Digestive Wellness: Strengthen the Immune System and Prevent Disease Through Healthy Digestion, Fourth Edition (88 page)

Try comfrey and calendula.
A Bulgarian study used comfrey and calendula either with antacid medications or alone in patients with peptic ulcers. Eighty-five percent of both groups felt better, but people who also used antacids felt better a few days earlier. Gastric scoping showed equal healing of ulcers in both groups. Comfrey, one of my favorite herbs, has come under fire lately. It contains small amounts of pyrrolizidine alkaloids, which have liver-damaging and possible carcinogenic effects. Although there have been no known cases of toxicity in humans from comfrey, rat testing has caused it to be removed from many products and banned in several countries. Studies were done using the specific pyrrolizidine alkaloids, but in studies with whole comfrey, no adverse reactions were found.

While the controversy continues, be cautious about using comfrey internally. Restrict its internal use to two weeks. Comfrey has been used medicinally
for hundreds of years to promote wound and bone healing. The combination of comfrey and calendula makes sense in terms of today’s triple therapy: comfrey promotes healing and protects the gastric mucosa, while calendula has antibacterial effects. Dosage in the Bulgarian study was unclear, but comfrey leaf and calendula flower tea at 3 to 4 cups daily would be appropriate.

Gastroparesis is delayed gastric emptying. It occurs when the muscles in your stomach don’t open to let the food pass into the duodenum properly. It literally means “paralyzed stomach.” This can be a very severe disease because your food doesn’t move. Symptoms can vary but may include vomiting, nausea, feeling of fullness after eating just a bit, bloating, heartburn, lack of appetite, weight loss and malnutrition, and fluctuations in blood sugar levels. Causes vary but may include damage or unresponsiveness of the vagus nerve, diabetes, H. pylori infection, viral infection, autoimmune disease, nervous system disorders such as Parkinson’s disease, and scleroderma. It’s more common in people who have had gastric or other abdominal surgeries and in people with eating disorders, hypothyroid, scleroderma, and Parkinson’s disease. Gastroparesis can result in weight loss and malnutrition, bacterial overgrowth in the stomach, or food that sits and hardens in your stomach (called a bezoar). An endoscopic exam can determine whether gastroparesis is your problem. It is diagnosed by an upper endoscopy. Ultrasound is also used to rule out gallbladder disease and pancreatitis. The SmartPill is also used to diagnose gastroparesis.

A lot of the medical treatments may work for a while but then stop working. Some of the integrative physicians I have met use a prescription drug called domperidone. It is used in Mexico, Canada, and many European countries for gastroparesis. Physicians like it because it works well and has few side effects. Domperidone can be purchased on the Internet but is not available in the United States. I could find almost
no
research on the use of natural therapies, but here are some that have worked for others and are worth trying.

Try d-limonene.
This was highly recommended to me by Patrick Hanaway, M.D. Dr. Hanaway is the medical director of Genova Diagnostic Labs, a family physician, and a speaker at many medical conferences. Take one capsule of d-limonene every other day for 20 days. Take 30 minutes before a meal or 60
minutes after a meal with water or other beverage. Swallow the capsule whole. Do not break it open. Do not take if you are pregnant, nursing, or suspect you have an ulcer.

Try Iberogast.
Iberogast, formulated in Germany in 1961, comprises nine different herbs. These include German chamomile, clown’s mustard, angelica, caraway, lemon balm, celandine, licorice, and peppermint. The exact mechanism isn’t known but has a dual action in that it relaxes smooth muscle, helping when there is spasm, and also helps where there isn’t any muscle tone. It also has anti-inflammatory and strong antioxidant properties.

Try tangweikang.
A Chinese study found that the herbal combination tangweikang was effective at helping with gastric emptying and blood sugar control in people with diabetes.

Try lipoic acid.
Richard Bernstein, M.D., in his book
Dr. Bernstein’s Diabetes Solution
, has an entire chapter on gastroparesis and its relationship to diabetes. Lipoic acid helps liver function and regulation of blood sugar. He recommends 600 mg of lipoic acid daily.

Try digestive enzymes.
While these will not change your muscle tone, Dr. Bern stein states that many of his patients find that papaya enzymes have helped with symptoms of belching and bloating and help to keep blood sugar in control.

Take betaine HCl with pepsin.
Dr. Bernstein also recommends betaine HCl with pepsin to help more fully digest the food into chyme. The better the food is digested, the more easily it will pass through a narrow sphincter.
Caution: This should
not
be used in people who have ulcers, gastritis, or esophagitis
.

Eat pureed foods.
Pureed meats, fruits, and vegetables; soups; smoothies; baby food; protein drinks; yogurt; cottage cheese; ricotta cheese; and other foods that are primarily in a liquid form are more easily digested.

Try biofeedback and other mind-body techniques.
I found one study where 26 people with impaired gastric emptying were given a relaxation technique, called autonomic training, along with directed imagery. The authors concluded that this technique or biofeedback therapy might be useful. We do have good research indicating that mind-body therapies, imagery, and biofeedback are useful for other GI motility issues, such as IBS, so it may also work for gastroparesis.