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It's just a fact of life: our digestive systems slow as we live beyond midlife. Unfortunately, a slower-moving inside tract is a set up for many "functional conditions," such as gastroesophageal reflux disease and constipation. As we hit our 40s and 50s, many of us will have a decreased ability to digest food because hydrochloric acid and digestive enzymes diminish with age.
We can naturally accommodate for this fact of life, however, by making lifestyle adjustments that can enhance digestive function and facilitate intestinal movement.
Eat mindfully. In a one word, relax. When we're stressed, our body's "flight or fight" response gets triggered. Consequently, adrenaline and other stress hormones are released into the blood stream. Blood is diverted away from digestive functions and is shunted toward vital organs involved in self-preservation, such as cardiorespiratory functions.
Waiting more than an hour in line to eat dinner with annoying people after a full day of stress is a setup for indigestion. The knee jerk reflex reaction is to pop a pill or swallow a liquid to make the symptoms better. But over time, this can worsen symptoms. Eventually, you'll likely need chronic therapy, such as acid-blocking drugs.
Digestion is a vegetative function whereby the body slows down, shunts blood and secretes hormones that promote digestive function. The goal is to eat while we're mindful, relaxed and thinking about enjoying a meal. Generally, the ambience, company, smell and taste of the meal facilitate digestion. Set time aside every day at meals to separate from the world and develop a healthy relationship with food that sustains and nourishes.
Chew food well. As we reach our 50s, the body's ability to make and release digestive enzymes and hydrochloric acid are impaired. Thus, it's imperative we avoid overindulging and shy away from the larger-sized meal portions that have become commonplace in American society. Being overweight, in and of itself, impairs digestive function and leads to several chronic intestinal diseases.
Eating smaller meals, along with enhanced mastication, will provide the digestive tract with an optimal surface area to digest food. Digestion starts in our minds as we anticipate the meal and in our bodies as we chew food. If we don't perform these two vital tasks correctly, digestion becomes an uphill struggle.
Spice it up. The old saying, "You are what you eat" rings true. But it's more accurate to say, "You are what you absorb." Several spices, such as chamomile and ginger, enhance and facilitate digestive function and movement.
Chamomile. The flowers of chamomile have active ingredients that provide anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic and smooth-muscle relaxing action, particularly in the gastrointestinal tract. Chamomile also has components that have been shown to benefit irritable bowel syndrome.
Ginger. For more than 2,500 years, traditional Chinese medicine has used ginger for abdominal bloating, coughing, vomiting and diarrhea. The dried rhizome of ginger contains approximately 1 percent to 4 percent volatile oils. These are the medically active constituents of ginger and are also responsible for its characteristic odor and taste. The aromatic constituents include zingiberene and bisabolene, while the pungent constituents are known as gingerols and shogaols. It's the pungent constituents that are credited with ginger's anti-nausea and anti-vomiting effects.
In humans, ginger is thought to act directly on the gastrointestinal system to reduce nausea. Ginger reduces the symptoms of motion sickness associated with travel by boat and, to a lesser extent, car. Clinical trials have found that it may reduce nausea from anesthesia after surgery. It also may help prevent chemotherapy-induced nausea.
Although ginger is a popular remedy for the nausea from pregnancy, it has only been clinically studied for very severe nausea and vomiting, known as hyperemesis gravidarum. This condition is life-threatening and should only be treated by a qualified health care professional. Because ginger contains some compounds that cause chromosomal mutation in the test tube, some doctors are concerned about the safety of using it during pregnancy. However, the available clinical research, combined with the fact that it's widely used in the diet of certain cultures, suggests that prudently using ginger for morning sickness is safe in amounts up to 1 gram per day.
Ginger is considered a tonic for the digestive tract, stimulating digestion and toning the intestinal muscles. This action eases the transport of substances through the digestive tract, lessening irritation to the intestinal walls. Ginger also may protect the stomach from the damaging effect of alcohol and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, such as ibuprofen, and may help prevent ulcers.
When ginger is used as recommended, side effects are rare. However, some people who are sensitive to the taste may experience heartburn. Those with a history of gallstones should consult a doctor before using it. Inform your doctor if ginger is used before surgery because the herb may increase bleeding.
Become physically active. Abundant data show that physical activity positively affects digestive function and health. Exercise helps prevent colon cancer recurrence and also has a beneficial influence on digestive function and movement.
In contrast, marathon runners and those who engage in excessive exercise have more intestinal catastrophes from excessive shunting of blood away during the "flight or fright" response. Alternatively, light exercise, such as yoga, tai chi, Pilates and walking, are excellent for promoting circulation, as well as intestinal motor and nerve function.
Eat the optimum diet for digestive health. Foods that prevent cancer, promote heart health and facilitate digestion and elimination should take center stage on our plates. As we age, macronutrients and micronutrients are not processed and absorbed efficiently. To promote healthy aging, eat fish, vegetables, fruits and fiber. Keep red meat to a minimum. Likewise, steer away from refined carbohydrates, sweeteners, trans fats and processed foods.
Because the number of friendly bacteria in the digestive tract diminishes over time, adding live yogurt cultures is an important change to make in midlife and beyond. For those who are healthy, probiotics from yogurts with active cultures are fine. Otherwise, the best way to guarantee effectiveness is to take the live cultures from probiotics preparations.
Like fine wine, aging is a process of maturation, growth and enrichment. As our bodies continue to age, we need to take steps to maintain a quality of life. Digesting food to nurture the body is one of the most critical choices you can make to live a full and healthy life.
Gerard E. Mullin, MD, MHS, CNS, CNSP, FACN, FACP, AGAF, is director of Integrative GI Nutrition Services, director of Capsule Endoscopy and co-director of the gastroenterology and hepatology nurse practitioner fellowship program in the division of Gastroenterology and Liver Disease at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore.
See next page for a list of spices and foods that aid in digestion.
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