Most common digestive disordersFructos Intolerance or Fructose malabsorption - The body’s inability to digest sugar. Certain cells are not available to assist in digesting of sugar. Fructose intolerance is becoming one of fastest growing allergies today. Lactose Intolerance - People who are lactose intolerant lack a certain enzyme needed to digest the main sugar in milk. Ranging in severity from person to person, symptoms include cramping, bloating, gas, nausea, and diarrhea. These usually occur 15 minutes to hours after one drinks or eats a dairy product. "Dyspepsia" is the medical term for indigestion and heartburn. This happens when the stomach's strong gastric acids seep into the esophagus, which does not have the same lining as the stomach. Dyspepsia is often caused by caffeine, alcohol, tomato and fatty foods, as well as by stress and overeating. To treat dyspepsia, don't lie down for four hours after eating, and when you do lie down, do it on your left side. Over-the-counter antacids and acid reducers often help. Crohn's disease is a chronic inflammatory disease of the intestines. It primarily causes ulcerations (breaks in the lining) of the small and large intestines, but can affect the digestive system anywhere from the mouth to the anus. It is named after the physician who described the disease in 1932. It also is called granulomatous enteritis or colitis, regional enteritis, ileitis, or terminal ileitis. GERD - Gastroesophageal reflux disease is a condition in which food or liquid travels backwards from the stomach to the esophagus. This can irritate the esophagus, causing heartburn and other symptoms. Gallstones are hard, pebble-like deposits that form inside the gallbladder. Gallstones may be as small as a grain of sand or as large as a golf ball, depending on how long they have been forming. Diverticular disease - Diverticular disease is a condition in which small pouches, called diverticula, develop in the wall of the colon, or large intestine. The pouches develop at weak spots in the wall of the colon. These weak spots occur because of excess pressure in the colon, or existing weakness in the colon wall, that eventually bulge out to form pouches. High pressure inside the intestine may cause these outpouchings (called diverticula) to develop in areas of weakness within the wall of the colon. The development of these pouches is called diverticulosis. Pancreatitis - Pancreatitis is inflammation of the pancreas that may occur as an acute, painful attack, or may be a chronic condition developing gradually over time. It is caused when pancreatic enzyme secretions build up and begin to digest the organ itself. Another term for this condition is auto digestion, which occurs when, for some unknown reason, the pancreas' powerful enzymes are activated in the pancreas itself rather than in the duodenum. It is believed that trypsin sets off a domino effect, activating other enzymes to speed the auto digestive process. Constipation - Constipation refers to infrequent or hard stools, or difficulty passing stools. More specifically, constipation may involve pain during the passage of a bowel movement, the inability to pass a bowel movement after straining or pushing for more than 10 minutes, or no bowel movements after more than 3 days. Constipation is the passage of small amounts of hard, dry bowel movements, usually fewer than three times a week. People who are constipated may find having a bowel movement difficult and painful. These are the most common digestive problems that can be turned around by combining the right foods when eating. You can eliminate digestive disorders by eating the right foods together. And the bonus to eating the right food together can be weight loss! |