Last month we began talking about the importance of enzymes and proper digestion for your overall health. Of special importance was avoiding the use of antacids that prevent the proper digestion of proteins and minerals, especially calcium. Since protein and minerals are frequently deficient in chronic degenerative diseases, anything that diminishes your ability to digest and absorb these essential nutrients must be avoided. By the way, back issues of all our newsletters can be found on our web site. Simply go to the Newsletters section to read any you missed.      Often the cause of heartburn, indigestion, and even ulcers is diagnosed as a bacterial problem. For the trivia fans out there, the bacterial culprit is usually Helicobacter pylori. Interestingly, if you produce enough hydrochloric acid, it will help keep this and other bacteria from becoming a problem. Defending your body from invasion is one of the multitudes of uses for hydrochloric acid in your stomach. Again, when it comes to antacids, you have yet another excellent reason to avoid them whenever possible.
     Very effective, natural alternatives to antacids, other than regular use of digestive enzymes, include water, aloe vera juice, DGL licorice, and fresh cabbage juice.
     Most of us drink far too little water. You can use up to half your body weight in ounces of pure water each day. Make sure, however, that you filter out the industrial poisons such as chlorine and fluorine. More about those at another time.
     Aloe vera juice for internal use can be purchased at our office and most health food stores. Usually, one tablespoon will relieve symptoms of heartburn very quickly. Occasionally, when it is really bad, you may need a second or third dose. Once opened keep it refrigerated.
     Fresh cabbage juice consumed within five minutes or so after making it has been shown in clinical trials to effectively heal stomach and duodenal ulcers within thirty days.
     DGL licorice wafers, available in our office, have been appreciated for years by our patients as a natural way to reduce and heal the inflammation of ulcers.

     Digestive problems, untreated or improperly treated, are almost always the underlying cause, or a major contributing factor; to most, if not all, chronic, degenerative conditions that plague mankind. Consuming more organically grown, raw vegetables can help. Using the proper, supplemental digestive enzymes with your meals will often provide a simple, effective solution for a multitude of health problems.
     You are all unique and have different needs and requirements. Your specific needs can only be accurately determined with a proper nutritional evaluation. Before trying over-the-counter or mail order remedies for digestive problems, check with Doc Kelley.      Simply stated, when digested food crosses through the cells lining your digestive tract and enters your blood stream, it must be identified and routed toward its proper destination. If your food is not digested completely, your body will not properly recognize it.
     In that situation, your body very likely will consider your improperly digested food as a foreign invader. It then attacks it. The results of such an attack by your immune system are allergy-like symptoms such as headaches, congestion, excess fatigue, and others. Your body may also decide to simply isolate the problem temporarily and store it away in the most convenient location, fat cells. This causes one of the obvious effects of your body's inability to completely digest your food, weight gain. The ten most common problems in our society not corrected by standard medical intervention:

1. Back Problems
2. Anxiety
3. Headaches
4. Sprains and Strains
5. Insomnia
6. Depression
7. Arthritis
8. High Blood Pressure
9. Digestive Problems
10. Allergies

     Do you or someone you love have one or more of these ailments? Are you satisfied with taking an over-the-counter remedy or prescriptive medication, with all its side effects, to cover up your symptoms, rather than

finding and eliminating the cause(s) of your problem(s)?      All ten of the above conditions, as well as many other common problems, respond very favorably to improving your diet and digestion. Not just temporarily, but as long as you continue your dietary and enzyme support regimens. Best of all, you are going to the source of and correcting the original problem with no negative side effects.      Besides the obvious chiropractic care to help with any bone or joint problems, improving protein digestion and increasing minerals are essential. On numerous occasions we have found that patients who are extremely sore after adjustments or massage therapy have many fewer post-treatment problems after using digestive enzymes to improve their protein and mineral digestion and absorption.
     Increasing your daily intake of pure (no chlorine or fluorine) water also helps with bone, joint, and muscle problems.      This particular problem is constantly escalating. Every day we see more patients who are more and more stressed, whether from jobs, family, demands of society, relationships, or combinations of any and all of the above. There is always an amazing difference when protein and mineral digestion and absorption are improved.
     And, yes, for those of you who are thinking ahead, such an approach can have great benefit for hyperactivity and anxiety in anyone of any age.      There are many different types of headaches with a multitude of causes. Some of the most common causes, however, are problems with the vertebrae in your neck and food allergies. Chiropractic adjustments can help take care of the spinal problems.