There are four distinct issues that we find and help manage that can cause digestive issues. They are H. Pylori, hypochlorhydria, leaky gut and food allergies. We have found natural solution that have been effective in helping patients with each of these diseases.

H. Pylori is an infection that buries itself into the lining of the intestinal. The most effective way to be tested is through a Urea Breath Test. If one person in the house is positive for H. Pylori each family member should be tested, as it can be passed back and forth between family members. Among digestive problems it creates, research has linked it as being a cause of heart disease!

Signs of H. Pylori:

• An ache or burning pain in your abdomen after meal
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Frequent burping
• Bloating
• Weight loss
• It can also cause hypochlorohydria
• Some patients can have no symptoms at all

The second issue is from not having enough stomach acid and is known as hypochlorhydria. Interestingly enough low stomach acid is more of a cause of acid reflux than too much stomach acid.

The truth on heart burn/acid reflux - All food we eat must be broken down at differing locations of the stomach and intestines. When the body doesn't produce enough acid the food eaten does not get broken down and stays in the stomach. Now the part food, part acid substance remains in the stomach after digestion, which is abnormal. And just like all things that you eat in which the stomach doesn't want it attempts to throw it up. This creates the feeling of heart burn.

Signs of hypochlorhydria:

• Bad breath
• An unusual sense of "fullness" after eating
• Excessive bloating, belching
• Flatulence immediately after meals
• Indigestion
• Diarrhea, and/or constipation

The third condition is leaky gut or intestinal permeability. This is a condition common in patients with allergies, skin reaction, ADD/ADHD, autism and auto-immune conditions like RA. Normally the inner wall of the intestines allows small digested particles to pass through and that's it. These digested particles are picked up by the blood stream for use or to be eliminated from the body. When a person has leaky gut larger "undigested" particles that normally should not pass through the gut, do. Since these proteins should not pass through they are labeled as foreign and are attacked by the immune system. This creates an over-active immune (auto-immune diseases) and can cause the nervous system to become over stimulated (as in ADD/ADHD and autism). I recommend an intestinal permeability test. Healing leaking gut involves avoidance of food allergens, the elimination of gut infections, addressing adrenal and blood sugar disorders, maintaining a strict diet, and supplementation with products that actively support and heal the GI lining. It can take up to five months of rigorous adherence to get intestinal permeability tests to return to normal.

The final condition is food allergies or sensitivities. Food intolerances are common foods that we eat that cause a reaction in the gut or the blood stream. The most common reaction is an immune response. Many people confuse true food allergies with food intolerances. There are similarities in symptoms, but true food allergies are more severe and present within a few minutes of eating the culprit foods. Symptoms such as swelling of the lips and face, "closing of the throat," rashes and anaphylactic shock can occur with allergies. Food intolerance symptoms, such as gas, bloating, diarrhea, stomach pains, acne, joint and muscle pain, headaches and fatigue occur much more slowly and can often be unnoticed for years. By eliminating food intolerances patients have had improvements with their autoimmune conditions, digestive disturbances, fibromyalgia, and chronic fatigue syndrome.

In children and adults food sensitivities commonly cause digestive problems, fatigue, skin reactions, headaches, allergies, sinus problems, ADD/ADHD.

Food allergies and sensitivities also contribute to ear infections. In addition to checking the child's spine, I recommend that children perform food sensitivity testing. A study found that over 78 percent of children with inner ear infection (otitis media), had food allergies. When the food to which the child was allergic was removed over a four month period, an astounding 86 percent of the children showed improvement.

Call today to schedule a test to determine if you have H. Pylori, hypochlorhydria, leaky gut, or food sensitivities. We have found natural solutions and treatments for each of these. Digestive health is just around the corner.