Digestif™ alleviating and preventing digestive problems

By Phil Micans, MS, PharmB

It is believed that there are literally millions of people around the world today who are not only suffering from digestive related problems but are actually not aware of them!

Normally however, intestinal problems lead to stomach cramps and pain in the gastrointestinal region, bloating, constipation, diarrhea and the conditions of an unhealthy gastrointestinal (GI) tract can also develop into what has become known as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). In the worst cases, the development of stomach ulcers can necessitate the need for surgery.

The actual health of the gut is greatly influenced by the health of the immune system. What’s more, the bacteria found the mouth (such as S. Mutans), or the stomach (such as H. Pylori) are not only resident in the digestive system but are also known to travel to other organs such as the heart, where they cause further disruptive damage- all triggered at least initially, by inflammation.

The bacteria H. Pylori by themselves are believed to be the most significant cause (up to 80%) behind the development of both gastric and duodenal ulcers. Unfortunately, the immune system by itself has great difficulty in removing these bacteria and hence if further action is not taken the infections caused by these alien invaders can last a lifetime.

In addition, as these bacteria trigger inflammatory processes- the gut reacts by triggering the manufacture and release of more mucus to help protect the intestinal lining. Whilst this aids in helping to reduce the damage it creates a vicious circle, since absorption of nutrients from the diet is now more difficult due to the thicker lining. Hence the already poor environment of western lifestyles and foodstuffs, (i.e. processed, overcooked and inorganic foods as well as poor soil/ growth conditions leads to a decline in the availability of vitamins, minerals, enzymes, fiber and antioxidants etc), are then inhibited even further. In short, the gut’s defences whilst helping to reduce the damage caused by invading allergens and bacteria, also inhibit the aid available from dietary nutrition.

The way to overcome this problem is to reduce the allergens/ bacteria in the digestive system and inhibit the inflammatory processes.

Special nutrition to the rescue

There are some specific nutrients that are extremely good in aiding the gut environment to help protect it and enhance its actions. For example, mastic, (an extract of the sap from the tree Pistacia lentiscus), has been shown to eliminate H. Pylori by as much as 99%. Even Hippocrates was aware of this, as he gave the sap from the tree to his patients more than 2400 years ago! This makes mastic, not only a highly treatment for removing H. Pylori but also an important agent in overall digestive health. Reducing H. Pylori in the gut significantly reduces the opportunity for an allergic reaction to trigger the process of inflammation.

Another important agent is quercetin, a bioflavonoid found in grape skins. It has a potent inhibitory action on histamine. This is important because histamine is released in reaction to allergens found in the gut and it is the trigger for inflammation. Hence the presence of quercetin in the gut reduces the opportunity for histamine to cause inflammation. Dr. Middleton published a report that stated that quercetin was so good at reducing histamine that it was more effective than Chromoly™ -an anti-allergy prescription drug, (Pearce et al, Mucosal mast cells III. Effect of quercetin and other flavonoids on antigen induced histamine secretion. J. Allergy Clin. Immunol; 1984; 73, 819-23). Furthermore, Dr. Middleton stated in his published paper, (Middleton et al, Quercetin; an inhibitor of antigen-induced human basophil histamine release. J. Immunol; 1981; 127, 546-550) that “quercetin... results in an abrupt cessation of further histamine release.” Therefore the addition of quercetin helps to prevent the release of histamine that causes inflammatory reactions.

Another useful agent is bromelain, an enzyme found in pineapple that stimulates the release of anti-inflammatory agents called prostaglandins. There is evidence that bromelain and quercetin are synergistic, in other words they work well together producing a greater whole than the sum of their individual parts.

Additional natural agents that also help to prevent and reduce existing inflammation include vitamin C, liquorice and NDGA (Nordihydroguaiaretic acid), a potent antioxidant obtained from the desert-growing creosote bush.

Worldwide recognition

It was Dr. Richard Lippman, a worldwide expert in free radicals (and nominated for the Nobel Prize in medicine) who recognised the synergy and importance of the nutrition outlined above. As such, Dr. Lippman has not only formulated Digestif as a daily antidote to digestive and stomach conditions- the inflammatory problems of which go beyond IBS (as already discussed), but that the uniqueness of the formula has been granted a US patent (4,695,590) and has worldwide patents pending (300-28475). As such this special combination cannot be found elsewhere.

Summary

If you are suffering from irritable bowel syndrome, stomach ulcers, bloating, GI pain or general digestive problems, including regular occurrences or diarrhea or constipation, or even difficulty in digesting food or its slow passage, then Digestif taken regularly can help to overcome these issues. They may by themselves seem inconvenient or a nuisance, but when looked at in a wider sense they are potentially quite serious to one’s overall health.