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Better Digestive Health in Four Easy Steps

By Glenn S. Rothfeld, M.D.

There’s no overstating the critical role that the digestive system plays in our wellbeing. Poor digestion can be a critical link to many ailments, including food allergy and nutritional deficiency. In thirty-five years of practice, I’ve had great success with four easy steps toward promoting good digestive health:

Increase raw and lightly cooked foods.

We need enzymes to properly digest our food. Our bodies produce these naturally; they also occur in raw fruits and vegetables. If we eat a diet strong in raw foods, there is less need for our bodies to produce its own enzymes. And because our bodies produce a set number of enzymes (not only for digestion, but to assist in other biochemical processes, as well as to control inflammation), an increased need for digestive enzymes means a decrease in production in other critical physiological areas.

Use plant-based enzymes.

Plant-based enzymes are made from aspergillus, and are broader-spectrum than animal-source or synthetic enzymes. That is, they are made up of a number of enzymes (proteases, peptidases, isomaltases) each able to break a different bond. The result is a more completely digested food, not just the cleaving into small particles that you get with pancreatin.

Take a good probiotic supplement.

There are actually more bacteria in our colons than there are cells in our bodies, and damage to this bacterial cover can be due to antibiotics, stress, alcohol, or other dietary indiscretions. Toxic bacterial overgrowth is implicated in problems such as auto-immune diseases and various cancers. Good bacteria are important in immune system function, digestion, and in nutrient absorption.

And finally, Don’t eat on the run!

Sit down, take your time, and be conscious of what you’re eating.

Glenn S. Rothfeld, M.D.

Dr. Rothfeld, Beth Galan NP and Sarika Arora, M.D. are currently accepting new patients at The Rothfeld Center. Call Ann Kane at 781.641.1901 to make an appointment.

   Glenn S. Rothfeld MD ~ Beth Galan NP ~ Sarika Arora, M.D.
         Over 35 years’ experience in Integrative Medicine

     The Rothfeld Center for Integrative Medicine
         Arlington         Plymouth
                 781.641.1901

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Better Digestive Health in Four Easy Steps

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