Digestive health depends on a balance of enzymes like pepsin and beneficial bacteria. Understanding lactose intolerance and how pH affects digestion can help alleviate common issues like bloating, fatigue after eating, and chest discomfort.
How acid or how alkaline your digestive system is can affect how well your food is digested. This is measured using the pH scale, with lower numbers indicating an acid environment and higher numbers indicating an alkaline environment.
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Your digestive tract has the responsibility of breaking the food you eat down into smaller pieces, both mechanically and chemically, so that your intestine can absorb the nutritional molecules from the food. Doing this requires the use of digestive juices and enzymes secreted by various organs of the digestive tract.
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If eating beef makes you feel sick to your stomach, avoid eating beef until you've consulted your doctor. A common cause of digestive illness from beef consumption is food poisoning, which can cause various gastrointestinal symptoms to develop within hours of consuming contaminated beef.
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Along with cauliflower, broccoli, Brussels sprouts and green peppers, cucumbers are frequent culprits for gas and indigestion.
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The two types of fiber in plant-based foods help digestion by dissolving easily or passing quickly through the digestive system. Soluble fiber forms a soft gel, while insoluble fiber moves through the stomach and colon, and keeps other food or waste moving too.
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If youโve been diagnosed with lactose intolerance, you can eat eggs as long as you donโt add any milk. Eggs do not contain lactose, the sugar found in milk, according to Drugs.com, but use caution when purchasing premixed egg products because they might contain milk proteins.
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Humans are the only mammals that continue to drink milk after they finish breastfeeding as babies. However, around 60 percent of all people are estimated to develop lactose intolerance, which is the inability to digest dairy products, according to a Cornell University News Service.
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Experiencing chest discomfort can be a frightening thing, but it doesn't always mean something is wrong with your heart. Several digestive issues can also cause chest discomfort, particularly problems with the esophagus -- the long, muscular tube that connects your mouth to your stomach.
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If you've always been able to eat dairy and suddenly find that you can't do so anymore, you may be lactose intolerant. While sudden lactose intolerance isn't common or likely, it's certainly possible.
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Pancreatitis is inflammation of the pancreas, an organ responsible for the production of several digestive enzymes and the hormone insulin.
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Chocolate is a favorite of many children, often associated with holidays, birthdays and other celebrations. Chocolate products often contain numerous ingredients, some of which may be beneficial, but many of which can trigger a negative reaction or intolerance.
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Lactose intolerance affects 30 to 50 million people in the United States, according to 2013 information reported by the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center website. It is caused by the lack of a specific enzyme -- known as lactase -- that is normally found in the small intestine.
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The gluten found in wheat, barely and rye can cause a variety of gastrointestinal problems for people who are diagnosed with gluten sensitivity, including nausea and vomiting.
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When you eat too many animal-based protein foods, it takes your digestive system longer to break down their large molecules. As food lingers in the gastrointestinal tract, you may feel bloated and suffer from gaseous pressure.
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Contractions of the uterus herald the first phase of labor. Contractions, also informally called "labor pains," are associated with gradual dilation of the cervix. Sometimes women may mistake other causes of abdominal pain for true contractions of the uterus. These other causes of pain are known as "false labor pains"
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While most people have a bowel movement every day, having a bowel movement every 2 to 3 days is not a concern if that pattern is comfortable and normal for you. Constipation means that you have difficulty moving your bowels or have a bowel movement less often than is usual for you.
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Bloating, diarrhea and stomach pain from eating Greek yogurt may be a sign of lactose intolerance. Most cultured dairy products such as Greek yogurt have significantly less lactose, a sugar found in milk, than other dairy products do.
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Exercise is good for your muscles, inside and out. The digestive system includes multiple organs that connect in a long, winding path from your mouth to your anus, breaking down food and extracting nutrients along the way.
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Belching is a normal bodily function that occurs when too much air builds up in your stomach and needs to escape. It's commonly caused by swallowing air as you eat, but it's completely harmless. It can, however, be uncomfortable and annoying, so learning how to reduce how much air you swallow can help.
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When food enters your digestive tract, it is converted into an absorbable nutrient. Some parts of popcorn are more easily absorbed than others. Popcorn is considered a whole-grain food source, meaning it contains the entire grain kernel.
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