Digestive System
Do you know that 80% of all diseases begin in the digestive tract! All our body systems rely on digestion! The health of our digestive tract is a reflection of all 11 systems in the body and the overall health.
If you are experiencing a few early warning signs of an impaired digestion system, such as indigestion, heartburn, burping, belching, gas, flatulence, bloating, constipation, diarrhea, fatigue, headaches, gut inflammation, food intolerances, food allergies, do not hesitate to call us!
If we choose to ignore these warning signals, we can develop leaky gut, GERD, ulcers, hemorrhoids, pancreatitis, hepatitis, diverticulitis, gastritis, colitis, IBS, gallbladder stress/stones, celiac disease, Crohn’s disease.
The largest part of our immune system resides in the digestive tract lining. This system contains a highly evolved ecosystem of organisms that are critical to proper digestive function and a vital part of the defense system.
Digestion is the process by which organisms make nutrients available to all body's cells.
Supporting digestive health is vital for longevity and wellness. Good health begins and ends along the path of the digestive tract!
Digestive Enzymes
Food is our fuel; we receive all the necessary building materials from food.
Enzymes are natural and essential substances our body needs to function properly.
Enzymes are found in vegetables, fruits, grains, and other raw products. The body uses digestive enzymes to break down food into proper ingredients.
Unfortunately, modern food is shipped from country to country, coast to coast. Natural food enzymes are artificially destroyed to keep raw vegetables and fruits from spoiling. All canned, pasteurized, genetically modified, and cooked foods contain no enzymes. Can you imagine how hard this food can be digested? It becomes a significant burden to your digestive tract!
A growing number of people have digestive tract problems. For those people, supplemental enzymes are needed, and enzyme supplements have to be specific to the individual.
Mouth. The food we eat enters the digestive tract through the mouth. Saliva contains amylase and lipase, the enzymes for starches (complex carbohydrates) and fat digestion. Saliva moistens and binds the food together; enzymes break down carbs and fat. That is why it is important to chew food for as long as possible, as it exposes food to salivary enzymes and aids digestion.
Stomach. Digestion continues in the stomach through the addition of mucus, hydrochloric acid, pepsin, and more lipase enzymes. The food, now known as chyme, travels through the pyloric sphincter to the small intestine.
Duodenum. The majority of chemical digestion occurs in the first part of the small intestine, the duodenum, with the help of pancreatic secretions and bile.
Pancreas. The main function of the pancreas is to secrete amylase, sucrase, maltase, lactase, trypsin, chymotrypsin, peptidase and lipase enzymes. The pancreas is also responsible for secreting insulin and glucagon hormones, which help balance blood glucose levels.
Liver. The liver's function in digestion is to produce bile. The gallbladder stores, concentrates, and releases bile into the duodenum. Bile salts work to emulsify fats, which helps lipase digest food.
The small intestine is primarily responsible for absorption, and the large intestine absorbs water from the digested macromolecules and eliminates residue from the body.
Intestinal Microbiome
Here are some good things about gut microbiota.
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It helps with digestion and extracts more nutrients from the food you eat
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Dietary fiber can only be broken down and fermented by enzymes from microbiota
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Destroys harmful bacteria
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Stimulate the immune system
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Break down potentially toxic food compounds
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Produce antimicrobial proteins
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Synthesize certain vitamins and amino acids, including vitamins B and K. Vitamin B-12 is synthesized and utilized by bacteria in the human gut microbiome
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Dietary fiber can only be broken down and fermented by enzymes from microbiota
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Short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) acetate, propionate, and butyrate are the main metabolites produced by the microbiota in the large intestine through the fermentation of indigestible dietary fiber, including prebiotics. SCFAs influence gut-brain communication, suppress intestinal inflammation, and play an important role in preventing chronic diseases, including certain cancers.
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Unhealthy microbiomes can lead to systemic inflammation, brain fog, inability to concentrate, abnormal bowel habits, bloating, indigestion, and even disease progression.
Any disturbance in that balance, brought on by infectious illnesses, unhealthy diet, prescription drugs, and psychological stress, stops these normal interactions. As a result, the body may become more susceptible to disease.
Making healthy lifestyle choices helps your microbiome to stay healthy and promotes good overall health.
How can you show some tummy love:
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Eat different vegetables every day
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Fermented foods are gut-friendly
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Cut out sugar and avoid processed foods
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Probiotics and prebiotics are great for your gut
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Avoid antibiotics; even one dose of antibiotic can cause dysbiosis
The microbiome plays a key role in promoting the smooth daily operations of the human body.
Genova Diagnostic Lab offer stool tests
that asses intestinal health,
gut microbiome, yeast and parasite testing.
Contact us (847 4861130) to order tests
and result interpretation.
The body's assortment of microorganisms, collectively called the microbiota, is similar to an organ in that it performs functions essential for our survival.
The digestive system is host to approximately one hundred trillion bacteria, some beneficial and some harmful. In a healthy person, these “bugs” coexist peacefully.