Stomach soothers: your gut is so busy it requires its own nervous system. Here's how to keep things calm, cool and trouble-free - Good Medicine

Natural Health, March, 2004 by Ben Kallen

Does your stomach have a mind of its own? With all of those nervous butterflies, stress knots, postprandial flare-ups and other gut-based feelings, it certainly seems like it.

In fact, your digestive system does contain a second brain of sorts, known as the enteric nervous system, which produces every class of neurotransmitter found in the brain in your head. It's a hotbed of activity, too: The number of messages sent by the enteric nervous system to the brain out-numbers the communications traveling in the reverse direction by nearly ninefold.

"The brain in your head doesn't tell the brain in your gut specifics of what to do, but it does tell it to do more or do less" says Michael D. Gershon, M.D., chairman of the department of anatomy and cell biology at Columbia University and author of The Second Brain: A Groundbreaking New Understanding of Nervous Disorders of the Stomach and Small Intestine. "And if, as a result of those signals, the gut acquires excess motility, that leads to pain, cramps, disturbance or diarrhea."

In light of this, researchers are taking a new look at stomach upset. For example, the enteric nervous system reacts promptly to changes in the availability of serotonin; indeed, most of your body's serotonin is produced by the digestive system. That's why mood-altering drugs that change serotonin levels are likely to affect the digestive system at low doses. Also, conditions such as ulcers, once thought to be provoked by anxiety, are now known to have a physiological origin.

If you experience symptoms of stomach distress every day or every week, see your doctor. Meanwhile, mild or intermittent conditions may be relieved--or even prevented--by the natural remedies and healthy habits that improve elements of digestive function.

gas and bloating

Flatulence is more than just embarrassing--that buildup of air in your abdomen can become uncomfortable or even painful. Gas is caused by the fermentation of carbohydrates broken down by bacteria, a perfectly normal part of digestion.

Unfortunately, the fiber-rich vegetables that are a necessary part of your healthful diet can also increase gas production, says Anil Minocha, M.D., professor of medicine at the University of Mississippi School of Medicine and author of Natural Stomach Care.

While you can't stop it entirely, you can decrease the chances that your own natural-gas factory will cause excess bloating or empty the room around you. For occasional symptoms--or before a big night out--try an over-the-counter product containing simethicone, such as Gas-X or Phazyme; this is a chemical that breaks up bubbles and is often added to antacids.

Activated charcoal tablets may absorb some of your gas, but check with your doctor because charcoal sometimes interferes with the effectiveness of certain medications, warns Gary Gitnick, M.D., chief of the division of digestive diseases at UCLA Medical School and the author of Freedom From Digestive Stress.

For natural prevention of excess gas, your best strategy is to reduce the fermentation process. For that, take the following steps:

* Beans are a leading cause of gas buildup. Minocha recommends soaking beans overnight and draining the water before you cook them; this helps to get rid of hard-to-digest carbohydrates. Or take a remedy such as Beano, which contains alpha-galactosidase, the enzyme that helps you digest them without sound effects.

* Dairy can also be a problem. As many as 50 million Americans are lactose-intolerant or lactose-sensitive, according to the National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse; Native Americans, African Americans and Asian Americans are at the highest risk. If you suspect that you have trouble digesting dairy products, remove them from your diet for a week to see if your symptoms improve. If they do, see your doctor, who may recommend that you take lactase, the enzyme that makes lactose digestible. In mild cases, you may be able to eat some cheese, ice cream or yogurt; otherwise, stick to calcium-fortified soy milk and other lactose-free products.

* Watch those "low-carb" foods. Many of today's sugar-free or carbohydrate-reduced products are sweetened with sugar alcohols that aren't well absorbed by the body; that's one of the reasons they don't raise your insulin levels the way sugar does. But when the undigested carbohydrates reach your colon, they can react with your natural bacteria, resulting in bloating, cramping or gas.

* Plant a red flag by certain foods. Brussels sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower, onions, radishes and fruit can all produce excess gas. However, they're also among the most nutritious items you can eat, so don't cut them out entirely--just eat smaller portions at any one meal, and eat them slowly. And remember that thoroughly cooked veggies can be easier to digest than raw ones, Gitnick says.

* To ease gas pressure, gently massage your abdomen. Or use your fingertips on the acupressure point three finger-widths below your navel. (If you may be pregnant, don't do either of these without consulting a doctor.)