The stomach, which is located in the abdominal cavity, resembles a bag approximately a foot long and six inches wide. The narrow small intestine is about 22 feet long, and the colon, or large intestine, is about four and one half feet long. A tube called the oesophagus connects the throat to the stomach. The place where the stomach ends and the small intestine begins is called the duodenum. It is very important because the main tubes from the pancreas, the liver, and the gall bladder discharge juices and bile into it. Ulcers are frequently located in the duodenum.
Food is churned up, acted upon by juices, and digested in the stomach and intestines, the residue being eliminated through the rectum and the opening known as the anus. Actually, the mouth itself, in which the food is chewed and mixed with saliva, is part of the digestive, or gastro-intestinal, system.
You can protect your digestive system by taking precautions against infectious diseases; by being sensible about the food you eat and the way you eat it; by avoiding poisonous and irritating substances (including excessive amounts of alcohol); and by maintaining mental health in order to prevent ‘nervous stomach.’
Perhaps even more important, you can guard the health of your stomach and intestines by leaving them alone. Do not take enemas to ‘clean out the colon and get rid of germs.’ I wish you would remove from your vocabulary such terms as ‘acid stomach,’ ‘alkaline stomach,’ and ‘heartburn.’ You cannot cure these non-existent diseases by taking ‘stomach sweeteners’ or ‘aids to digestion,’ which, on the contrary, can do real harm to your digestive system.
It is unfortunate that there are so many ‘simple remedies for indigestion’ on the market, when this is by no means a simple disease. In fact, it is not a disease at all, but a condition or group of symptoms that can be caused by any number of diseases. Even a skilled physician often finds it a long and difficult task to determine the cause— and hence the treatment—of indigestion.
However, there is no reason to go to the doctor if you have a mildly upset stomach. I recommend one of the following remedies to deal with this discomfort:
A level teaspoonful of bicarbonate of soda in something pleasant-tasting, such as fruit juice.
Ten to twenty drops of essence of peppermint on a lump of sugar or in a teaspoonful of sugar, chewed slowly
One or two teaspoonfuls of crème de menthe or another liqueur or brandy, sipped slowly; or a little wine, such as sherry
Aspirin taken for a headache, cold, or rheumatism sometimes causes stomach distress. This can be alleviated by a teaspoonful of bicarbonate of soda dissolved in a glass of water, or by using a buffered aspirin, which contains a neutralizing agent.
If you are occasionally (not habitually) constipated, it is safe for you to take mild laxatives such as one or two tablespoonfuls of milk of magnesia. But avoid dosing yourself regularly with any laxative or cathartic.
Be sure to consult a doctor if you suffer persistently or repeatedly from any of the following symptoms: nausea, vomiting, excessive belching, fullness or burning sensations in the abdomen, cramps, constipation, and diarrhoea. Be sure to see him immediately if you pass stools that are blood-streaked, blackish, colourless, or very foul-smelling.
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