Healing the Gut with Alternative Medicine

Voltaire said, "the art of medicine consists of amusing the patient while nature cures the disease."
Incorporating herbal and all-natural treatments in your daily routine can turn years of digestive discomfort into an easy-going, symptom free life. Our last post covered the importance of vitamins and minerals for overall digestive and intestinal health. For some, the best forms of wellness come from the effects of treatments derived from more natural sources. Introducing your body to these kinds of supplements cause little to no harm, due to the fact that they are derived from plant life. In addition, the body often begins the healing process faster with herbs than vitamins, because these alternative therapies kickstart reparative processes within your body's organs and endocrine system. It becomes about completely transforming the way you operate day to day, and for the rest of your life!

Probiotics
Your intestinal tract is highly populated with numerous different types of bacteria, called gut flora or microflora. Many scientists claim that there are beneficial and bad types of microflora that can live within the intestines.
The key to having pain-free, healthy digestion is to strike a balance of both beneficial and bad bacteria. Many people achieve their own unique balance through diet, however, the processed modern foods of today can wreak havoc on our digestive systems. The good and bad strains get killed off over years of bad diet, and the bad bacteria easily overpopulates in an effort to survive. The physical manifestations of this phenomenon are all of the stomach symptoms we're feeling as a nation: gas, bloating, candidas overgrowth, IBS, to name a few. How do you rebuild the equilibrium of microflora? Probiotics have proven to be beneficial in not only lowering excessive amounts of bad bacteria, but sustaining the growth of beneficial bacteria at the same time. Supplementing your children's daily diet with a strong probiotic like HMF Natogen Formulas can gently adjust their digestive systems to keep them healthy as they grow. Even some bacterial infections can be prevented if you have the proper balance of gut flora!
Nordic Naturals created ProOmega Probiotic as a supplement for more severe digestive discomfort, providing nourishing omega-3 fatty acids to soothe the intestines while microflora reaches the proper balance.

Ginger and Cinnamon
Ginger has been used in Chinese medicine for thousands of years as a cure for stomach ailments. Ginger contains compounds that communicate with your body to produce more digestive enzymes that are associated with breaking down fatty food, the most common culprit of indigestion. It also increases circulation, which is required to send the nutrients in food to your cells in the bloodstream. No wonder it has been used as medicine! Take a ginger supplement, like Pure Encapsulations Ginger extract, to get enough of this powerful root for noticeable improvement in your symptoms.
Cinnamon is best known for its relationship with insulin and diabetes. Cinnamon actively balances your insulin hormone response to handle high sugar or low sugar meals, which can often compete with and slow down digestion. Higher amounts of this valuable tree bark must be taken to see real improvement, so supplement with cinnamon bark capsules from NOW. It contains a healthy 600mg of cinnamon to boost your stomach health.

Digestive Enzymes
Did you know your body produces its own enzymes to break down the food you eat? Even your saliva contains enzymes that begin to work at making the food available for cell consumption. Any imbalance in enzymatic activity can disrupt the process of digestion and result in indigestion. Some genetic differences can create more or less enzymes within a person's body, so if you are prone to feeling especially full or uncomfortable after a meal, introducing enzymes into your diet can be extremely beneficial.
Papaya enzymes are the most popular form of enzyme supplements sold for digestion. Each compound within the papaya fruit works at breaking down molecular structures that make up all foods. American BioSciences created a comprehensive supplement that will work for anyone looking to improve their stomach and intestinal health. Digest Solve 24/7 contains more than 10 different enzymes and foods that work together to increase your ability to completely break down meals. Ingredients like chamomile and fennel allow your intestinal muscles to relax which speeds up the digestion process and lowers your discomfort.