Digestive Help

Ashia1317

No matter what I do, what I eat . . . by the end of lunch time, I'm constantly bloated - the rest of the day. I've been reading up on some remedies and was finding out that digestive enzyme supplements can help. Can anyone confirm this?

khskr1

I take a probiotic daily. Also try other items that can help ease digestion such as ginger or peppermint tea. I would suggest cutting out all wheat products for a week and see if that helps. I tend to be much more bloated when I'm eating a lot of wheat. (My nutritionist got me to do this and I was surprised and how much the bloating went down).

Hope this helps.

Rynatat

I have major issues with my digestion as well (partly because of gluten allergy, though even though I avoid gluten I still have issues). I definately recommend a probiotic (I take Jarrow Formulas Jarrowdopholis in the morning before I take/eat anything else) and I also take Natures Source Rejuvenzym at night before I go to sleep. Both help with bloating, and if some is water weight, try Michael's Water Balance formula: while it is a water pill, it's not harsh like some where you just can't stop going to the bathroom, it literally helps balance you.
If you have a health food store like Whole Foods or Chamberlains, some have nutritionalists that can give you some advise & help get you on track: my brother-in-law is a master nutritionalist & herbalist & recommended all 3 of the above to me. If you don't have anyone near you, if you would like I can ask his advise & see if anything new has come out that works better than what I use currently (have been taking for the last 8 years).

DrBorkBork

A good chiropractor can help with this. There's a "digest button" on your body that can be pushed. It hurts like @#^% but it really helps. Take some acidophilus tablets, too.

leavinglasvegas

I agree with khskr1. Often times a wheat allergy or gluten intollerance can cause bloating. Especially if you are trying to jam in the "Whole grains" to increase fiber or follow the typical recommended diet. Since going gluten free, the only bloating I experience is PMS related and even that is 1000% less than ever before.

Probiotics are beneficial as well as peppermint and ginger like khskr1 stated.

To lessen the amount of wheat products but still get "whole grains" try brown rice, quinoa, millet, tapioca, teff... those types of grains are easier to digest and offer nutriets that wheat does not. Quinoa contains good amounts of protien, calcium, and fiber. They are also all naturally gluten free.

Ashia1317

Thank you, all. I have been doing some research on the "gluten-free" stuff. I don't think that would be hard for me to do at all. I may have to test it.

leavinglasvegas

Thank you, all. I have been doing some research on the "gluten-free" stuff. I don't think that would be hard for me to do at all. I may have to test it.

If you are considering going gluten free, I would suggest speaking to your doctor. The only reason is this:

Gluten intollerance can be from Celiac disease. The only way to get a positive test result for celiac is BEFORE removing gluten from the diet so that the antibodies can be detected. Once gluten is removed the damage immediately begins repairing itself making it hard to detect, thus resulting in a false negative. Basically Celiac disease is completely treatable and repairable by avoiding gluten forever. However, if one does have true celiac, there is a higher risk of bowel cancer. Again, that is avoidable through cutting out gluten. But if the celiac has been "untreated" for a long period, then it is beneficial to know so that a GI specialist can watch for those types of things. Chances are, you don't have celiac, but it is helpful to have a celiac panel drawn prior to trying the elimination diet. I say this because I removed gluten from mine and my daughters diet based on allergy testing. By the time we got to the GI specialist our symptoms had subsided and we couldn't be tested properly so we had to eat gluten again for several days prior to being tested. Once the gluten is out of your system, reintroducing it can be very uncomfortable. Thankfully we both tested negative, but because we had jumped the gun with the elimination, we were told it could be a false negative. So, if possible, you might want to ask for a blood draw first to rule out celiac. If it is negative while you are eating gluten, then you very likely are just gluten sensitive.

Other symptoms can be, but are not limited to:

Headaches
Bloating
Neasuea
Diarrhea
Constipation
Skin problems
Allergy symptoms
Fatigue
Acid reflux
Weight gain/loss
Infertility
Joint bone or muscle pain
Respritory problems
Depression
Gas
Abdominal distension


Sometimes people don't associate those symptoms toghther because they can come from all sorts of things. But if you do have a gluten intollerance or celiac disease- all of those symptoms can disappear by going gluten free.

Just wanted to warn you of that because of my experience. If you have any questions, feel free to PM me. And there is a gluten free thread called Gluten free girls....(and guys). Check it out for all sorts of tips, recipes, and support if you do take that route. I have found it to be very helpful throughout this transition.

Good luck!

shellleebrooks

Mel - I use papaya enzyme. It really seems to help with food digestion. I have some at home if you'd like me to send a few in with Jim for you to try. Here's where I get it, it's not real expensive.

http://www.puritan.com/digestive-health-047/original-papaya-enzyme-chewables-001130?NewPage=1

shellleebrooks

Papaya enzyme is a potent mix of proteolytic enzymes derived from the papaya fruit, and offers several health and digestive benefits. The enzyme can speed up certain chemical reactions within the cells, and also breaks down certain types of protein. Papaya enzyme, also known as papain, has practical and medicinal uses. People can enjoy its benefits by eating raw papaya fruit or taking a papain dietary supplement.

Description
1. Papaya enzyme is called papain, a digestive enzyme that helps break down certain types of food in the stomach. Papain dissolves protein tissue when it comes in contact with certain types of meat. Consequently, it's often used in cooking and baking as a meat tenderizer.
Papaya enzyme also has several health benefits. According to WHFoods.com, papain can be used to treat certain types of sports injuries, allergy attacks and may also prevent colon cancer because it improves digestive health.
Uses
2. Papain is available in supplement form at health food and nutrition stores online and offline, and is commonly used as a digestive aid.
According to Wired.com's Wired Science, papain, the enzyme found in papaya, contains properties that can break down venom and other proteins, thereby protecting our immune systems.
HealthSquare.com lists oral forms of papaya enzyme to relieve digestive problems.
Nutrasanus.com points out that other medicinal uses of papain include preventing cornea scar deformation, treating insect and jellyfish stings, and defibrinating certain types of wounds.
Health Benefits
3. Papain has a soothing effect on the stomach and helps the stomach break down protein easily. Red meat, fish and certain types of vegetables high in protein can be broken down and absorbed by the stomach readily with the help of a digestive enzyme.
According to WHFoods.com, papaya enzyme also has an anti-inflammatory effect in the body, helping speed up the healing process after a burn or injury.


Read more: What Is Papaya Enzyme? | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/about_5155438_papaya-enzyme.html#ixzz0tlGkJipn