We are overwhelmed with TV commercials and magazine articles that urge us to see a physician to get a prescription or to purchase an over-the-counter (OTC) medication for heartburn, gas, bloating, constipation and irritable bowel syndrome. There are certainly some acute and serious digestive conditions that require immediate medical attention. However, the reality is that most digestive problems are the result of a long term and chronic “poor digestive lifestyle.” We do not wake up one day with heartburn. We do not “catch” constipation. These digestive problems are the result of years of digestive abuse. We eat too much, drink too much, fail to chew our foods thoroughly and do not eat high quality, properly combined foods. Prescription drugs and physician visits are often expensive and unneeded options that we employ to stop the pain or other symptoms of our chronic digestive problems.

A good example of this is how we treat heartburn. If you have heartburn or gastro- intestinal reflux disease (GERD), it is likely that your physician will give you a drug (Nexium® or Prilosec®) to stop or reduce the secretion of hydrochloric acid in your stomach. The problem with this approach is that heartburn is common in people with low stomach acid production. In fact, low stomach acid can cause heartburn! Giving a person with low stomach acid a pill to further decrease stomach acid production may reduce the short-term symptoms of heartburn, but it can lead to long-term digestive problems. It is easy to take a pill to stop the pain of heartburn, but what are we doing to our digestive systems and our overall health when we disrupt our natural digestive processes?

The key point is that we are one big digestive machine. Our health and vitality are determined by how well our machine functions. If the engine of our car is running great, but we fill the fuel tank with sodas and beer, how long will it take for the car to start running badly? The solution to chronic digestive problems ultimately can be found through an understanding of how our digestive systems were designed to function and by creating a healthy digestive lifestyle that maximizes our digestive processes.

The purpose of this book is to help all of you with digestive problems learn more about your particular condition and to provide you with information on the various therapeutic options available. You will be empowered to ask your physician intelligent and focused questions about your gut problems. You will have the option of trying diet and lifestyle changes before you are given a prescription or surgical procedure to treat your digestive disease. And finally, you will have the opportunity to make informed decisions and play an active role in your Gut Solutions.