It is also sensitive to estrogenic chemicals – especially synthetic ones like The Pill, which can deplete magnesium and cause nervous system disorders, muscle twitches and cramping, as well as emotional fragility.
Helping digestion
This is why it is so important to eat a balanced organic diet, which provides the full spectrum of nutrients. It doesn’t however guarantee that you will digest or absorb all you need. You can add extra digestive enzymes to your meal to help the digestive process along. This could be in the form of capsules with bromelain, papain or other similar vegetable enzymes. You could also eat some fermented vegetables like sauerkraut or kim chi with your meals if your stomach isn’t too sensitive.
Another great dietary rule is proper food combining so that you don’t load up the stomach too much with foods that fight each other. For instance, starches like potatoes, pasta, bread or other grain foods should not be consumed together with meats or other heavy proteins in the same meal because the heavy protein takes longer to digest – especially if not enough digestive enzymes or stomach acid is available! This means the starches can start to bubble with trouble in the stomach, producing painful smelly gas, as well as acid reflux of the oesophagus. Eat your heavy proteins together with light salad or watery type vegetables for easier digestion.
Beware of popping antacid tablets because they suppress stomach acid which you need for digestion. The gastric reflux problem is usually because there is not enough stomach acid to digest food which consequently stays in the stomach too long. In the case of gastric reflux between meals (when not digesting food), I found it much more helpful to have a level teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda in a glass of water, which neutralises acids that may be caused by stomach bacteria, or bacteria from SIBO. It also helps to line the stomach and gut for protection.