November 7, 2011
Dr. Z

Ask Dr. Z

"The doctor of the future will give No Medicine, but will interest his patients in the care of the Human Frame, in Diet, and in the Cause and Prevention of Disease."
Thomas A. Edison

Today's Topic:

Good Digestion - Vital for YOUR Good Health

HCL Deficiency - Cause of many Health Problems

What You Can/Must Do TODAY

 


Content:




Quotes for your life:

We have not lost faith, but we have transferred it away from God to the medical profession
George Bernard Shaw

My doctor is wonderful. Once, in 1955, when I could not afford an operation, he touched up the X-rays
Joey Bishop

It is easier to fight for one's principles than to live up to them.
Alfred Adler

The best thing about the future is that it comes only one day at a time.
Abraham Lincoln

It often happens that I wake at night and begin to think about a serious problem and decide I must tell the Pope about it. Then I wake up completely and remember that I am the Pope.
Pope John XXIII

 


I get letters

These are the comments from a patient this past Friday:

For several years of suffering from dizziness, digestive problems, heartburn, chronic headaches, neck pain. For chronic recurring sinus infections I have been taking antibiotics, at least once a year. I been on Prilosec and Tagamet to combat my constant heartburn. Unfortunately, it always comes back.

I heard about Dr. Z through the local newspaper. After examining me, Dr. Z placed me on a candida/hypoglycemia diet. I am taking all kinds of vitamins and other supplements for my digestion. He has me do spinning exercises at home, which are supposed to improve my brain function.

After 3 weeks all my digestive symptoms are gone. I have not used antacids since the start of this program. My sinuses have cleared up. My dizziness is much improved. During two weeks I had no dizziness at all. I have more energy, and I feel more positive about my life.
Charlene P, Grass Valley, Ca


For more than 20 years I have suffered from food allergies, digestive problems and relentless diarrhea. Over the course of the past years I could eat less and less foods. I became depressed, had no life energy, felt tired and listless all the time, suffered recurring headaches. I craved food, especially sugar and other carbohydrates. My life seemed to be slipping away. I lost 35 pounds.In my despair I went on a six month "candida diet". Of course I was not very strict. Nothing changed, things actually became worse.

Upon the recommendation of my h.airdresser I went to see Dr. Z. Dr. Z made a rather radical diet and lifestyle change proposal that was to last for four weeks. I thought to myself: "I can do anything for four weeks". I took his recommended supplements, ate differently, cut out all carbohydrates, drank only bottled water...

Within one month I felt a dramatic improvement. After eight weeks I had my life again. I truly felt like myself again .I can eat pretty much anything now. I have tons of energy. Instead of being depressed, I am "up" and optimistic. I can focus on my life now .Thank yo so much.

A. G. Auburn, California

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GOOD Digestion - Mandatory for GOOD Health

In my clinical practice I always address The Big 5:

ODDHC - Oxygen, Diet, Digestion, Hypoglycemia/Blood Sugar, Candida

This is the time of the year when many people eat too much of the wrong things.

Of all the patients who come to my office, and all the people who fill out the on-line Self Evaluation - more than 90% share one complaint in common:

Digestive Problems

Let's talk about digestion. I find digestion issues - and the other four - in the majority of my patients. They all get better, when you resolve the Big 5.

Problems with digestion appear to be more of a societal problem than simply an individual one. It has to do with

  • our more sedentary life style
  • what we eat and drink
  • the medications we take, etc.

Good digestion is the key to good health.

Why?

  • The body needs optimal nutrition to function properly
  • The right foods (diet) need to be eaten
  • They need to be digested properly
  • The digested nutrients need to be absorbed in order to be utilized your body
  • Waste products need to be eliminated

Even the "ideal" diet is useless, if your digestive function is compromised.

Nutritional supplements must be digested and absorbed, before they can be utilized by your body.

Diarrhea translates into malnutrition - the foods pass through your bowel too fast for them to be digested and absorbed,

Constipation translates into toxicity - you cannot eliminate the toxins properly, they accumulate in your body. Not a good thing.

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Digestion begins in the mouth

Digestion begins at the top. The taste receptors on the tongue signal the brain that food is arriving in the digestive system. The hypothalamus gland then responds and initiates the hormonal signal to begin production of all required enzymes and acids for the digestion of the food.

Proper chewing mixes the food with the saliva, signaling the brain to begin the digestive process. The first enzyme action begins with salivary amylase (ptyalin) which breaks down starch into less complex sugars.

Because most people do not chew their food enough to fully process the starch and carbohydrates, digestive problems begin in the mouth.

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The HCL Story

Up until the late 1920's and early 1930's hydrochloric acid (HCL) was prescribed for many symptoms and conditions.

After that time the medical establishment discontinued its common use. We are now beginning to understand the impact HCL can have on a person's health. Numerous studies have shown that HCL secretion declines with advancing age.

Once the stomach senses food, it secretes the hormone gastrin into the blood. Gastrin affects digestion in two ways:

  • It stimulates the secretion of HCL
  • It causes contraction of the muscles responsible for stomach motility.

The gastric secretions in the stomach consist of protective mucus, pepsinogen, and HCl. Pepsin is the enzyme that digests food proteins.

