Symptoms — digestive problems
Heal your bowels, heal your body
The digestive system is the root of all health. It’s where you get nutrition for every cell in your body, and plays a vital role in immune function. If it’s irritated, inflamed or constipated, it cannot do its job and your health will steadily decline.
But despite the importance of good digestion to our health, few healthcare practitioners ask their patients about whether they have healthy, regular bowel movements. We always ask our new patients about their digestion, and over 85% of them report digestive problems including gas, bloating, diarrhea, and constipation. Many have been told they have irritable bowel syndrome, but have not been offered any solutions for real relief.
Regardless of your specific digestive symptoms, the underlying causes are usually the same. The good news is, there’s a lot you can do to reclaim digestive health, quickly and easily. When you do, you’ll not only eliminate your digestive symptoms, you’ll build a foundation for overall wellness.
What causes digestive problems?
Most of us don’t realize the importance of the beneficial bacteria that reside in our intestines. These microorganisms, also called intestinal flora, help make nutrients accessible to our cells, and prevent pathogens, allergens and toxins from entering the bloodstream.
Beneficial bacteria are in constant competition with unhealthy bacteria that also seek to colonize your gut. When this ratio of good to bad bacteria becomes imbalanced, digestive symptoms arise.
Poor diet is the number one reason for imbalanced intestinal flora. The typical American diet starves good bacteria of fiber and other nutrients they need to flourish, while providing ample sugar and animal fat that feeds unhealthy bacteria. Use of antibiotics, systemic inflammation, hormonal imbalance and chronic stress exacerbate the problem.
Many women find that their digestive symptoms worsen during certain times of their menstrual cycle. Part of the reason for this is the fluctuating ratio of estrogen to progesterone, which affects gut motility. During perimenopause, when hormone levels become less predictable and fluctuate more dramatically, digestive symptoms often worsen or increase in frequency.
Will probiotics help?
Probiotics, whether occurring in foods or in supplements, contain live beneficial bacteria — usually specific strains of bacteria and yeast. When you ingest probiotics you help restore balance in your intestines by boosting your supply of beneficial microorganisms.
But probiotics can’t do it all. They don’t solve the underlying cause of your imbalance, and they don’t provide the nutrients your body needs to encourage beneficial flora to thrive.
That’s why we recommend probiotic supplements only as a complement to a holistic program. Taking a probiotic without addressing nutritional deficiencies, inflammation, hormonal imbalance and stress is like pouring water in a hole-ridden bucket. The bucket simply cannot hold water until you plug the holes.
Heal your digestive tract, naturally
At Women to Women we recommend a holistic approach to gut health that can solve your symptoms and get you on the path to natural wellness.
Minimize sugar and processed foods, and eat plenty of vegetables, legumes and whole grains. Try a digestive enzyme supplement with meals, especially if you have difficulty digesting legumes. Drink plenty of water and chew your food well. Take a medical-grade, daily multivitamin to fill any nutritional gaps. Extra magnesium at night is helpful for softer stools. And remember to make stress relief a priority.
If you suspect certain foods are causing your discomfort, try an elimination diet to identify any allergies or sensitivities. The most common culprits are gluten (wheat), lactose (dairy), corn, sugar, coffee and citrus. You might also consider getting yourself checked for parasites, which are more common than most women realize.
Finally, try a high-quality probiotic supplement. There is a tremendous range of bacteria and yeast that may help your gut, but the strains that help the majority of women are Acidophilus, bifidobacteria and Saccharomyces boulardii. If you can, find a probiotic that includes a prebiotic like inulin, which ensures that the active cultures survive the acidic environment of the upper GI tract.
We’ve had great success in our Personal Program in helping women relieve their digestive issues. Many women are surprised at how much better they feel overall after getting their digestive problems under control. But that’s why we say, heal your bowels to heal your body!
The Personal Program is a great place to start
The Personal Program promotes natural hormonal balance with nutritional supplements, our exclusive endocrine support formula, dietary and lifestyle guidance, and optional phone consultations with our Nurse–Educators. It is a convenient, at-home version of what we recommend to all our patients at the clinic.
If you have questions, don’t hesitate to call us toll-free at 1-800-798-7902. We’re here to listen and help.
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Original Publication Date: 12/16/2003
Last Modified: 11/25/2008