What many people call a stomachache or indigestion can actually occur anywhere in the digestive (gastrointestinal, or GI) system. But what is the digestive system? It starts with your mouth, where food enters, and then proceeds down the esophagus, into the stomach, and from there into the small intestine, then the large intestine (colon). Digestion occurs all along this pathway, and then the leftovers exit. Pain and discomfort can happen anywhere along the GI system, usually related to digestion and foods eaten. However, digestive problems can lead to symptoms anywhere in the body, and, conversely, pain along the digestive tract can be due to causes other than food and digestion.
Here are some of the food- and digestion-related causes of GI pain and discomfort, starting from the upper parts of the digestive system and working south.
Heartburn
Despite its name, heartburn, also called acid reflux, has nothing to do with the heart. It refers to the burning sensation in that area of the chest that comes from stomach acid splashing up into the esophagus. In its more severe and chronic form, it is often called gastrointestinal esophageal reflux disease, or GERD. Heartburn is often caused by having too little stomach acid, not too much; antacids can help in the short term but can worsen heartburn in the long run.
Most causes of heartburn are dietary, especially if these foods are eaten close to bedtime:
- Sweet foods, which can ferment
- Acidic foods such as tomatoes and oranges
- Spicy foods
- Alcohol, caffeine
- Milk
Don’t eat or drink anything other than water after 7 PM, which will allow the stomach to empty before bedtime.
Nausea and vomiting
Nausea and vomiting can be reactions to foods to which your body is sensitive; your body perceives a poison and wants to get rid of it. Other food-related causes of nausea include gluten sensitivity, food poisoning, the artificial sweetener aspartame, alcohol, and caffeine. Nausea when fat is eaten can be due to gallbladder problems.
Gastritis
Gastritis is stomach inflammation, and is usually caused by habitual drinking of alcohol. However, even if you don’t drink alcohol, this might still be a cause, since sweet foods and simple carbs such as from bread and pasta can ferment into alcohol in the body.
Ulcers
Ulcers can be located anywhere along the digestive tract. Although their main cause is the bacteria h. pylori, food can be involved.
Ulcers can occur when too much acid (from fermentation of carbs), too little protective alkaline mucus, and/or low omega 6 oils causes the acid to eat a hole in or thin out the stomach lining. The stomach is literally digesting itself in that spot.
Milk and antacids can feel soothing in the short run but can aggravate the problem in the long run.
Gluten intolerance
Many people are sensitive to gluten, a protein found in some grains. In its more severe form, gluten intolerance is called celiac disease, in which the intestine becomes damaged and its ability to absorb nutrients is impaired.
GI symptoms of celiac disease, often misdiagnosed as irritable bowel syndrome, include bloating, gas, nausea, diarrhea, and weight loss.
Gluten-containing grains such as wheat, rye, barley, oats, spelt, and kamut need to be strictly avoided if you are gluten intolerant. Non-gluten and low-gluten grains that you can eat are quinoa, buckwheat (not related to wheat despite the name), amaranth, millet, brown rice, and wild rice.
Lactose intolerance
People who are lactose intolerant can’t drink milk or eat milk products without digestive distress such as pain or diarrhea. It is caused by a deficiency of the enzyme lactase, which digests lactose (milk sugar). Probiotics such as lactobacillus can help, although the best solution is usually to avoid dairy products.
IBS
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), also called colitis or Crohn’s disease, can cause severe abdominal pain along with diarrhea and/or constipation. Dietary factors are the most common cause. Food sensitivities can be a problem; testing and/or elimination such as the Detox Diet followed by gradual food reintroduction can help narrow down which foods are causing your problem. Gluten and/or lactose intolerance, and sugar and artificial sweeteners, are often the culprits in IBS. Caffeine and alcohol can worsen it, as can the common allergens corn, soy, and peanuts.
Pancreatitis
The pancreas helps in digestion and sugar regulation. Pancreatitis, or inflammation of the pancreas, can cause severe upper abdominal pain. It is usually caused by alcohol, but as is the case with gastritis, you can be making alcohol in your body by consuming sugar and refined carbs. Sugar in addition can stress the pancreas.
Gallbladder problems
The gallbladder helps to digest fats. With gallbladder problems, there is often pain on the right side of the body along with nausea, especially when fat is eaten. The usual medical treatment is gallbladder removal, but this is often both unnecessary and harmful. The liver and gallbladder flush described in the book Detox or Disease will often take care of the problem.
Gas and bloating
The causes of gas and bloating, which can be accompanied by diarrhea, are usually dietary. The most common offenders are:
- Beans
- Onions
- Broccoli and cabbage
- Dairy products, gluten, and any other food to which you are intolerant
- High fructose corn syrup
- Carbonated beverages
It takes about 2-8 hours for the offending food to reach the colon and cause symptoms. It would help to keep this timing in mind and keep a food diary to try to pin down the causes in your case.
Constipation
Constipation, which can cause lower intestinal pain and/or hemorrhoids, is usually caused by dairy products or wheat or by insufficient water, oils, or fiber.
Fermentation in the small intestine, which often occurs when sweet foods are eaten, draws water from the bowel, leading to hard stools and constipation. Sweet foods also tend to have little or no fiber, worsening the situation.
To help figure things out
A consultation with CAM practitioners can help you to figure out what is going on. The detox diet in Detox or Disease eliminates most of the foods that can cause these digestive system problems. If your digestive-system pain or other symptoms are reduced or eliminated on that diet, add foods back gradually to see which ones are the problem. Enzymes and probiotics can help with digestion.
