and don’t know it. Common digestive problems include: • Infrequent Bowel Movements (less than 2 per day) Seemingly unrelated symptoms that are digestive in nature – Gee I didn’t know: • Asthma An Explanation of “the 4 R’s” The common protocol used by health professionals for patients with GI tract problems can be summed up as “the 4 R’s”: (1) Remove, (2) Replace, (3) Reinoculate, and (4) Repair. Many health professionals and their patients favor this protocol because it is tried and true. It’s been used for centuries. Put simply – it works. When most people follow the system of “the 4R’s”, symptoms and conditions concerning the digestive tract can be eradicated or reversed. (1) Remove – The first step in restoring proper functioning of the gastrointestinal tract is to remove abnormal and potentially harmful microorganisms. These would be bacteria, parasites, or the yeast commonly known as “candida”, and other “critters”. Toxic metals such as aluminum and mercury may also be removed in this process. Natural substances such as acidophilus, bifidus, grapefruit seed extract, artemesia annua, bentonite clay, oil of oregano, wormseed oil, black walnut oil, and many others are used in this initial step. Drinking the appropriate amounts of fresh, pure water is also a main component of the removal process. (2) Replace – There may be deficiencies in the output of one or more of the products that the organs of the digestive tract produce. The most common problem (with both adults and children) is a deficiency in the output of digestive enzymes from the pancreas. This can largely be attributed to the lack of enzymes in our food supply. With most cooking processes, especially microwaving, and the processing of most of our grocery items, our food no longer has life quality. The enzymes are gone. This puts an added burden on our digestive tract to produce more enzymes. Therefore it is imperative that most people, even those without apparent digestive symptoms, take digestive enzymes by capsule. Popular herbs and plants with digestive enzyme qualities are ginger, pineapple (bromelain), and papaya (papain). Another digestive “product” that may need to be replaced is hydrochloric acid, produced by the stomach. Some enzyme products contain hydrochloric acid (HCL) or additional stomach support nutrients such as vitamin B12 and glutamic acid. (3) Reinoculate – During this phase, the small and large intestines should be reinoculated with oral administration of friendly bacteria and their “partners”. Commonly used are capsules or powders of acidophilus, bifidus, saccharomyces boulardi, and FOS or fructooligosaccharides, food for the friendly bacteria. Eating yogurt may be helpful to some, but most of the friendly bacteria in yogurt does not stay active long enough in the intestines. The most vital and potent yogurt is the kind you make yourself. That’s the real thing! (4) Repair – The lining of the intestinal tract requires restorative work after damage has taken place. Subtle damage ranging to the most extreme can be repaired with a variety of natural substances: glutamine, n-acetylglucosamine, zinc, calcium, vitamin A, vitamin C, DGL or deglycyrrhized licorice, aloe vera and fatty acids. A strengthened intestinal lining and functioning of the digestive tract help keep any microorganisms at bay and future digestive problems from occurring. Dr. Laura Thompson, Family Nutritionist and Naturopathic Endocrinologist has a nationwide practice by phone, and locally in Carlsbad, California. For further information about her services, call 800-608-5602. |
