Do you have digestion problems and a dry mouth?

Did you know digestion begins with the saliva in your mouth.
So it stands to reason if you have concerns with your salivary glands, as people with Sjogren's do and some other diseases, it may well affect the rest of your digestion.

"The largest of the salivary glands - the parotid - secretes important proteins into the saliva. As with all salivary glands, it has multiple secretion pathways, therefore it must sort proteins destined for saliva into the correct pathway for secretion. This can be tricky as there are seven possible pathways. One pathway takes proteins to the salivary duct, other pathways carry different proteins to the 'back' side of the cell to be secreted into the blood or to form a supportive matrix for the cells. Transport along these pathways occurs by sorting the proteins into vesicles (hollow membrane sacs) that carry their "cargo" to the correct destination." Medical News

So you can see this is a complex process and only the initial process of food digestion. Food is our fuel, and gives our bodies the substances they need to work well. But before food can do that, it must be digested into small pieces the body can absorb and use.

Eating With Sjogren's 

Changes in diet are often helpful in Sjogren's. Many people benefit from :

• choosing soft and smooth foods 
• moistening foods by adding sauces, gravies and dressings 
• avoiding salty, acidic, and spicy foods as they can irritate your mouth
• avoiding alcohol and caffeinated beverages as they can increase dryness
• avoiding vinegar
• sipping water regularly

If you having problems with swallowing and are looking for recipes I suggest this book:

The Soft Diet: For Chewing and Swallowing Difficulties: Nutritious, Appetising And Practical Recipes

So I have discovered that Sjogren's is now affecting my digestion and energy levels and I thought it was just the mouth and the eyes!