Most people have experienced stomach ache at some point in their lives. People who are affected with digestive disorders suffer from reduction in the digestion potential, which leads to insufficient conversion of nutrients to usable forms. There is a wide range of stomach disorders that people suffer from, ranging from the functional disorders to irritable bowel syndromes to constipation and several others.

Functional disorders of the stomach
Functional disorders of the stomach occur when the bowel movement appears normal, yet they do not function in the proper way. It is one of the most common gastro-intestinal problems and affects the rectum and colon, including constipation. It is mainly caused due to various reasons like regular consumption of a diet containing low fibre content, not getting enough exercise, and consuming a large amount of dairy products. You are likely to suffer from functional disorders of the stomach when you are stressed or resisting the urge of a bowel movement. Some people have the tendency of consuming laxatives without following any kind of regulation, and it leads to weakening of the stomach muscles in the course of time, and gastro-intestinal issues.

Common problem of constipation
Constipation is basically the restricted bowel movement and is caused due to an insufficient amount of roughage or fibre in the diet. It causes an individual to strain while passing stools and leads to hard and small stools, and eventually causes chronic problems like fissures and haemorrhoids. You can avoid these issues by including more roughage in your diet and by exercising daily. Although laxatives can alleviate the condition, it is crucial to understand that it is not a permanent solution, and you must consult your doctor for a sustainable solution.

Getting rid of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
Also referred to as spastic colon, IBS is a clinical condition where the colon muscles can contract almost instantly. There are numerous factors that can lead to this problem, such as certain medicines and foods as well as emotional stress. The most commonly seen symptoms are abdominal cramps and pains, excessive gas formation and bloating, and alterations in bowel habits. If you are suffering from IBS, then it is important to stay away from caffeine at all cost. Also monitor the foods that trigger IBS and stay away from them.

If these remedies are not able to offer a solution to your suffering, then it is crucial to speak with your doctor and seek treatment to get rid of your stomach problems.

3 Common Types of Gastro-Intestinal Disorders

Foods That Make Your Stomach Bloat

Do you feel your stomach bloat after meals? If you notice, this doesn't happen after every meal? Only at times. And at other times when you eat specific foods. Well, there are foods cause your stomach to bloat, so the wise thing to do is to know about them and avoid them!

Here are a few of the biggest criminals:

1. Cold drinks: Yes, these carbonated drinks have numerous side effects on your health. One of them is that they bloat your tummy. Beer happens to fall in this category too.

2. Dairy Products: For the lactose intolerant, dairy products are almost like poison. The intolerance can be mild, moderate of severe, but one of the symptoms is gas. You can try to limit your consumption of dairy products.

3. Apples: Apples and pears are known to contain a high percentage of fiber. While they are important for us and should be eaten, if is good to know that they can affect sensitive tummies. Eat bit by bit, and if it helps, peel the skin and then eat.

4. Few Vegies: While they are excellent health foods, asparagus, cabbage and broccoli are the vegetables which cause gas in the stomach, which in turn leads to bloating of the tummy.

5. Sodium: Sodium is also another reason for bloated tummies, so it is advised to limit salt intake.

6. Fast Foods: Fast foods like sausages, fried foods, ice cream, sweetened products , etc are known to cause the belly to bloat.

7. Rice Preparations: Rice is known to swell up inside the stomach once it gets water, hence making the stomach feel bloated.

8. Hard Drinks: Alcohol is also said to add weight near the stomach and make it feel bloated.

The 8 Foods That Bloat Your Belly!

A bloated abdomen is very upsetting, both for cosmetic reasons and also because it makes one feel lousy and lethargic. Also, it can bring your energy levels down in a big way. However, the good news is that bloated belly can be managed by making some basic changes in the way you eat and/or drink.

Knowing what causes bloated belly is the first step towards managing it.

