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Digestion...the key to good health!
Proper digestion and regular detoxification are essential key components to a healthy body. Digestion is the process of breaking down nutrients from food so they can be assimilated into the bloodstream to be used to protect, nourish and repair your body’s cells. Detoxification is the opposite process – it
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involves the elimination of cellular waste, environmental products, carcinogens, and other dangerous materials through our various detoxification channels such as the liver, kidneys, and colon and skin. Maintaining an optimal balance of digesting and absorbing nutrients and detoxifying waste materials results in a body that is nourished, healthy, and constantly clean and renewed.
High nutrient intake + High waste outtake = Optimal nutritional balance!
Digestion starts in the mouth with chewing. It is very important to chew food well. Food goes down esophogus and into stomach where digestive enzymes kick in and help secrete hydrochloric acid enzymes to break down food. Bile is secreted from the gallbladder and pancreatic enzymes are released. The broken down food, now called chime, goes into the intestines where good bacteria takes over and further breaks down the food. Food is moved through the intestinal tract through the villae transported through the body as waste.
When digestion is poor, the body becomes toxic and organs become sluggish. Impaired digestion is the beginning of a series of problems that ultimately lead to chronic disease. Many of these problems are part of our daily life: Stress, processed food consumption, inadequate chewing/excess fluid intake with meals, improper food chewing, overeating.
When these factors affect our ability to properly digest and process our foods, the results can include: lowered production of hydrochloric acid (HCI), pancreatic impairment, imbalanced intestinal PH, food sensitivities
If you find you have a lot of gas or bloating you may need pancreatic enzymes-Pancreatin. The pancreas secretes enzymes which break down carbohydrates, protein and fats. If you wake up in the morning and are not hungry chances are your food hasn’t been digested from the night before and you are lacking in hydrochloric acid (Betaine).
If you are lacking in good bacteria food is recycled back to the liver and toxins don’t get released from the body.
Food sensitivities are another reason for bloating and it is important to figure out what these are. You can eliminate certain foods from your diet and slowly add them back in. You can go on the Eat Right for Your Type Diet or go to see a Naturopath and have testing done.
Leaky Gut is also a sign of impaired digestion. This occurs when the lining of the intestine becomes porous. Undigested food particles can pass through the intestinal walls and into the bloodstream. Factors leading to Leaky Gut include:
Alcohol consumption (gut irritant)
Caffeine consumption
Parasites (introduced into the body by contaminated food and water)
Bacteria (introduced into the body by contaminated food and water)
Chemicals in processed foods
Enzyme deficiencies
Diet of refined carbohydrates (junk food)
Prescriptive hormones (birth control pills, HRT)
Mold and fungal mycotoxins (in stored grains, fruit and refined carbs.)
Candida (which is actually a parasite)
Autoimmune Diseases resulting from Leaky Gut include: Lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, MS, chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, Chrone’s disease, urticaria (hives), Raynaud’s disease, alopecia, polymyagia, thyroiditis, vitilego, ulcerative colitis, diabetes. Leaky gut also causes malabsorption of many important nutrients – vitamins, minerals and amino acids.
Digestive aids include taking acidophilus daily to build up good intestinal flora. Chlorophyll and George’s aloe vera juice are good bowel tonics. Digestive enzymes are important to take before each meal to help break down food. Remember...we tend to become enzyme deficient as we age. Glutamine powder helps to repair leaky gut and helps repair the digestive tract. Castor oil packs can help with assimilation and elimination and can be done for an hour each day (apply over liver). Also, a good cleanse or detox diet is helpful for the digestive system.
Sandy Pomeroy
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