Until recently, digestion has been poorly underrated. With all the focus on heart and lung health and cures for cancer, so many of us forget—or more importantly, don’t even realize—how vital is healthy digestion. We tend to think that heartburn, diarrhea or constipation just goes with the territory of being human, and a quick solution is to pop a Rolaids or take a laxative. This is dangerous and mindless thinking. For starters, if experiencing these problems daily you’re doing something wrong. Not only that, but you are laying a heavy burden on your digestive system. And the more we know, the more we realize that it is an intrinsic part of our bodies. If we treat one system poorly, it affects all systems. We are holistic beings and need to respect every aspect of who we are and how we function.
Food, Glorious Food
Food is fuel. And as I’ve mentioned before, what you put into your body affects all aspects of it, not only digestion. But your mouth, throat, stomach and intestines are your first warning systems to signal whether you are eating good food or bad. Rule of thumb: If something causes repeated bouts of heartburn or diarrhea, it’s not good for you. If you are not getting enough fiber and you’re always constipated, that’s not a good sign. For better digestion good food is a must. Stay away from processed foods (frozen foods, those with trans-fats like margarine, and fake foods such as cheese doodles that undergo a lot of processing); avoid indulging in too many cakes and cookies and other fattening foods (see better nutrition here). Eat natural foods like fruits, veggies and whole grains, and try to avoid eating too much meat and dairy. Eat slowly and chew your food well. Don’t let your digestive tract do all the work! And by all means, eat foods high in fiber. If you can’t do that, take a fiber supplement; those with psyllium seed husks are best.
Water, Water, Water
Dr. Jack, one of Res-Q’s medical advisers, explains the importance of drinking water:
The intestines utilize a wavelike motion (peristalsis) that enables the body to absorb nutrients while eliminating waste. Our intestines are truly like a river flows: As water intake is increased in a river, the river flows faster, decreasing waste materials and increasing oxygenation to its environment and inhabitants. As water levels decrease, flow decreases, carbon dioxide and waste materials accumulate, and bacterial overgrowth, stagnation and eventual contamination of the water supply occurs. Our intestines behave in a similar fashion. As we increase water intake, our peristaltic waves increase, providing better absorption of nutrients (micro & macro), increased propagation of good bacteria (probiotics) as well as efficient elimination of stool. Decreased water intake leads to dehydration, reduced absorption of beneficial nutrients, increased retention of toxins, increased oxidative stress and constipation. It is so simple (and free) to increase our water intake. But so many of us fail to drink an appropriate amount of water (roughly 64 oz/150 lbs of lean body mass). As water intake increases, the body’s health will increase as well. —Dr. John R. Manzella, DO
It’s All about Enzymes
From the food we consume, our complex digestive system extracts healthy, beneficial nutrients while discarding what we don’t need. This elaborate system of enzymes thus functions like a conveyor belt at a factory, taking in the good and discarding the bad. And because digestive enzymes are essential for digestion to take place, and because we need them for the breakdown of nutrients like protein, fats and carbohydrates, it’s crucial that we have them in our bodies, which have a limited reserve of natural enzymes. But for the most part, we get enzymes from raw, natural foods like uncooked fruits and vegetables. Unfortunately, with the overabundance of junk food, fast food and processed foods, we limit our intake of these essential enzymes. When we don’t eat enough raw foods, we do not take in enzymes and our digestive systems can’t digest properly.
For Better Digestion, Supplement the Diet with Digestive Enzymes
Unless you eat only raw, uncooked foods with live enzymes, your diet is most likely lacking enzymes and your body is therefore constantly working to produce its own, thus depleting the reserve. Supplementing with enzymes combats this, aids digestion and helps keep your body healthy. Adding to the need for enzymes, your digestive system also needs healthy doses of good bacteria to help eat toxins and other bad stuff in your body. When eating more natural foods, your body has a stronger ability to produce good bacteria for this task. However, when eating bad, processed foods with little or no nutritional value, your body once again fails to create a healthy, balanced ecosystem in the digestive tract. Probiotics, like lactobacillus acidophilus, are hugely beneficial as a supplement for maintaining a healthy digestive environment. But by all means, the goal is to drink lots of water and eat real foods!
Coming up next week: Depression and Heart Disease: The Importance of Happiness…
Tags: absorption, bacteria, body, constipation, diarrhea, digestion, digestive enzymes, digestive health, digestive system, enzymes, foods, healthy digestion, heartburn, intestines, nutrients, probiotics, psyllium, psyllium seed husks, supplement, supplement for digestion, Tips, water
