JWSimpkins
Member
There is no condition that is more insidiously detrimental to our long-term health and performance than compromised digestive function. The symptoms of poor digestion can often be quite vague and variable, other times they are more pronounced in the form of gas, bloating, nausea, acid reflux, irritable bowel syndrome, constipation and diarrhea. This cluster of symptoms is the body’s early warning system - signaling to us that something has gone awry within our digestive system.
Unfortunately too many people ignore this “body talk” by silencing the messenger with medications such as antacids, laxatives, H2 blockers and proton-pump-inhibitors. Digestion related conditions are so prevalent in modern society that close to 70 million prescriptions are written on an annual basis in the United States just for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). The economic impact of direct and indirect costs in the form of doctor’s visits, hospital stays, medications (including over-the-counter) and related surgeries is $10 billion per year!
Despite being a relatively complex bodily function, the gastrointestinal system does an incredible job of breaking down, assimilating and distributing essential nutrients from the foods we eat into the tissues, organs and cells of the body. It is also one of the first lines of defense against pathogenic organisms seeking to gain entry into the body to take up residence and wreak havoc on our health. In short, as digestion goes, so goes the body.
Problems can arise when lifestyle factors such as stress, incorrect food choices, pathogens, drugs, low hydration levels, lack of physical activity and irregular bowel habits, become common occurrences. If such unfavorable factors are left unchecked, they can have a profound negative impact on energy levels, cognitive function, sex drive, immune function, sleep, mood and over all sense of well being.
The good news is that correcting faulty digestion doesn’t have to be complicated and can easily be achieved by following what is called the “4R” protocol - 1. Remove, 2. Replace, 3. Reinoculate and 4. Repair.
1. Remove
In this first step of the “4R" protocol you will be focusing on eliminating any possible pathogenic organisms, inappropriate food choices and drugs or chemicals that can cause or exacerbate poor digestion.
Pathogenic Organisms
Common pathogenic organisms include bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites that can gain entry into your digestive tract via contaminated food and beverages.
Recommended solutions:
¥ Only purchase food from trusted vendors
¥ Follow proper food storage and handling procedures
¥ Practice clean kitchen hygiene
¥ Cook food thoroughly at appropriate temperatures
Lab testing:
In my opinion, the gold standard for detecting the presence of pathogenic organisms and intestinal flora balance is the G.I. Effects stool test from Metametrix Labs. This test can be ordered through qualified doctors, naturopaths and nutritionists.
If the G.I. Effects stool test comes back positive, then there are various supplements and herbs that can target and eliminate the offending organisms such as garlic, oil of oregano, olive leaf extract, grapefruit seed extract, black walnut husks, wormwood, Pau d’arco, mastic gum and pumpkin seed powder.
It is advisable that you work with a health care practitioner who is skilled in using herbal and nutritional supplements for the purpose of eradicating pathogenic organisms.
Drugs
Various drugs - both OTC and prescription - are often recommended by doctors to help manage faulty digestion. These drugs are designed to bring quick relief of digestive symptoms, however prolonged use can have the potential to do more harm than good.
Potential risks include:
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs): Abdominal pain, diarrhea, bloating, heartburn, small intestine damage and bleeding.
Laxatives: Loss of regular bowel peristalsis and blocking absorption of fat-soluble nutrients vitamin A, D, E and K.
Antacids: Reduced stomach acid, which prevents proper break down of food (especially protein), inhibits absorption of nutrients such as calcium, magnesium and vitamin B12, as well as allow pathogens to survive and take up residence in the intestinal tract.
Antibiotics: Frequent or long term antibiotic use can disrupt the balance of intestinal flora, creating a gut environment more favorable to pathogenic organisms.
Recommended solutions:
Work with a qualified health care provider to reduce your reliance on these medications by making the necessary changes to your diet and introducing nutritional supplements where appropriate.
Chemicals
Environmental chemicals such as pesticides, herbicides, chlorine, fluoride and preservatives found in the foods you eat and water you drink, can also have a deleterious effect on your digestion. Such chemicals can cause inflammation to the lining of your intestinal tract and disturb the natural balance of beneficial gut bacteria.
Recommended solutions:
Purchase organic produce to reduce your exposure to pesticides, naturally raised meat to avoid hormones and antibiotic residues, and drink only pure spring water and/or reverse osmosis-filtered water.
It’s also a good idea to temporarily reduce your fiber intake (>20gm/day), as well as any problematic foods you’ve come to identify through food allergy testing or an elimination diet, in order to further reduce inflammation and initiate the repair process in your gut.
2. Replace
The second step in the “4R" protocol is to replace any of the digestive factors that may have become compromised - this would include digestive enzymes such as pancreatic enzymes, proteases, lipases, cellulases, saccharidases, hydrochloric acid and intrinsic factor.
In a healthy state, your body produces sufficient amounts of all of these digestive factors and without them you will fail to properly breakdown and assimilate essential nutrients from food to maintain critical bodily functions. Undigested food particles can also alter the intestinal flora to favor the growth of disease causing organisms, and when released into general circulation can cause autoimmune reactions.
