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.
Lactaid milk contains enzymes that break down lactose, the sugar in milk that breaks down into two other sugars, glucose and galactose. People with lactose intolerance don’t produce enough lactase enzymes, which break down lactose in simple sugars so it can be digested and used in the body.
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The acid/base balance is expressed in terms of pH. An acidic environment has a pH of less than 7.4, whereas a basic or alkaline setting has a pH of greater than 7.4. Molecules that give off hydrogen maintain an acidic pH. In contrast, alkaline molecules attract hydrogen.
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During pregnancy, women often notice a variety of digestive sensations and discomforts. Because pregnancy changes the rate at which your digestive tract processes food, you may experience symptoms that lead you to believe you've become lactose-intolerant.
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Lactose, commonly called milk sugar, is the primary sugar in dairy products such as milk, cheese and yogurt. It makes dairy products taste mildly sweet and is a significant source of calories. Lactose is readily metabolized into simpler sugars and absorbed in your intestines if you produce enough enzymes.
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Food provides you with nutrients and vitamins that energize your body to get through your day. Unfortunately, some people find that they feel tired after eating a meal. This can be a sign of a medical condition or food allergy -- see your doctor if you experience fatigue after you eat.
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The human body encounters both good and bad bacteria daily. To microorganisms, the human body represents an attractive environment and source of nutrients. Bacteria that we call "good" helps us digest our food and protects us from bad bacteria that can make us sick or even kill us.
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The duodenum is a portion of the small intestine and is responsible for absorbing nutrients from partially digested food and passing along the remainder to the rest of the intestinal system.
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The process of digestion is carried out through a number of organs in your digestive tract. The first stop is your stomach, which normally propels food into the small intestine to be digested. Sometimes your digestion will slow drastically or stop with food still left, undigested, in your stomach.
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You may have heard that your digestive woes -- constipation or diarrhea, digestive discomfort or heartburn -- are all related to digestive enzyme insufficiencies, and that you can treat them with supplemental enzymes. The fact is that digestive enzyme deficiencies are very rare.
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Lactulose is a man-made sugar, commonly used as a stool softener to treat constipation. Lactulose contains lactose and is not recommended for use by people who have been diagnosed with lactose intolerance.
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We think about bacteria as harmful, disease-causing, invisible creatures. But actually, only a few species are dangerous. The majority of bacteria are good, and without them, life on Earth wouldn’t be possible.
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Fats, or lipids, are an essential part of your diet. According to nutritionist Elson Haas, M.D., lipids are part of every cell membrane and every organ and tissue in your body.
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A cell is the basic structure of the body. Organelle means tiny organs and these structures within a cell perform specialized functions. For example, the nucleus contains all the DNA and directs the synthesis of proteins and the process of cell replication.
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The digestive process transforms food into microscopic particles that nourish the body. Humans utilize two types of digestion -- mechanical, such as chewing, and chemical, using enzymes. Digestive juices hold these enzymes and are released by the pancreas, liver and small intestine.
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Bloating and fatty stool -- stools that are foul-smelling, greasy and usually rather large in volume -- are common digestive symptoms that usually indicate some type of malabsorption.
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Gastroesophageal reflux disease, or GERD, affects up to 25 percent of Americans and Europeans, according to a 2009 review in "American Family Physician." Heartburn is the most prominent symptom of GERD, but other symptoms, such as chest pain or pressure, abdominal pain and cough, are not uncommon.
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No matter how nutritious, your favorite foods won't do you any good in their natural, whole state. The nutrients your body gets from food must be small enough to absorb easily into your bloodstream.
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The pancreas, a small organ located behind your stomach, produces digestive enzymes that flow through the pancreatic ducts to the small intestine, where they help break down food particles into usable nutrients.
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Leaky gut syndrome, also known as intestinal permeability, occurs when substances, such as partially digested food particles, toxins and bacteria, leak through the intestinal wall into the bloodstream. Dietary changes are among the treatment options recommended to heal the damaged intestines.
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Probiotics are bacterial species that don't cause infection in humans, but instead provide some sort of benefit to the digestive tract or other organ systems.
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