Using Enzymes To Help With Gas, Bloating & Digestion
Gas, bloating and indigestion may be natural byproducts of eating, but that doesn’t mean they’re not embarrassing. For some of us, our symptoms can be so bad that we stop eating some of the foods we love—but this isn’t the only way to solve the problem. There are many natural solutions for occasional gas and bloating. Since symptoms can come from a few different causes, here are four different ways to potentially ease that uncomfortable feeling.
1. Eat Slower
While most of us think of gas coming from undigested food, another way for it to enter our system is by swallowing it. By slowing down, you can potentially solve your gas problem before the food even reaches your stomach.
2. Intermittent Fasting
This can be an effective strategy. By decreasing your overall food intake, you give your body a break from needing to digest and may ease your digestive discomfort.
3. Take Digestive Enzymes
Many problems we experience with gas come from our bodies not properly digesting certain problem foods. By taking enzymes targeted at what our bodies have difficulty digesting, we can solve this problem naturally. While bodies have enzymes naturally, our modern diets can often benefit from supplementing with enzymes to best digest.
-Beans and Vegetables: Alpha Galactosidase
Beans and vegetable contain complex carbohydrates that our bodies have difficulty breaking down. By taking supplements with alpha galactosidase, you can get the reinforcements you need to break down those complex carbs into easily digestible sugars.
-Lactose/Dairy: Lactase
For many of us, our gas and bloating problem comes from a lactose intolerance. Our ability to make lactase, the enzyme that breaks down lactose, decreases as we get older, so supplementation is a great option for many people.
-Fat: Lipase
With how high-fat much of the foods we love and are easy to get can be, we experience more digestive discomfort from fat now than ever. Lipase can ease these symptoms.
4. Ensure You Have the Right Stomach Acidity Level
Although much is said about hyperacidity conditions, a more common cause of indigestion is a lack of gastric acid secretion. It is estimated that approximately 40% of people over the age of 40 may suffer from hypochlorhydria or gastric acid secretion. That is more than double the amount of people who may be secreting too much acid.
Common Symptoms Resulting From Low Secretion of HCl and Pepsin include:
-Bloating, belching, burning or flatulence within the first 30 minutes after eating
-A sense of “fullness” nearly immediately after eating
-Nausea after taking supplements
-Weak, peeling and cracked fingernails
The stomach’s optimal pH range for digestion is 1.5-2.5. The use of antacids and acid-blocker drugs will typically raise the pH above 3.5. This increase effectively inhibits the action of pepsin, an enzyme involved in protein digestion that can be irritating to the stomach. As a result, people taking these drugs often feel temporary relief. However, they may actually be hurting their digestive process because both hydrochloric acid and pepsin preform vital functions.
Why Antacids & Acid-Blocking Drugs Disrupt Your Digestion
Hydrochloric acid (HCl) secretion in the stomach aids in protein digestion. It also activates the protein-digesting enzyme pepsin, fights off the undesirable overgrowth of bacteria in the stomach and small intestine and encourages the flow of bile and pancreatic enzymes. Hydrochloric acid also facilitates the absorption of many nutrients, including folate, vitamin B12, ascorbic acid, beta-carotene, iron, and some forms of calcium, magnesium and zinc. It is a major domino that must fall in order for everything else downstream.
Not only does low HCL and pepsin lead to improper protein digestion and nutrient absorption, it also promotes the overgrowth of the bacteria, Helicobacter pylori, that is associated with indigestion and stomach irritation.
Supplementing your diet with the right enzymes can help your body’s natural enzymes break down foods and provide relief to uncomfortable situations. Stop by our Supplement department and one of our team members will be happy to help you choose the right enzyme to target your body’s needs!