In the United States people spend more money on over the counter remedies for the digestive system than they do for any other common complaint. That’s a lot of Pepto Bismal! Unfortunately, most over the counter medications simply mask symptoms without ever addressing the reason they are happening. Many people live with subpar digestion for most of their lives because they don’t know they could be better. It is a common occurrence in my practice to see people who have been living with constipation for years without knowing they can often easily fix this problem. (Or heartburn, or diarrhea, or bloating or... you get the picture.) This article explains the importance of digestion and how to differentiate between symptoms to restore balance and not simply mask symptoms. In western medicine digestion begins in the mouth and ends (hopefully) about 24 hours later as it comes out the other end. In between is a series of mechanical functions that involve digestive secretions and a continual downward movement of chyme or processed food. You can read more about the digestive system here. In traditional medicine there is significant importance placed on the digestive process. Our physical bodies are, in part, manifestations of the nutrients we absorb from the food we eat. If the digestive process is not running smoothly we deprive our body of the nutrients essential to building tissues in the body and creating energy. Metabolic Fire (Too cool vs too hot) Digestion can be seen as a metabolic fire. When the fire is running well it transforms the foods and drinks we consume into vital energy for the body. If the metabolic fire is too cool the body struggles to digest food well. In western culture we think of this as people with a low metabolism and often people with hypothyroidism exhibit these symptoms. If the metabolic fire is raging too high, heat and inflammation take its toll throughout the whole body. Here are some common ways our metabolic fire can be injured
Analyzing Digestive Patterns I have broken up the various digestive patterns into main patterns of excess and deficiency or cold and hot. Within those patterns I also discuss humidity issues of dryness and dampness. Deficient digestion People who’s metabolic fire is running too low have a difficult time transforming food into nutrients. They are often experiencing fatigue due to the exhaustive energy being used to attempt digestion. They are further disadvantaged because their poor digestion leaves them lacking the nutrients needed to feel vibrant.
Ironically many people with heartburn are given a pill to decrease the digestive secretions such as HCL. I say ironically because many people are experiencing heartburn because they lack enough HCL. Eating bitter foods or taking bitters with meals can often eliminate the symptoms of heartburn for these people and lead to stronger digestion. People with a deficient digestion can also be too dry or too moist. Excessive dryness will often manifest as constipation. Dry skin, dry hair, cracked nails, red cheeks, afternoon fevers, hot flashes, night sweats, painful bowel movements and a red tongue with no coat can all indicate dryness. People who tend to have a cold and dry digestion need demulcent herbs and foods along with warming foods and herbs. They will also benefit from aromatic herbs and spices. Simply using primary warming foods and spices will exacerbate the issue. Moistening foods and herbs are necessary. Bone broth soup with lightly cooked veggies and meats are a healing food for this type of digestion. If they can tolerate grains oatmeal is also a good choice.They will also benefit from a moderate use of salt. People who tend to have a cold and dry digestion should avoid cold and dry foods such as raw fruits and vegetables, chips and crackers. Spicy or pungent herbs Ginger Cayenne Black Pepper Cumin Garlic Onions Turmeric Demulcent herbs and foods marshmallow root Prepared rehmannia flax seed healthy oils and fats (olive oil, saturated fat from pastured animals, ghee from pastured animals. People with coldness and excessive dampness will display all the cold symptoms listed above. They may also feel heavy and lethargic, feel the need to sleep a lot, experience frequent mucous congestion in the lungs and sinuses, edema and have loose stools. They will benefit from consuming warming foods and pungent herbs and spices (see below). Increasing the metabolic fire will most likely transform the excessive moisture. (Just as we hang our wet mittens by the fire to dry.) People with coldness and excessive dampness need to avoid cold wet foods such as cold dairy and citrus fruits. They may also benefit from restricting salt in the diet. Pungent herbs Ginger On the other end of the spectrum a metabolic fire that burns too hot can also create an array of problems. Excessive or Hot Digestion Excessive digestion can lead to inflammation throughout the body. Symptoms of excessive digestion
Like we saw in a deficient digestive system people displaying signs of too much heat can also be either too dry or too moist. Specific signs of dryness may include constipation, dry eyes, dry skin, etc. These people will benefit from cooling herbs as well as demulcent herbs. Frequently clearing the excess heat from the system will reveal more moisture in the body. Cooling Herbs Dandelion root Gentian leaf Artichoke Leaf Cucumber Chickweed Demulcent herbs and foods Marshmallow root Prepared rehmannia flax seed healthy oils and fats (olive oil, saturated fat from pastured animals, ghee from pastured animals. People with excess heat and excess moisture will tend to sweat easily or have damp skin, oily hair, oily stools, thick yellow coating on the tongue, feelings of lethargy and fullness. These people benefit from the western classification of herbs called alteratives. Both cooling and drying and often nutritive. Alteratives Dandelion root Nettle leaf Burdock Root Yellow Dock Root Red Clover flowers Digestion is extremely important function to our overall health. Imbalanced digestion can lead to poor immune function, difficulty sleeping, nutritional deficiencies and a cascade of problems following. Because digestion is so important we never want to mask symptoms that are inconveniencing us, instead we want to get to the root of the problem and restore digestion to a healthy balance. Healthy digestion leads to a healthy life. |
Importance of Digestion |