Recommended solutions:
Betaine HCL: Take 1-2 capsules at the start of each meal to aid stomach acid production.
Broad-spectrum digestive enzymes: Take 1-2 capsules in the middle of each meal to help breakdown and assimilate essential nutrients from food.
Apple cider vinegar: 1 tablespoon before each meal can aid stomach acid production.
Bitters: This old school digestive remedy taken before meals in a beverage helps to stimulate stomach acid and digestive enzyme production.
Adequate hydration levels are also imperative to healthy digestion because the intestinal tract requires water to produce a healthy mucosal lining. Many people are chronically dehydrated from drinking too many caffeinated and/or alcoholic beverages and this negatively impacts every system in the body.
Sufficient water is also needed to properly form stools for elimination through the large intestine via peristalsis. You can monitor your own hydration levels by observing your urine and making sure that it is clear and colorless.
You should be able to maintain adequate hydration by simply adding copious amounts of vegetables and fruits in your diet, and drinking extra water when thirsty or while exercising. Drinking eight glasses of water a day is an ‘old wives tale’ that has never been proven to be scientifically valid.
3. Reinoculate
The third step in the “4R” protocol is designed to reintroduce and maintain beneficial bacteria in the intestinal tract in order to create a healthy microbial balance. It is estimated that the average person has 2 lb. of gut bacteria numbered in the trillions - or put another way, there are 10 times more bacteria in the gut than there are cells in the human body.
Well known health benefits of “good” gut bacteria include reduced intestinal inflammation, increased immunity, reduce endotoxin substances, maintenance of intestinal wall integrity, better assimilation of nutrients from food, minimizing harmful pathogens and the internal production of vitamins B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B12, A and K.
It is especially important to replenish healthy gut bacteria following treatment with antibiotics, due to the fact that these drugs can temporarily wipe out the “good” bacteria in the gut, allowing disease-causing pathogens to take up residence and proliferate unchecked. It is ideal to take a daily full spectrum probiotic supplement (live bacteria in powder or capsule form) that includes most of the following strains of bacteria:
¥ Lactobacillus acidophilus
¥ Lactobacillus bulgaricus
¥ Lactobacillus thermophilus
¥ Lactobacillus plantarum
¥ Lactobacillus rhamnosus
¥ Bifidobacterium bifidus
¥ Bifidobacterium longum
¥ Bifidobacterium breve
Recommended solutions:
In addition to supplemental probiotics, it’s also a good idea to add a little fermented foods to your meals. These foods contain naturally occurring probiotics and enzymes that help to maintain a healthy ratio of good to bad bacteria in the gut, as well as aid the digestion of food for better nutrient absorption. Some excellent examples include sauerkraut, kefir, kimchi, kombucha and plain yogurt.
4. Repair
The last step in the “4R” protocol uses specific nutrients to help repair and strengthen the intestinal lining that may have been damaged by processed foods, chemicals, drugs or pathogens.
The condition known as intestinal permeability or “leaky gut” is caused by damage to the microvilli of the intestinal wall, which results in poor nutrient assimilation and undigested food particles passing through the gut wall into general circulation. Depending upon the individual, these undigested food particles can cause an autoimmune reaction resulting in a wide range of seemingly unrelated symptoms such as headaches, fatigue, mood swings, joint pain, asthma, depression, anxiety, brain fog, food intolerances, sleep disturbances etc.
The good news is that the lining of the intestinal tract can recover quite quickly and completely in most cases when given the right nutrients.
Recommended solutions:
Antioxidants vitamins A, C, and E to prevent free radical damage and aid collagen formation.
The amino acid L-Glutamine to “feed” the intestinal mucosa cells.
Bone broth (or gelatin powder) to soothe and strengthen the gut lining.
Aloe Vera juice/gel to cleanse and heal the intestinal lining.
Marshmallow extract to reduce inflammation in the intestines.
Lab testing:
The standard test for intestinal permeability is the mannitol and lactulose test that consist of the patient drinking a solution containing both compounds. Their urine is then collected over a 6-hour period and analyzed for the presence of mannitol and lactulose. If the intestinal wall is healthy, the test will reveal high levels of mannitol and low levels of lactulose. If high levels of both compounds are detected, this would indicate a “leaky gut”.
This lab test can be ordered through qualified doctors, naturopaths and nutritionists and is generally done before and during the repair process to measure the effectiveness of the healing protocol.
Summary
It is just not possible to achieve optimal health and performance in the presence of poor digestion. But you can start to get your health goals back on track by following the “4R” protocol of removing the root causes of intestinal distress, replacing the digestive factors needed to maximize nutritional assimilation, reinoculating your gut with friendly bacteria in the form of probiotics and lastly, repairing any damage in the intestinal tract.
It’s time to take your first step toward dynamic digestion!
J.W. Simpkins is a nutrition and exercise coach, specializing in men's health and performance. You can read more of his articles at his blog Fit Men Over 40.
