Expert: Meg Jordan, PhD, RN - 12/3/2009

Question
Meg
I have been looking for a supplement that would help me and I think I may be on to something with Astragalus.
I am male,50.I have a distended abdomen that has gotten bigger over the years even though my fitness level has increased and my body fat has gone down.Along with it I have had more digestive issues such as gas, and GERD.
I have tried elimination diets to no avail, as well as digestive enzymes, probiotics, etc to no avail.
After googling 'prolapsed stomach' (this my not be what I have but I needed to try something different) I came across some information that recommended astragalus root.
A lot of the information regards traditional Chinese medicine and terms like 'chi', 'damp spleen', etc.
I am unsure if I believe in this, but astragalus is supposed to help with digestion and prolapsed stomach, in addition to its primary use to ward off disease.
I have been taking it for a couple days and already I feel better. I dont hold onto gas, and my belly seems a bit tighter.
I sure hope its working!
Your expert  thoughts appreciated.  

Answer
It's a great adaptogenic herb that may be helping immune factors--many different types of cells that probably need enhancing if your GERD has been with you for a while.  You don't just need one herb. You need a holistic approach to cleaning up your diet: eliminating allergy-provoking foods and other personal care products that may be creating a toxic load or at least a sensitivity, triggering this system reaction which leads to GERD symptoms. I know you tried elimination diets and enzymes -- that's great.  But there's obviously still some aspect of your diet or the stress in your life that may be triggering continued symptoms for you. It's a long road to healing this -- but hang in there.  HOpefully you're on DGL, too, and pau d'arco.  Read Digestive Wellness by Liz Lipski -- great book for tackling this.  MJ