Indigestion: the beginning of diseases

Indigestion: the beginning of diseases

 A few days ago, my medical friend Doctor and I were having a conversation about how he was interacting with his patient. A patient walked in and said he was having a lot of trouble; the doctor arrived to find out what the patient’s concerns were. The doctor asked some questions as to how many hours a day he worked. He responded daily for six to eight hours and Sunday is off. The second thing the doctor asks is how long you spend eating each day. When do you typically eat? What food do you consume? What is your eating routine? What time do you eat? Since this is every person’s unique story, the response did not surprise me as a teacher. He began his response, by saying, “I eat anything edible, anytime, anywhere, anyhow, 24 hours a day. I eat in a standing position at a marriage buffet and in a sitting position on an office chair.” I also never considered chewing food 32 times.

 In addition, I consume milk, tea, coffee, soft drinks, and hard beverages. Occasionally, I also chew tobacco, gutka, and khaini. I consume both vegetarian and non-vegetarian cuisine. I frequently consume packaged and processed food because I enjoy the way it tastes. I avoided eating fruits, liquids, and green veggies in general. My habit involves eating packaged and processed meals because I have a busy schedule and limited free time. In the same way, I take medication regularly due to health difficulties. This is the first example of a doctor-patient dialog that I have witnessed. Then, turning to face me, my medical friend explained that this is the issue behind every health problem after taking a deep breath.

The stomach is not a Dumping station

People realize that the stomach is a location where we may dump anything, anytime, anywhere, and this overloads the stomach’s ability to function as well as other body organs such as the liver, kidney, pancreas, brain, etc. It also affects the stimulation and secretion of enzymes. Microbial flora, which is found in the GUT, is crucial to the process of food digestion. Regretfully, we are turning off our biological clock, which keeps our bodies functioning more youthfully. That’s why in our ancient culture it’s rightly said that diseases are born in the stomach, eating whenever you are hungry, chewing food at least 32 times, sipping water slowly, and eating food in a sitting position. Avoid consumption of food after sunset. We are altering our lifestyles as a result of modernity, or in the name of fashion, which causes acute to serious consequences ranging from cancer to digestive issues.

What is Indigestion?

Indigestion is the term used to describe any irregular or improper food digestion. It covers a wide range of gastrointestinal issues, from upset stomachs to gas (belching or flatulence). Fullness, early satiety, nausea, vomiting, belching, bloating, ulcer, diarrhea, dyspepsia, and a few other related transient discomforts or chronic problems are common indications and symptoms of indigestion. Many options exist for treatment, including altering one’s diet, drink habits, way of life, or use of synthetic medications.

Symptoms:  Dyspepsia, Nausea and vomiting, Diarrhoea, Bloating (flatulence), Constipation

Statistics: According to a survey conducted in 2021, about 32 percent of adults aged 30 to 44 years old reported having acidity and indigestion problems. Acidity and indigestion were seen to be higher among older adults and seniors.

About 32 percent of the obese respondents suffered from acidity and indigestion problems. At the same time, only 18.7 percent of underweight people had gut-related problems that year.

Reasons for Indigestion:  The possible causes are

• Overeating,
• Improper fasting,
• Eating foods high in potential for decomposition, such as watermelon, seafood, and fresh milk,
• Excessive use of Fast food
• Ingesting a variety of foods in one meal,
• Frequent meals,
• Intensive physical activity after food,
• Sexual activities after food,
• Mental and emotional pressure after meals,
• Bathing after meals,
• Having water right after eating and consuming more or less than necessary,
• Exposure to extreme temperatures or pollution during the eating process
• Smoking.
• Certain antibiotics, pain relievers, and iron supplements.
• Peptic ulcers, gastroesophageal reflux disease, gastric or esophageal malignancies, pancreatic or biliary issues, and dietary or drug intolerances are now recognized as organic causes of dyspepsia in modern medicine.
• Food containing fatty ingredients,
• Spicy foods,
• The items that cause the greatest exaggeration of signs and symptoms in functional dyspepsia are pickles, vinegar, soft drinks, grain, tea, salt, pizza, watermelon, red pepper, and macaroni.
• It was debatable if milk and dairy products cause dyspepsia, but they have been linked to irritable bowel syndrome.
• A higher incidence of snacking among meals has been reported in sufferers with dyspepsia.
• Anxiety and stress can affect the gut function and cause the gastrointestinal system to malfunction by upsetting the gut’s homeostasis.
• Having difficulty falling asleep or not getting enough sleep has been identified as a risk factor for dyspepsia.
• Air pollution can alter the immune system and gut microbiota. It can also be a possible IBS trigger.
• Additionally, it is thought that psychiatric co-morbidities like anxiety and depression are frequently associated with functional dyspepsia.

Sometimes indigestion is caused by other conditions, including:

• Peptic ulcers
• Celiac disease
• Gallstones
• Constipation
• Pancreas inflammation, called pancreatitis
• Stomach cancer
• Intestinal blockage
• Reduced blood flow in the intestine, called intestinal ischemia
• Diabetes
• Thyroid disease
• Pregnancy

Primary treatment: Pranayama & Yoga

·       Anulome Vilom, Bhastrika

• Bhramari Pranayama (Humming Bee Breath)
• Kapalbhati Pranayama (Skull-Shining Breath)
• Halasana

·       Ushtrasana

·       Vajrasana

·       Pawanamuktasana

 Secondary Treatment: Natural Remedies

• Cinnamon
• Chamomile, anise, mints and liquorice
• Guava leaf tea & fruit
• Bael
• Ajwain
• Baking Soda
• Peppermint or Chamomile
• Licorice Root
• Fennel
• Ginger
• Apple Cider Vinegar
• Aloe Vera
• Alkaline food, vegetables and fruits

Tertiary Treatment: Synthetic treatments

A host of pharmaceutical drugs viz., Over-the-Counter Antacids, H2 blockers, and PPIs are used to treat indigestion-related disorders.

 Impact of Long-term use of Antacids & Proton pump inhibitors

• Comparing proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) to other acid-suppressing medications such as histamine-2 (H2) receptor blockers and antacids, prolonged usage of PPIs might result in increased stomach pH, hypochlorhydria, and in rare circumstances, achlorhydria.
• Severe shortages in iron, calcium, magnesium, and vitamins B12 and C, which depend on stomach acid for proper absorption and bioavailability.
• There is a chance that the pregnant patients will have congenital abnormalities.
• Urinary tract, respiratory, and enteric diseases.
• Chronic PPI use-induced hypochlorhydria may lead to hypergastrinemia, which in turn facilitates the development of gastric carcinoids, gastric polyps, and gastric cancer.
• When PPIs and anti-platelet medications like clopidogrel are used together, patients may experience serious adverse cardiac events.

Nitrosamine impurities

Since 2018, high levels of nitrosamine impurities (probable human carcinogens after long-term, chronic exposure) have been found in commonly prescribed blood pressure medicines, antacids, diabetes drugs, anti-tuberculosis, and smoking cessation medicines. These impurities pose a risk to patients and have resulted in drug recalls that left millions without the treatments they depend on.

To sum up this blog with the quote of Sadguru “more people in the world are suffering from indigestion than of hunger. Unfortunately, that’s the reality”. The lifestyle patterns of the population are the main cause of dyspepsia. The disease will worsen if it is not treated. I would like to provide two suggestions. 1) Make rapid changes to one’s lifestyle If they are having problems, address them step-by-step with methods such as pranayama and yogasana in the beginning, natural remedies in the middle, and synthetic medication at the end, if required.

Dr Surendra G Gattani

Professor,

School of Pharmacy,

S.R.T.M.University, Nanded.