| While everyone must be concerned about cancer or inflammation of the digestive tract, the commonest cause of upper or lower digestive problems are caused by alterations in the functions of the digestive tract. Upper abdominal pain and sour stomach is most often called dyspepsia and there are about 25 million people with functional dyspepsia where peptic ulcers are not present. The most common disorder of the gastrointestinal tract is the irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). The IBS is a functional disorder of the lower gastrointestinal tract, but scientific studies show that irritability or disordered function of the upper and lower digestive tract may occur together. In simple terms, disorders of function of the bowel represent a lack of harmony of the complex functions of the digestive system. Every bathroom cupboard in the nation contains one or more digestive aids including anti-acids and over-the-counter (OTC) pills that reduce the secretion of acid by the stomach. These popular digestive medications are used in a premature manner and often inappropriately without attention to positive changes in lifestyle and nutritional support with dietary supplements that can restore balance to gastrointestinal function. Symptoms such as difficulty in swallowing, significant change in bowel habit or bleeding from the gastrointestinal tract should cause an individual to seek medical advice and avoid self-medication. That said, a number of dietary supplements can be combined together to support many different functions of digestion and to support the structures of the gut.
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