How Food Reactivity Can Change as We Approach Our Golden Years

Ahhh…the joys of aging. We work so hard on the way up the proverbial hill, but the ride down is not necessarily any easier. There are some bumps along the road that we all anticipate as we age, such as graying hair, decreased energy, wrinkles on our face and arthritis in our joints, to name a few. But there is not much discussion about the digestion changes that can occur as we reach our “golden” years.

For instance, a decrease in lactase (an essential enzyme for breaking down lactose in products like milk and butter) production is very common for aging adults. In fact, about 65 percent of the global population has a reduced ability to digest lactose after infancy, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Slowing or weakening of contractions in the large intestine, bacterial overgrowth in the small intestine and slower emptying of the stomach are among … Click HERE to continue reading