Using a straw: Whether you are drinking a smoothie or shakes, coffee or tea, drink it directly from the glass. When sipping through a straw, a lot of air is consumed along with it, and that leaves you with a bloated feeling. If it is coke or aerated drink that is being consumed, it makes it even worse.
Packaged foods: While packaged foods help you by saving cooking time and provide a quick fix for the hunger pangs, they also come packed with loads of sodium. This leaves you with a bloated feeling, and if you are someone who uses packaged foods at each meal, it is almost there to stay. Switch to fresh foods and see how your bloating disappears.
Low-calorie foods: As we all are busy watching calories, we have started using aspartame. Be it artificial sweeteners for the coffee or diet cokes, these contain substances which take much longer to digest and so they stay in your tummy for a longer period of time. They are not recognized as foods by the stomach and so it takes time to digest. Switching to a no-sugar diet (minus the aspartame) or using palm jaggery can instantly provide relief.
Legume/Bean family: While legumes are known as the best protein source, especially for vegetarians, they are also loaded with gas. Whether it is the regular beans, green peas, double beans, or kidney beans, they all have a great tendency to bloat you up. The carbohydrate in these are not easy to digest, giving the gassy bloated feeling. Taking an anti-gas agent when there are too many beans on your plate is very much recommended.
Excessive use of gums or candy: For those who are used to chewing on gums or candies, there is a lot of air that is swallowed during this process. An alternative is to keep taking small sips of water, which will not leave you feeling bloated. The water also helps reduce bloating by keeping a constant movement of the intestine.
Eating too fast: As we are all pressed for time, there is no time to sit down and eat. However, eating too fast leads to bloating in two ways. Firstly, by taking in a large amount of air along with the food. Secondly, by not chewing the food properly, bigger pieces of food reach the stomach and leave you feeling bloated. If you wish to discuss any specific problem, you can consult a General Physician.

Bloated Belly - 6 Possible Things That Can Cause It!

One of the most common health problems people have is indigestion. As per ayurveda, the accumulation of Ama or toxins leads to an imbalance in the way the small and large intestines functions along with various other participating organs like the liver and more. And this is the rootcause for indigestion.

The digestive tract or system is one of the most important organs of the body. Ayurveda relies on the rhythms and functions of the body to find the rootcause of ailments. Indigestion usually occurs because of bad daily habits & less physical activity.

There are many ways to treat to indigestion in an ayurvedic way. Let us look at the top tips for the same:

Timely intake of meals: For better digestion, one must take meals at the same time everyday. Also, do not sit down for the next meal before the previous meal has been digested properly.
Sleep: Sleep is a major factor that cure stress and creates a balance of sorts in one's routine, thus aiding proper digestion.
Exercise: Some form of movement and exercise is imperative to keep the digestive system in prime working condition. Walk and yoga especially are ideal to boost one's digestive health.
Aloe vera: An ounce of aloe vera a day will keep indigestion away. Break off, a leaf and scoop some gel into a smoothie for smooth digestion.
Turmeric: Haldi or turmeric helps in reducing bloating and is one of the most commonly used spices found in ayurveda. This spice is a staple in indian cooking as well, where pretty much all dishes are seasoned with cooked turmeric.
Meditation: This is one of the best ways to give digestion a positive push with a good dose of mindfulness and awareness for better balance in the body.
Avoiding unhealthy food: One must avoid unhealthy food that are excessively fried, fatty, sweet or cold so as to aid the digestive fires in doing their job effectively.
Triphala: This combination of three fruits ensures that your digestive system remains in good working condition.

Digestion Problem? Know The Simple Ayurvedic Remedies to Cure It!!  

Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) is a form of digestive disorder, which affects the lower oesophageal sphincters or the muscle ring present between the stomach and the food pipe. GERD incorporates the return of the contents of the stomach back to the oesophagus or food pipe. The functioning of the lower oesophageal sphincter is disrupted.

Causes

Hiatal hernia is a common cause of GERD. An unhealthy lifestyle and diet may also lead to GERD. Intake of an excess amount of chocolates, fried food, coffee or alcohol triggers the chance of a reflux. GERD also occurs in obese people and pregnant women.

Symptoms

Heartburn, also known as acid indigestion, is the primary symptom of GERD. The affected person may feel a burning chest pain which starts from behind the breastbone and reaches up to the throat. The feeling can be defined as food coming back to the throat with a bitter, acidic taste. The burning sensation may last as long as two hours.

