Digestive Support
The second R of the Four R Program is to Replace:
- Stomach acid (or stimulate stomach acid with bitters) and…
- Digestive enzymes
Dr. Bland explains, “While removing the substances that might disrupt the function of the immune system, the patient is evaluated for their sufficiency of digestive enzymes and proper stomach acid. The best “test” is whether the person can properly digest a normal meal without complaints of bloating, gas formation, or reflux. If this is a problem the Functional Medicine doctor will recommend the use of digestive aids such as digestive enzymes to be taken along with meals.”
Dr. Amy Myers says, “Add back in the essential ingredients for proper digestion and absorption that may have been depleted by diet, drugs (such as antacid medications) diseases or aging.”
The old saying, “You are what you eat”, isn’t exactly correct. In reality, you are what you absorb. Your ability to absorb nutrients may have been compromised by years of inflammation. A stomach acid digestive enzymes supplement can be a temporary fix to help you start absorbing more efficiently while your digestive system heals.
Ultimately, the goal is to stimulate the body’s own natural production of stomach acid and enzymes and also to get needed external enzymes from food. Here are foods to incorporate into your diet that will help.
- Raw fruits and vegetables
- Bitter greens like arugula, broccoli rabe, collards, dandelion greens, kale, mustard greens, radicchio, turnip greens and watercress. The pre-dinner salad originated as a means of consuming bitters to stimulate the release of digestive enzymes. Unfortunately, the American version with iceburg lettuce has evolved to mostly eliminate bitters. Dr. Aviva Romm advises not to use bitters if you have kidney stones, gallbladder disease, hiatal hernia, gastritis or a peptic ulcer.
- A teaspoon of apple cider vinegar in water 20 minutes before you eat
- Ginger
- Lactose fermented foods like sauerkraut or kimchi
If you’ve already lost your gallbladder to inflammation, then you definitely need to replace gallbladder function with an ox bile supplement. I take NOW Foods Super Enzymes, which contains ox bile along with digestive enzymes.