Digestive Health                      

What is digestion?

Digestion is the process that breaks down the food you eat so the nutrients are in a form that your body is able to absorb and use for energy. It starts as soon as you put food in your mouth. Chewing tears food into smaller pieces, while enzymes (proteins that speed up chemical reactions) in your saliva start breaking down complex carbohydrates into simple sugars. Once you swallow, the food moves from your esophagus to stomach, where it continues to be broken down. Then food moves into your small intestine, where most of digestion and absorption takes place. Any undigested food goes into your large intestine, and it is transformed into feces for excretion. The whole digestion process takes about 24 hours. During this process, you may feel side effects such as stomach aches, diarrhea, gas, or bloating.  

Common  Digestive  Problems:    Lactose Intolerance:

v Inability to digest the sugar in dairy products, “lactose” because you lack the enzyme lactase in your small intestine.

v Diagnosis by breath and stool tests (consult with your Doctor).

v Not to be confused with cow milk allergy, which appears early on in life and can be life threatening.

v Lactose intolerance is not life threatening, but the symptoms that appear 30 minutes to 2 hours after consuming dairy products can be

uncomfortable: o Abdominal bloating and pain o Gas o Diarrhea o Nausea

v Manage the symptoms by limiting the lactose in your diet:

o Consider lactose free or soy milk. o Each individual can tolerate varying

amounts of lactose. o May tolerate yogurt and cheese

because these products often have less lactose than milk.

o May be able to tolerate small amounts of regular milk without symptoms. Having milk with meals can help with tolerance.

v Taking over-the-counter lactase tablets or drops with dairy products can reduce symptoms.

Celiac Disease v Inability to tolerate a protein, “gluten” found

in wheat, barley, and rye, and possibly oats. v This auto-immune disease

causes the body to treat gluten as a foreign substance, causing gastrointestinal symptoms:

o Abdominal pain and bloating

o Chronic diarrhea, vomiting or constipation

o Pale, foul smelling, or fatty stool o Weight loss

v Other non-gastrointestinal symptoms: o Fatigue o Unexplained iron-deficiency anemia o Bone/joint pain o Osteoporosis o Itchy skin o Depression or anxiety

v If you suspect you have celiac disease, talk to your Doctor. Don’t change your diet before taking the blood test and intestinal biopsy, as this can affect the results and

delay diagnosis. v If not diagnosed, may

eventually cause malnutrition, anemia, osteoporosis, liver diseases, and diseases of the intestine.

v Manage symptoms by life-long exclusion of gluten from your diet.

                                                                                                     Michelle  Hyman,  RD,  CDN                                              Nutrition  Education  Series            M2hyman@gmail.com        

Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) v Occurs when stomach acid flows back up

through your esophagus, causing irritation of the throat, acid reflux, difficulty swallowing, and/or heartburn.

v Diagnosis: If these symptoms occur at least 2 times per week or interfere with daily life.

v Manage symptoms with dietary changes and medications, surgery (in some cases).

v Foods to avoid: o Citrus fruits o Chocolate o Drinks containing

caffeine or alcohol o Fatty and fried

foods o Garlic and onions o Mint flavorings o Spicy foods o Tomato products

v Other tips: o Avoid eating 2-3 hours before

bedtime. o Don’t smoke. o Maintain a healthy weight. o Eat small, frequent meals. o Raise the head of

your bed 6-8 inches. o Wear loose fitting

clothing. o Sit up while eating.

Don’t lay down right after meals.

Gas/bloating v Bloating, burping, and passing gas are all

normal bodily functions that occur during digestion. However, when these interfere with normal daily function, there may be a gastrointestinal problem.

v If you don’t pass gas through belching or flatulence or have a bowel movement, it can build up in your intestines and cause bloating.

v Bloating can be caused by: o Fatty foods o Stress or anxiety o Smoking o Medical conditions (ex: celiac

disease, irritable bowel syndrome, lactose intolerance)

o Constipation o Medications

v Certain foods may cause gas: o Broccoli/cauliflower o Beans o Cabbage o Carbonated drinks o Chewing gum o Apples, peaches, and

pears o Whole grains

v Helpful tips: o Eat and drink slowly. o Be physically active. o Drink enough fluid. o Limit foods that give you gas. o Consider trying prebiotics,

probiotics, or digestive enzymes.  

References Mayo Clinic Staff. (2011, April 23). Gas and gas pains. Retrieved from

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/gas-and-gas-pains/DG00014

Mayo Clinic Staff. (2011, May 21). Gerd. Retrieved from

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/gerd/DS00967

Mayo Clinic Staff. (2010, February 16). Lactose intolerance. Retrieved from

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/lactose-­‐intolerance/DS00530  

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health. (2008). Celiac

disease (08-4269). Retrieved from National Digestive Diseases Information

Clearinghouse website: http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/celiac/

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health. (2007).

Heartburn, gastroesophageal reflux (ger), and gastroesophageal reflux disease (gerd)

(07-0882). Retrieved from National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse

website: http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/gerd/

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health. (2009). Lactose

intolerance (09-2751). Retrieved from National Digestive Diseases Information

Clearinghouse website:

http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/lactoseintolerance/Lactose_Intolerance.pdf