Digestive health for women
by Marcelle Pick, OB/GYN NP
When I started my practice in the early 1980’s, I was amazed by the number of women suffering from constipation, diarrhea, increased gas, bloating after eating, fatigue and the many other symptoms of gastrointestinal distress.
It wasn’t long before I realized this was a real women’s health issue. Research now indicates that gastrointestinal distress is more than twice as common in women as in men, that women have a greater incidence of complicating factors (like fibromyalgia, migraine and heartburn), and that for some women digestive health problems follow their menstrual cycle.
This kind of distress is considered a “functional condition” (meaning not a disease) by the conventional medical community, and as a result it is often not taken seriously. But from a holistic perspective, we know these GI symptoms indicate serious functional problems that can lead to disease.
Tips for Personal Program Success
Timing is everything. Take your first packet of nutrients with your breakfast, when your body can best metabolize the rich ingredients and benefit from the energizing boost they provide.
Digestive problems often cause poor absorption of the nutrients our bodies need to maintain good health. The resulting nutritional deficiencies contribute to an increased risk of chronic disease (for more information, read our article on health and vitamins.) Resolving GI problems does not just improve your immediate quality of life by eliminating unpleasant symptoms — it also promotes long-term health.
Fortunately, there are many steps every woman can take to support healthy GI function and resolve digestive health problems. This section of our website is dedicated to helping women find relief from their gastrointestinal distress. The following links provide information about the digestive system, the symptoms and causes of common digestive conditions, and natural treatments for digestive problems.
Our most popular resources on digestion and GI health
To access an article, just choose from the list of excerpts below. To find more articles, use the search function below. Don’t see a topic that’s important to you? Let us know.
Probiotics
Over millions of years, we have established a vital give-and-take relationship with the trillions of tiny life forms inhabiting our skin, vagina, and gut. Probiotic foods and supplements support a healthy balance of these beneficial flora, as well as helping to reestablish colonies wiped out by antibiotics, illness, poor diet, or more invasive microorganisms. Here is the lowdown on the many benefits of probiotic use.
Systemic yeast (Candida)
Candidiasis causes a host of unpleasant symptoms, is often misdiagnosed, and can lead to a systemic yeast infection — i.e., one that pervades the entire body. Many women suffer for years without relief, but most Candida yeast infections can be eliminated with natural methods. Here are our guidelines for treating systemic yeast, including instructions for a yeast–free diet.
The truth about ph balance
To get the most nutrients from your food and keep your digestion, heart, and bones healthy as you age, your system benefits from a diet high in the foods that optimize your pH range. But body pH balance isn’t simply a matter of downing gallons of “green drinks.” This article will help you separate the wheat from the chaff in the pH equation.- Gluten sensitivity and celiac disease
Celiac disease and gluten intolerance have become more common in recent years, affecting around one out of every hundred people worldwide and nearly three times as many women as men. Learn what causes gluten sensitivity and celiac disease, why it so frequently goes undiagnosed until a woman reaches her 40’s, 50’s, and 60’s, and simple ways to avoid gluten in your diet.
- Digestion and dysbiosis
This is a good place to start for anyone experiencing digestive problems. Read about how a healthy digestive system functions and the causes and symptoms of dysbiosis and malabsorption.
- Acid reflux — what’s eating you?
Take a closer look at the emotional and physical reasons why acid reflux (GERD) develops, and learn what you can do to avoid or overcome this all-too-common digestive problem with simple changes in diet and lifestyle.
- Digestive enzymes
A simple explanation of how digestive enzymes break down food in the healthy digestive tract, along with an overview of digestive enzymes that can be used for problems such as GERD, hypochlorhydria, lactose intolerance, and other forms of indigestion.
- Peptic ulcers
A brief overview of duodenal and gastric ulcers: signs and symptoms, how they develop, prevention measures, and ways you can support the healing of a peptic ulcer naturally.
- Esophageal cancer — could you be at risk?
Though rates of esophageal adenocarcinoma are on the rise, this is a largely preventable disease that can be avoided through simple diet and lifestyle choices.
- Your gallbladder
Many consider the gallbladder to be a disposable organ, and rates of gallbladder attacks — especially among women — have led to escalating rates of gallbladder surgery. Find out why you should keep this special little organ if possible, and how you can prevent gallstones from becoming a painful problem!
- Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) can rule your life, yet many healthcare practitioners, pressed for time, treat the symptoms without examining the underlying causes. At Women to Women, our long-term goal for women with IBS is to help them understand how complex factors can affect their digestive health and offer guidance in regaining digestive balance naturally.
- The link between IBS, acid reflux and antacids
Many women take antacids for heartburn without realizing that they might be making their acid reflux worse. If you reach for antacids at the first sign of indigestion, you may be interested in learning why we recommend an alternative approach for lasting heartburn relief.
- IBS — or intestinal parasites?
Many cases of IBS are actually caused by intestinal parasites. And you don’t have to travel in third-world countries to get infected. Though this might be news you’d rather not hear, intestinal parasites are a surprisingly common cause of the digestive problems you’d rather not have. Find out why, how to protect yourself, and what to do about diagnosis and treatment.
- Testing for digestive problems
Conventional medical tests really aren’t up to the task of adequately assessing digestive function. Here is a list of laboratories we have found to provide thorough and reliable diagnostic tests for digestive health — all of which we use routinely at our own practice.
- Acid and alkaline foods chart
See our list of alkalizing and acidifying foods for an overview of the types of foods that are best for optimizing pH balance in the body.
- One woman’s story
Sarah had a long history of gastrointestinal symptoms. Read her story and find out how she found relief from digestive problems.
Our Personal Program is a great place to start
The Personal Program promotes natural hormonal balance with nutritional supplements, our exclusive endocrine support formula, dietary and lifestyle guidance, and optional phone consultations with our Nurse–Educators. It is a convenient, at-home version of what we recommend to all our patients at the clinic.
Original Publication Date: 11/25/2005
Last Modified: 12/15/2008
Principal Author: Marcelle Pick, OB/GYN NP