there are countless causes of poor digestion. in fact, you could write an entire book on this subject. over the next three weeks I will focus on the most significant and most often overlooked causes of poor digestion and absorption.
Poor Nutrition
one of the most significant causes of poor digestion and absorption is poor nutritional intake. If your diet contains high amounts of pesticides, food additives, colourings, artificial ingredients, trans fats, hydrogenated oils, and other unhealthy ingredients the cells of the small intestine will become inflamed and damaged. Poor nutrition resulting in nutrient deficiency can also impair digestion and absorption as the cells of the small intestine rely on vitamins and minerals as co-factors in active absorption.
Bacterial Imbalance (Dysbiosis)
the digestive tract is lined with trillions of cells of bacteria. in fact, there are more bacterial cells in our digestive tract than there are of our own human cells. We have created a symbiotic relationship with hundreds of species of bacteria that allows everyone to get along when things are going well. Basically, we provide the bacteria with a place to reside and in return we expect them to keep it neat, tidy, clean, and disease-free.
this symbiotic relationship works very well when we humans provide the “good” bacteria with their preferred nutrition like fructo-oligo-saccharides, fibre, essential fatty acids, and amino acids like glutamine from whole foods. Unfortunately, the Standard American Diet (SAD) is deficient in these nutrients and provides excess amounts of sugar, trans fats, hydrogenated oils, colourings, preservatives, and artificial ingredients.
these nutrients change the chemistry of the intestines and create a difficult environment for our native bacterial populations to live in. the digestive tract is like a fish tank. If you put the right nutrients in and maintain an appropriate pH the ideal species will thrive. If you put in the wrong nutrients and change the pH the ideal species will die. However, in the digestive tract not only will the “good” bacteria die but “bad” bacterial and fungal (yeast) species will begin to take over.
Non-native bacterial species combined with overgrowths of “bad” bacteria and yeast species like Candida albicans cause digestive symptoms. not only do they disrupt the regular digestive action of the “good” bacteria but they also create inflammatory damage. in fact, the “bad” bacteria and yeasts create toxic waste products from their own cellular metabolism that damages the cells of the intestines and even leaches into the bloodstream. this inflammatory debris circulates and leads to systemic inflammatory health concerns like many forms of arthritis, skin conditions, and headaches.
Stress
Stress plays a huge role in the overall function of the digestive tract. Most digestive processes and mechanisms are not under conscious control. They are governed by the Autonomic Nervous System (ANS), which has two basic modes; sympathetic (SNS) and parasympathetic (PNS).
the sympathetic, also known as “fight or flight” is designed to handle crisis situations. the body’s resources and energy are directed to the muscles so you can run away from or confront the threat. When the body is in the sympathetic mode it is not concerned with digestion and absorption. What is the point of digesting your last meal when you are in a crisis? there is no production of saliva, stomach acid, pancreatic enzymes, or bile during sympathetic dominance. Peristalsis, the contraction of the intestines to propel contents also comes to a halt. therefore, the more time you spend in the sympathetic mode due to stress the more likely you are to have poor digestion and absorption.
the parasympathetic nervous system also known as “rest, digest, and repair” is the mode the body is intended to be in the majority of the time. the body’s resources and energy are directed toward the core organs and functions including digestion, oxygenation, circulation, and regeneration. therefore, the more time you spend in the parasympathetic (low stress) mode the better digestion and absorption is likely to be.
Low Stomach Acid
Stomach acid is a polarizing topic in the healthcare community. the conventional wisdom is to prescribe antacids to decrease stomach acid for people suffering from heartburn and acid reflux disorders. However, as we learned earlier stomach acid is absolutely crucial for healthy digestion and absorption. Temporary antacid use may have some application to prevent damage to the esophagus but long-term use has been shown to increase the incidence of osteoporosis and many other chronic health concerns.
If you suffer from heartburn or acid reflux consult a naturopathic physician to identify the triggers and support the digestive tract. Acid reflux disorders are most often caused by poor food choices, too much food at one sitting, H. pylori infection, food allergies, hiatal hernia, and structural problems with the esophageal sphincter.
in next week’s column we will investigate the impact of food allergies on digestion. To learn more about natural treatments for digestion or to schedule a consultation contact Dr. Barlow at 250-860-8855.