Unless digestion and absorption are efficient, the most carefully planned diet fails to accomplish its purpose, and recovery from any illness is inhibited. Although some foods digest more completely than others, none are "hard to digest." When the diet has been inadequate, however, both digestion and absorption become faulty. Inability to gain weight is frequently caused by nothing more than faulty digestion.
Bad Breath
Diseased gums or tonsils can cause halitosis, but more often putrefactive bacteria, living on undigested food, form foul-smelling gases which are thrown off in exhaled air. Any deficiency that impairs digestion is a contributing factor. Volunteers lacking vitamin B6 developed foul breath, which disappeared after the vitamin was given them. When there is an odor to the stools, halitosis invariably occurs simultaneously. The condition is rectified by improving the digestion and destroying the putrefactive bacteria by taking yogurt or acidophilus milk or culture.
Sore Mouth and Tongue
Normal tongues are an even red color, smooth but not shiny, and without cracks, fissures or indentations. A prolonged lack of the B vitamins, however, causes the taste buds to clump together, forming grooves and ridges spoken of as a geographic tongue. A purplish or magenta tongue usually indicates a vitamin-B2 deficiency; a smooth shiny one, an under supply of vitamin B12 or folic acid; a brilliantly red tongue occurs when niacin amide is lacking; and one that is enlarged and beefy results if a pantothenic-acid deficiency predominates. A coated tongue is caused by bacteria growing on it and reflects a corresponding growth of putrefactive organisms in the intestine.
Burning sensations in the mouth may be the first symptom of a vitamin-B6 deficiency. Persons severely lacking in folic acid develop ulcerated lips, sore mouths and throats, and an inflamed esophagus (esophagitis). Too little niacin amide causes the gums to be sore and the mouth, tongue, throat, and esophagus to be inflamed. Inadequate vitamin C allows the gums to become puffy, tender, and to bleed easily. An under supply of either vitamin C or niacin amide causes the oral membranes to be susceptible to canker sores.
These deficiencies make it difficult to wear dentures, and "nervousness" resulting from an inadequate calcium and/or magnesium intake can make the wearing of dentures sheer torture. Such discomfort can quickly lead to more serious malnutrition; and the diet should be improved rather than the dentist blamed.
Nausea and Vomiting
Food poisoning, an infected appendix, the onset of many diseases, and even low blood sugar are marked by vomiting. If persistent or particularly violent, a physician should be immediately consulted. Both nausea and vomiting have been produced in persons deficient in magnesium or vitamin B6; and the latter deficiency is accompanied by butterflies and burning pain in the stomach, bloating, abdominal soreness and cramps, and the passing of excessive amounts of gas both orally and rectally. Conversely, vitamin B6 has been used successfully to stop the vomiting of pregnancy and of car, sea, air, and radiation sickness.
Mothers are usually too unconcerned when babies vomit, yet much throwing up can be prevented merely by adding a little magnesium oxide-1/4 teaspoon daily-and 2 or 3 teaspoons of yeast to the formula or drinking water and/or by giving wheat germ as a cereal. Even pyloric stenosis, a violent form of vomiting not uncommon in infants, can sometimes be stopped in a few hours.
Need for Stomach Acid
Deficiency of hydrochloric acid in the stomach prevents minerals from reaching the blood to the extent that anemia can develop and bones crumble, impairs protein digestion, vitamin-C absorption and allows the B vitamins to be destroyed.
Unless hydrochloric acid is taken through a straw and the mouth rinsed immediately, it can harm the tooth enamel; therefore most physicians recommend tablets of glutamic acid hydrochloride. An insufficiency of hydrochloric acid can result from a low intake of protein, vitamins A, B1, B2, B6, pantothenic acid, niacin amide, cholin, and other B vitamins; and this lack is usually accompanied by a decrease in digestive enzymes and stomach movements necessary to mix food with the enzymes. When the digestion is below par, especially during illness, hydrochloric-acid tablets or liquid and digestive enzymes are necessary as temporary crutches. Recovery cannot be expected unless digestion and absorption are efficient. If the diet is kept adequate, normal quantities of hydrochloric acid can usually be produced within three or four weeks and the crutches discontinued.
Importance of Bile
Another factor vital to digestion is normal bile flow. This subject, discussed in detail elsewhere should be studied carefully by anyone suffering from digestive disturbances and/or faulty absorption.
Author Resource:-
David Crawford is the CEO and owner of a Natural Male Enhancement company known as Male Enhancement Group which is dedicated to researching and comparing male enhancement products in order to determine which male enhancement product is safer and more effective than other products on the market. Copyright 2010 David Crawford of http://www.maleenhancementgroup.com This article may be freely distributed if this resource box stays attached.
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