The Sensitive Gut

Dealing With Tummy Troubles

Your "gut" is the series of organs — mouth, esophagus, stomach, small intestine, and colon — that transform the food you eat into the nutrients your body needs to live and to thrive.If you've ever had an upset stomach, constipation, heartburn or gas, you know how sensitive the gut can be. These "gut reactions" can be painful, disruptive, and sometimes embarrassing. Yet according to experts at the Harvard Medical School, you can achieve a calmer coexistence with your digestive system by preventing and treating the most common troublemakers, including acid reflux, functional dyspepsia, irritable bowel syndrome, constipation, diarrhea, and excessive gas.
Take heartburn, for example. It's the key symptom of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), the most common digestive malady. Heartburn can be painful and frightening, especially when it mimics a heart attack, and serious health problems can result if the condition isn't treated properly. The International Foundation for Gastrointestinal Disorders (IFFGD) recommends the following lifestyle modifications:
Position
Gravity plays an important role in controlling reflux. If you have a compromised lower esophageal sphincter (LES), lying down after a meal can cause food to come back into the esophagus. Maintaining an upright posture until the meal is digested, usually about three hours, may prevent the heartburn. If heartburn occurs regularly at night, consider raising the head of the bed or inserting a triangular wedge to keep your esophagus above the stomach. Also, avoid exertion after a meal, especially tasks that require bending or lifting.
(Courtesy:ThirdAge.com)

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