| Dyspepsia
and Indigestion
The
term Digestion covers all the activities of the digestive
tract, involving preparing food to be absorbed by the body
and the rejection of its residues. Whatever foods are ingested,
the remains should be exported, preferably within a period
of 24 hours. If this does not happen, we may well experience
problems.
The
preliminary chemical breakdown of food takes place in the
mouth, before it passes to the stomach. The digestive tract
has to cope with many foodstuffs and it is often grossly overworked,
especially when we don’t chew our food properly, thus
placing even more of a burden on the digestion. Our choice
of food too often lacks the proper composition, hence the
importance of sensible food combining.
When food has arrived at the lower end of the oesophagus,
it passes through a valve – the cardiac sphincter –
that controls entry to the stomach. The sphincter is an opening
with a circular set of muscles. When there is too much contraction,
possibly resulting from excess stress or tension, the sphincter
may not function correctly and therefore will not allow free
entry of the food into the passageway. Indigestive discomfort
is the result, manifesting itself as burping, flatulence or
heartburn. These are not only uncomfortable experiences, but
are also considered unsociable. Stomach gas, derived from
air swallowed with food or drink, builds up in the upper part
of the stomach until the cardiac sphincter allows it to escape
into the oesophagus.
The important function of the
stomach is to act as a store for ingested food, and the stomach
– which consists of a J-shaped bag – can be divided
into three parts; the cardiac area, the fundic area and the
pyloric area. The three areas are completely distinct from
one another, and the whole stomach has a muscular wall enabling
it to produce a churning action, which breaks up food and
ensures a beneficial chemical breakdown. The muscular contraction
depends on the nervous system, in particular the vagus nerve.
It also controls the production and secretion of digestive
juices. Its effectiveness is subject to the correct acid and
alkaline balance. Hydrochloric acid (HCL), an important factor
in the digestion of food, is present and the stomach can produce
a large amount of this strong acid.
In my book Nature’s Gift of Food I stress the
fact that the acid-alkaline system deserves our attention.
Too much or too little acid can cause problems, and a balance
should be maintained. What we need to understand is that if
we keep our food as natural as possible, we have a better
chance of maintaining this balance. One of the best foods
for balancing the acid-alkaline system is rice.
Another natural substance that acts as an excellent balancer,
especially if there is too much wind in the stomach, is the
cornflower – Centaurium umbellatum.
Centaurium is one of the most helpful herbs for stomach or
indigestion problems. Alfred Vogel recommended Centaurium
for the treatment of digestive irregularities, lack of appetite,
a weak and/or sour stomach, and for inflammation of the mucous
membranes of the stomach.
|