Are Digestive Problems Ruining Your Ramadan? Your digestive tract is a self contained unit that does not (when working optimally) allow the food you consume to be absorbed and distributed to the body without first sterilizing, identifying and processing it. Without proper digestion there cannot be health. Not only is the health of the gut important for commonly known reasons, but the digestive tract is also home to a large part of the immune system. During Ramadan, digestive issues can be put at the forefront due to the types of foods we choose, how fast we eat them, and the lack of sufficient chewing. There are many steps you can take to ensure that digestive distress does not ruin your Ramadan this year. They are simple and can make a large difference if done consistently: - Drink water. Water is needed for digestion as well as to make HCl. - Chew your food well. This will enable the body to do less work. - Eat in a calm and relaxed manner. - Do not combine carbohydrates and proteins. People with digestive issues find this combination difficult to digest. The classic example is beans. - Start with a salad. Salad prepares the digestive tract to work. - Take a full spectrum enzyme supplement right before your meal (make sure it is vegetarian). - Do not over stuff yourself. Eat in stages. - Avoid white rice and white bread. They are inflammatory foods and can cause lose bowel movements and other digestive issues. - Avoid overcooked food. - Avoid black tea, coffee and soda as these are diuretics. - Have a cup of chamomile or mint tea after your meal. This will help ease digestion. Usually, the symptoms of digestive distress are there before Ramadan begins, but surface with a vengeance during this time. Common signs of digestive problems are: - Gas - Bloating - Nausea - Constipation - Diarrhea/loose stool - Burping - Food allergies/sensitivities - Poor appetite - Fatigue after eating - Abdominal cramps - Indigestion up to three hours after a meal - Mood swings - Poor memory - Joint pain - Hives, skin rashes and eczema - Chronic nasal congestion - Headache - Heart burn - Sour taste in the mouth Many of these symptoms are associated with a lack of gastric juice, beneficial gut flora (bacteria), or digestive enzymes. These are symptoms of a larger problem occurring in the body and should not be medicated away. If they are only masked by taking pharmaceuticals, the problem will become worse. Food Allergies/Food Sensitivities What are commonly called food allergies are really not "true" food allergies, but rather food sensitivities. The reason for this is that eating a food you’re allergic to causes a very specific and immediate response, it can also result in a medical emergency. Food sensitivities are relatively rare. They are not usually life threatening and many people develop them over time. The most common food sensitivities are to soy, corn, dairy and wheat, although one can have sensitivity to any food. There are lab tests that can determine if you have specific food sensitivity and which foods are causing it. However many people have an idea that they may be sensitive to a food already. If this is the case, simply remove that food/foods from your diet and see if your symptoms resolve (see list of symptoms above)..
Posted on: Mon, 29 Jul 2013 17:48:04 +0000
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