Small, Frequent Meals = Worse Digestion?

[PeatThemAll]

Over the last week, I've been toying with smaller, more frequent meals rather than 3, 5-6 hour spaced ones. Basically, taking some food in either at the 3-hour mark, or when experiencing an energy drop. Each meal has digestive enzymes (2, NOW caps) to facilitate the process.

When I use this strategy, overall physical energy is not better (mental = more stable, though), and I get GERD during my sleep. I was expecting the opposite: incoming food --> gastrocolic reflex (the new pushes the old) --> nothing stays there for long (and ferments).

It's almost like the stomach can't to through a complete empty-full-empty cycle, and the incoming food interferes with the digestion of the last meal.

Any physiological reason for this? Only thing that comes to mind is a 5-hour digestive cycle that shouldn't be interrupted, otherwise the body stalls and has to restart from zero idea I saw in the 80/10/10 book.

 

[nikotrope]

I have started to have bigger and lesser meals a few weeks ago and it improved my digestion a lot. I have GERD when my digestion is weak but since I started doing this I feel a lot better, no more GERD.

Before that I was drinking a lot of cold liquids and warming them also really helped (even though it was still really hot where I live). If you drink cold juice and milk regularly it can be problematic.

 

[ecstatichamster]

You make that try HCl capsules. Sounds like low stomach acid which produces these symptoms. You can use these for awhile and then once you are more healthy your body will generate more of its own. Low CO2 levels are a cause. Bag breathing will really help as will taping your mouth closed at night, sleeping with your head elevated (as in a recliner).

 

[Xisca]

Well, I do have another explanation.... and if it is right, then what you experience is normal.
When food enters the duodenum, its pH sends a message for the next juices to be sent by páncreas and liver.
This we usually know.
Then I discovered it sends another message, which is to the stomach and says:
"Please do not secrete acid anymore, your job is over for some time."

Well, I just guess that if food enters the stomach at the right moment, too soon, it is difficult for the stomach to secrete its acidity. Food should come in again when some hunger comes, and this message is sent according to the stage of digestion, further down.

I also try to eat more often, because I want progesterone to work for me, and it does not at the moment.
About acidic reflux at night: for me it Works to drink a spoon of cider vineger with Little water, and a Little more water just afterward, to clean the oesophagus. Also, notice that sweet meals produce more of this than meals with protein... and protein for dinner is not supposed to be good...
I take betaine hcl to overcome this problem in the long run.

 

[Peater Piper]

There's also the migrating motor complex to think about. Snacking can interfere with it. You should still get one cycle in between meals eating every three hours, unless your meals are particularly large.

The Migrating Motor Complex

 

[PeatThemAll]

Good stuff! Thanks to all!