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Indigestion
Another common modern problem, which can be due to stress, poor gut flora, constipation or liver disharmony and can lead to reduced absorption (leaky gut) and low energy levels. Stress and tension are generally major factors in this condition, as is sluggish or impaired bowel function.
Excess Acidity:
Nutrition
Avoid alcohol, fried foods and cooked spices.
Very fibrous foods can irritate. Foods that require a lot of chewing and digestion, like nuts, should be avoided for a while if these cause problems.
A little rice may be tolerated after the one day fast, with some cabbage juice or finally chopped and steamed cabbage; keep up the slippery elm inner bark and meadowsweet herb tea. Slowly come back to other foods.
Avoid acidic foods except for lemons and apple cider vinegar unless you have an obvious reaction to them.
Natural Healing
It is inadvisable to use drug antacids, as long term use will make the problem worse. Drug induced suppression will eventually lead to unpleasant expression and excess acidity may be the eventual result.
Liver and colon cleanses are recommended.
Herbs
A one day fast on slippery elm formula may help; mix 3 teaspoons of powder with water and drink; if you prefer you could mash it into a ripe banana. Digest-eze powders
Meadowsweet tea will initially make a huge difference: take three times a day.
Aloe vera juice 20-30ml three times daily.
Insufficient Digestive Juices:
This is the lack of, or total absence of, hydrochloric acid. The average levels stand at 3% in healthy people. Very often lack of hydrochloric acid can denote a lack of ability to absorb vitamin B12, and a deficiency of another digestive enzyme - pepsin. A great many cancer patients (including those with stomach cancer) are found to be deficient in hydrochloric acid and pepsin, as are children, especially those with allergies like childhood candida, asthma and eczema.
Nutrition
Eat pineapples and papaya for extra digestive help; the bromelain in the pineapple is good at breaking down half-digested food matter and the papain in papaya digests proteins and starches and soothes the stomach as it does so.
Avoid tea, coffee, fried food, alcohol, cooked spices or an excess of raw ones, salt and smoking.
Hydrochloric acid and pepsin production can be balanced by using apple cider vinegar. Take between one and three tablespoons daily in apple juice or honey and water.
Resurrect beneficial stomach flora with acidophilus capsules and garlic, which will help digestion and immunity.
Natural Healing
Liver and colon cleanses are recommended.
Herbs
Include the familiar digestive herbs as frequently as possible - cinnamon, angelica, fennel, liquorice, wormwood, gentian or bayberry.
Blessed thistle is useful as it stimulates all digestive juices as well as encouraging correct acid production.
Increase your general immunity through occasional use of echinacea as lack of hydrochloric acid will allow some microbes to survive that shouldn't.
Herbal Formulae Suggestions
Digest-eze Powderfor excess acidity (also Aloe vera juice). Or plain slippery elm powder
Digestive Formula for insufficient digestive enzymes
Meadowsweet tea or tincture to balance digestive enzymes or Five Spice Digestive Tea
Nervous System Formula for stress and tension
Barberry & Fennel Capsules for constipation, milk thistle for the liver
Metaphysical
Indigestion represents ‘Gut-level fear, dread, anxiety. Griping and grunting.’
Affirmation: ‘I digest and assimilate all new experiences peacefully and joyously.’
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