 

The functions of HCL:

  • converts pepsinogen to pepsin, thus induces protein digestion
  • keeps the stomach sterile against orally-ingested pathogens (parasites, bacteria, virus)
  • prevents bacterial or fungal overgrowth of the small intestine
  • stimulates the flow of bile and pancreatic enzymes
  • facilitates the absorption of a variety of nutrients.

HCL plays an important role in the total digestive picture.

Here are typical signs and symptoms that are associated with decreased gastric secretion of stomach acid (HCL):

  • soreness, burning, and dryness of the mouth
  • a low tolerance for dentures
  • heart burn
  • indigestion
  • excessive gas
  • bloating or distention after eating
  • diarrhea or constipation
  • hair loss in women
  • malaise
  • multiple food allergies
  • nausea
  • prolonged sense of fullness after eating

Other signs of reduced HCL secretion are

  • abnormal intestinal flora
  • chronic candidiasis
  • chronic intestinal parasites
  • dilated capillaries in the cheeks and nose
  • swollen and inflamed tongue
  • iron deficiency
  • post-adolescent acne
  • chronic skin rashes - rosacea
  • undigested food in the stool
  • weak, peeling and cracked fingernails.

With lowered HCL the normal sequence of digestion and nutrient absorption is disrupted. HCL is required for the best absorption of folic acid, ascorbic acid, beta carotene, iron, calcium, magnesium, and zinc.

HCL supplements are especially important for the elderly who are not responding to nutrients such as B vitamins and minerals.

Asthma, alcoholism, chronic skin conditions, digestive disturbances, intestinal permeability, overgrowth by pathogenic bacteria or fungi, and evidence of parasites are all conditions which may indicate impaired ability to secrete adequate HCL and therefore may benefit from HCL supplementation. Diseases related to the pancreas or gallbladder also may benefit from HCL supplementation as these organs indirectly require stomach HCL to function properly.

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Heartburn

Heartburn is considered by most people to be caused by too much stomach acid (HCL). Often the opposite is the case. With deficient or absent HCL, food is not digested properly, it ferments and putrefies instead. Fermentation acids are extremely corrosive. Heartburn, bloating, gas, and indigestion follow.

We then reach for the antacids, such as Tums, Zantac, Tagamet, etc. They relieve the symptoms, but do not address the underlying cause. Antacids, by definition, interfere with normal digestion, because they neutralize any stomach acid. They further can cause stomach, gallbladder, and pancreas malfunction, and can lead to malnutrition. Osteoporosis is another possible side effect. Calcium is not easily utilized by the body in an alkaline environment which is created by Tums, and other antacids.

Possible side-effects associated with the use of Zantac and Tagamet, as described in the 1997 edition of the Physician's Desk Reference (PDR) include:

  • severe headaches
  • confusion
  • depression
  • blurred vision
  • constipation
  • diarrhea
  • nausea
  • vomiting
  • pancreatitis
  • hepatitis
  • skin rashes
  • hair loss

The clinical experience of many holistic practitioners has clearly shown that heartburn, indigestion, and a myriad of other symptoms can be remedied by the supplementation of HCL and digestive enzymes.

Note: This is the first in a series of short articles about the consequences of digestive problems, and what to do about them.


For more details on digestion and digestion related health problems, please review my article on Digestive Problems.

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Dr. Z's Self Evaluation - Your First Step towards a Healthier Life

Our on-line Self Evaluation is geared towards giving you a basic starting point in order to make some intelligent changes in diet and improve some basic human functions such as digestion and blood sugar control.

  • It is my clinical experience that this approach is always useful.
  • This does not mean that it will or can solve all your problems.

However, the majority of my local and on-line clients experience dramatic improvements in their health, when they address
ODDHC - Oxygen Diet, Digestion, Hypoglycemia/Blood Sugar, Candida

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Clinically useful Supplements to support your Digestive Function

Here are some examples of Thorne products I find very useful in my daily practice:

  • Betaine HCl & Pepsin - initiates the digestive process and aids in protein digestion.
    Note: Do NOT use if you have ulcers or cancer of the digestive tract without direct supervision of a knowledgeable healthcare provider.


  • Dipan-9 - pancreatic enzymes to assist in protein, carbohydrate and fat digestion

  • Plantizyme - a vegetarian source of digestive enzymes to assist in protein, carbohydrate and fat digestion

  • B.P.P. - a combination of Betaine HCL & Pepsin and Dipan-9
    Note: Do NOT use if you have ulcers or cancer of the digestive tract without direct supervision of a knowledgeable healthcare provider.


  • Bio-gest - a combination of Betaine HCL & Pepsin and Dipan-9 and bile (gall bladder support).
    Note: Do NOT use if you have ulcers or cancer of the digestive tract without direct supervision of a knowledgeable healthcare provider.


In order to get a sense of our clinical work, please review some of our client comments .


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In-house special until November 9, 2011:

Receive a total of 15% off and Free Shipping (within the contiguous continental United States) when you buy a case of either/or

(10% off plus 5% off for order over $200)

and/or 10% off


 

In order to get a sense of our clinical work, please review some of our client comments .

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I wish you well.

Thank you again for your interest and support.

Dr. Z

Peter Zeischegg, MS, DC, DACNB
Board Certified Chiropractic Neurologist

 

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ODDHC - Oxygen Enriched Air, Diet, Digestion, Hypoglycemia/Blood Sugar, Candida

 

© Copyright Dr. Peter Zeischegg MS, DC, DACNB, 2011. All Rights Reserved.