THE STOMACH

What to look for A grey shadow just under the eyelashes, which often looks like smudged eye make-up, highlights a problem with the stomach. There may also be a single furrow in the middle of the eyebrows, above the nose.

“Low stomach acid is one of the most common digestive conditions,” says Mary-Lou.

“About 90 per cent of the people I treat have low stomach acid and it is vital for good health because one of its main functions is to assimilate animal protein, which we need for our brain, our hormones and our moods. To make stomach acid, our bodies need vitamin B6 and zinc, but when we are stressed and when our sugar and caffeine intake is high, B6 and zinc get depleted.

“Without stomach acid, food won’t get assimilated properly, so no matter how healthy our diet is, the nutrients won’t get used.”

Symptoms Indigestion and heartburn show low stomach acid, but it also manifests with depression, poor memory and mood disorders.

What to do Take a good supplement of hydrochloric acid, such as Nutri-West Hypo-D.