Patricia Thompson - NUTRITION TALK MOST PERSONS have experienced some form of gastrointestinal discomfort at one time or another. This includes belching, stomachache, sour taste in the mouth, cramps, nausea, constipation, gas or diarrhoea. Almost every home has a supply of antacid, laxatives or home remedy for upset stomach and millions are spent each year on these products.
The ready availability of these products has caused many of us to take their use for granted rather than placing emphasis on eating behaviour in the prevention of these symptoms.
While some of the gas we experience is as a result of specific foods, the gaseous foods are rarely eaten in such large quantities to produce a serious gas problem. Some of the common culprits include cucumbers, peas and beans, raisins, tamrind balls, cabbage, onions, ripe bananas, corn and nuts and of course carbonated beverages. Persons who cannot digest the lactose from milk will also suffer gas, bloating and often diarrhoea if they use milk without a digestive aid. A greater proportion of the gas however is due to the gas production in the gut, by bacteria acting on foods that spend too much time in stagnation there.
CONSTIPATION
A regular bowel movement with good stool bulk will most likely alleviate a gas problem. Eating a diet with adequate dietary fibre and ample water will achieve this. Good foods to help mobilise the bowels are fruits such as mango and pawpaw, vegetables such as callaloo and beets, provisions such as sweet potato, nuts, peas and beans and whole grain products.
Without the water however, you may just add to a constipation problem. A high fibre diet should be eaten on a regular basis and not just taken once in a while by adding bran and whole wheat products to a meal. Switching from a low fibre to a high fibre diet takes some adjustments by the body and this should be done over a two to three week period. Using fibre like medicine may only contribute to your discomfort from bloating and digestive irritation. Bran should be started slowly with about one teaspoon and increasing up to a maximum of 2-3 tablespoons per day and with plenty of water.
LOW ACID SECRETION
Another reason for sluggish digestion is that you may be producing too little acid in the stomach while taxing your digestive juices by eating too much at a time. As we get older, most persons produce less acid and this makes some foods such as high protein meats harder to digest. Eating the bulk of these foods at night just before retiring will compound the problem and cause reflux of food leading to heartburn. Persons should try eating smaller, more frequent meals throughout the day rather than bulky meals and meat intake should preferably be during the time of day when you are most alert. Good digestion however, requires you to be quiet while you are eating and not working feverishly or 'racing' to a meeting. Plan the time for eating and allow enough time to elapse for digestion, before eating again. Eating and drinking should be done slowly and the mouth closed for chewing. Gulping food could cause the intake of too much air leading to gas and indigestion.
Use of medicinals and herbals are only short term solutions. Moreover they have side effects. Many laxatives affect the absorption of various nutrients and some of the old time favourites like peppermint have a rebound effect and may cause heartburn and irritation of the stomach if used continuously. Good nutrition coupled with positive health habits will reduce your discomforts and reliance on external aids for alleviation of these common problems.
Patricia Thompson M.Sc., Registered Nutritionist
The Nutrition Centre, Eden Gardens