Other symptoms include:

    Excess saliva secretion
    Chronic conditions of sore throat
    Laryngitis
    Gum inflammation
    Tooth cavities
    Unpleasant breath

In order to diagnose GERD, several tests may be conducted . They are:

    An X-Ray of the upper part of the digestive system.
    Endoscopy to examine the inner part of the oesophagus.
    Ambulatory acid test for monitoring the amount of acid within the oesophagus.
    An oesophageal impedance test to measure substance movement inside the oesophagus.

Treatment

    A person must make several changes to his daily lifestyle and diet plan for treatment of GERD.
    Food and beverages like chocolates, fatty food, coffee, alcohol and peppermint should be avoided in order to reduce the weakening of the lower oesophageal sphincter. Several food items irritate the damaged oesophageal lining and should also be avoided. They include citrus fruits, tomato and pepper.
    Smoking cigarettes results in weakening of the lower oesophageal sphincter and should be stopped to reduce GERD.
    One should elevate the head of the bed on which he or she sleeps on blocks measuring 6 inches. This reduces the heartburn as gravity minimizes stomach reflux to return to the oesophagus.
    Over the counter medicines can be used to cure GERD. Antacids are a good example and neutralize the acid in the oesophagus and stomach, reducing heartburn. Combining antacids with foaming agents is also effective. A foam barrier is formed over the stomach, preventing the occurrence of acid reflux.
    Medicines for reducing acid in the stomach are prescribed in cases of chronic GERD, which include H2 blockers by the likes of cimetidine, famotidine or nizatidine.

GERD is a digestive disorder, which causes disruption in digestion, as reflux from the stomach is returned to the oesophagus. Proper treatment measures should be taken.


Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD)

The uneasy feeling in our abdomen, feeling inflated or growing in size is a common problem faced by people anywhere in the world. Medical professionals refer to this as  bloating,' i.e., a feeling of a full, tight, abdomen. The abdominal system includes organs such as the stomach, liver, pancreas, gallbladder, intestines, etc. It is when the gastrointestinal tract is filled with gas, pain due to bloating arises. Such bloating brings pain in different parts of the body (which would be continuously shifting) along with a feeling of a swollen tummy (though not physically swollen actually). 

This article shares the common causes of bloating and tries to help its readers find a solution.

Overeating: Many of us can recall exactly how many times we have ignored the level of consumption in a particular meal and then felt an irritable stomach pain. Overeating refers to the consumption of food more than the amount of energy an organism can produce in one process. Along with weight gain and obesity, bloating might also result from overeating. The fact is, overeating is completely voluntary, and hence, a person can choose to avoid over-consumption of food and thereby, the pain from bloating.
Lactose intolerance: The terminology might not be familiar, yet over 65% of the global population is lactose intolerant. It varies with age and gender, and anyone has either of the four different types of lactose intolerance   primary, secondary, developmental, and congenital. Though lactose intolerance does not cause damage to the gastrointestinal system, inability to digest thesugar in milk (lactose) can cause abdominal pain, bloating, diarrhea, etc.
Irritable bowel syndrome: People with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) are yet to know what caused it in the first place. Though the exact causes of IBS are yet to be known, many doctors blame the miscommunication between the brain and the intestinal tract of a person which causes abnormal expansion and contraction of the intestinal walls. This results in irritable pain and abnormal bowel movement. 
Two cases might arise due to IBS

The abnormal movement of the intestinal walls might speed up the excretion process and hence, the passage of stool   diarrhea.
The spasms might slow down the excretion process resulting in constipation.
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) can occur over the years, and the absolute cure is yet to be found. Additional symptoms of IBS are   bloating and excess gas, pain in the lower belly, mucus in stools, etc.

Solutions to bloating
Bloating can be easily taken care of if the person is ready to implement certain dietary changes. For example, avoiding gassy foods such as cabbage, broccoli, lettuce, reduces the formation of gas in the stomach. Limiting the amount of fatty foods and foods with high fiber content, quitting milk products (if lactose intolerant), can help a lot. A diet plan, getting active and regularly exercising can help to eliminate the problem of gas and bloating.

Conclusion
Even though bloating can be uncomfortable and painful at times, it is not a cause for concern. Bloating can be remedied quite easily with a proper diet chart and routine exercise.

Bloating - Why It Happens?

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