The Digestive Challenge Test

    Some of us are familiar with the occasional gas, bloating and abdominal pain after eating too rich or heavy a meal. If we are healthy these symptoms usually subside on their own. Unfortunately, for many others these unpleasant symptoms are a way of life. They frequently use over-the-counter remedies in an attempt to ease the symptoms. We are inundated by ads for relief of "occasional heartburn, stomach acid indigestion, gas and bloating". While the drugs seem to reduce symptoms they do not digest food or solve the underlying cause.

    We find the same method applied to other aspects of health with similar results. Symptoms appear to be abated for a time but the problem does not go away. It continues until we look deeper for the root cause. There is ample clinical evidence showing how we feel is a direct result of not only what we eat, but how well we are able to digest and utilize what we ingest.

    Enzyme nutrition uses information of an individual's biochemistry to correlate findings of a physical examination. The Digestive Challenge Test was designed by Dr. Howard Loomis, the foremost authority in enzyme nutrition. It determines whether an organ is stressed from malnutrition or by excessive dietary demands. The Digestive Challenge Test is used to clarify the underlying cause and effect relationship of diet, nutrition and disease symptoms.

    Signs of distress in the body are associated with increased muscle contraction. Every organ shares a common nerve supply with specific muscles. When an organ is stressed there is corresponding muscle contraction. If the problem is in the pancreas, muscle tension can be felt under the left rib cage. If the problem is in the blood vessels there will be consistent tightness on the sides of the head at the temples. If the nasal cavity is stressed (common with air born allergies) there will be tension felt immediately under the frontal cheek bones and experienced as tender, sore or painful.

    In performing the Digestive Challenge Test, a practitioner will compare findings from a fasting exam to the same exam done 45 minutes after ingesting a liquid meal. This is composed of protein, fat, fiber and simple/complex carbohydrates. Waiting 45 minutes gives the body enough time to try and digest the drink. We all have dietary stress factors in the form of carbohydrates, fat or protein. Depending upon which one of food groups will determine which organs are affected. For example, finding pressure under the left rib cage indicates a stressed pancreas from carbohydrates and/or fats. A sore adrenal point reveals adrenal stress from the inability to digest and utilize protein adequately.

    One must be able to break down food into smaller micro-nutrients, make use of those nutrients, and be able to properly eliminate waste in order to maintain optimal health. When waste from undigested food stagnates in the digestive tract, the immune system wears out and is over-worked.

 The Digestive Challenge Test reveals the following:

If you have problems digesting carbohydrates you may experience:

If you have cannot digest fats you can experience:

If you have trouble digesting protein you can experience:

    Findings from the Digestive Challenge Test can confirm several stressed organs. While everyone is unique in their problems, there are only four categories that apply. They are the 4 basic classifications within food:

    Most health issues can be linked to one or more of the above categories. A tremendous amount can be done to restore one’s health through dietary modification. This means limiting the intake of certain foods known to complicate and stress the body. For example, persons who have difficulty digesting fats must limit their intake of apples, cucumbers and cabbage because there is a chemical that triggers the gallbladder to squeeze much harder than normal. This creates an additional burden for an already stressed organ.

    By implementing the Digestive Challenge Test we can determine which foods are beneficial and which ones cause stress. When we adequately digest food, utilize the nutrients and eliminate the waste successfully we are able to restore and maintain radiant health. As Hippocrates proclaimed centuries ago, "Let food be thy medicine; medicine thy food." Digestion should become the starting point for any healing program, and enzymes should be the focus of good digestion. Implementing an enzyme program is tantamount to a guarantee of restoration of health.

The information on this web page is for educational and information purposes only. The ideas and opinions expressed herein are published under the Freedom of Speech, guaranteed by the 1^st Amendment to the Constitution of the United States of America . The author does not assume responsibility for decisions made by the reader regarding their health. The author does not diagnose or treat illness. If the reader decides to pursue natural or alternative treatments, they should consult with their health care practitioner.

This article/web page is Copyright 2008. All Rights Reserved. No reproduction of this article/page in it entirety or in part is permitted without written permission by Mark Rojek.