PROPER DIGESTION AND GUT HEALTH ARE CRITICAL TO YOUR HEALTH & WELLNESS
Digestion 101
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Proteins are broken down by enzymes into amino acids and absorbed into the hepatic portal blood flow to the liver and via insulin, converted to sugar and then fats.
ver 2,000 years ago Hippocrates said, “All
The large intestine recycles water, captures any lost
disease begins in the gut.” He also declared
nutrients that are still available (with the help of the
“Let food be thy medicine and medicine
bowel flora), converts the nutrients to Vitamins K/B1/
be thy food.” I see great truth in both statements.
B2/B12 and butyric acid (fatty acid), and forms and
Scientists are starting to find hard evidence that
expels fecal waste.
what we eat has a profound effect upon our overall
From the day we are born until the day we die, our
health—both mentally and physically. I’ve witnessed
bowels are digesting food—mostly carbs. Always
it personally in myself. Anything good or bad that
exposing our bowels and body to the digestion process
is happening in the gut creates a domino effect
and chemicals that feed our cells and nourish our body.
throughout the body, and that includes the mind.
Our bowels never get a chance to rest; they never get
The digestive tract is an amazing machine that allows
a chance to heal. They are always inflamed! This is the
us to take in complex foods, plant material, animal
entry point for most damage and disease. Our digestive
material, and pretty much any material and break it
system effectively becomes a compost heap.
down into the simple components of simple sugars, amino acids, and fatty acids. Digestion involves many different organs, and the
THE PROCESS OF DIGESTION: •
Creates heat and gas, alcohol and aldehydes
process begins even before we put anything into our
(all damaging to the intestinal cells and
mouths with our salivary glands that are activated by
beyond)
the sight or smell of food and begin to secrete saliva. Food is manually broken down by our teeth and
•
sensitive epithelial cells via fibers abrasive
coated in saliva, which contains enzymes required for
effects on the interstitial cells.
carbohydrate digestion. The mechanical breakdown of food continues in the
•
Is unrelenting (no rest), meaning damage and repair are continuous causing inflammation
stomach where it is mixed with gastric juices and
that is the leading cause of our digestive
transformed into an acidic paste called chyme.
disorders and distant cellular damage
The small intestine then has a dual role as both a digestive organ and gland. The acidic pH of the chyme
Creates churning that causes damage to the
•
Damages the Teflon coating of the bowels,
stimulates the production of messenger hormones that
called the glycocalyx, exposing the epithelial
signal the pancreas and gallbladder. The pancreas is
cells to invasion by microbes (bacteria, yeast,
signaled to release bicarbonate (i.e., baking soda) to
viruses) and subsequently transports these
neutralize the chyme and pancreatic juice to help with
microbes to every cell/organ in the body!
digestion into the small intestine. The gallbladder is signaled to release bile, which emulsifies and absorbs fat into the lymphatics. Our bodies take the carbon particles from carbohydrates, break them down in the gut, and takes the micronized carbon particles that have been broken down from complex sugars to simple sugars and passes
•
Damages the glycocalyx--mostly from the abrasive nature of food and digestion--the often toxic particles of food (mostly plants with their methods of protection from organisms that eat them --oxylates, phytates, glutens, and others.
them in to the hepatic portal system where they’re shuttled off to the liver. In the liver, the sugars are converted to fat via insulin.
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