Poor digestion, gas and bloating affect us all, and there are plenty of good herbal home remedies that help occasional heartburn. However, a poor functioning digestive system as a chronic condition is more serious and needs a holistic approach that concentrates on causes, not symptoms. Mainstream medicines concentrate on reducing stomach acid - which relieves the symptoms of heartburn and gas, but also interferes with the digestive process, not allowing the food we eat to be converted into energy the body can use. Proton pump inhibitors are one of the mostly widely used class of drugs in the country and are cash cows for the drug companies. New studies show they have far more side effects that previously thought. The effects of poor digestion go far beyond a stomachache, it can lead to chronic fatigue, weight gain, gastritis and stomach ulcers, IBS, diarrhea, chronic constipation, and a compromised and toxic immune system unable to cope with stress.