With the massive egg recall the past few weeks I thought I would publish my latest article on digestion.
Healthy digestion not only helps us absorb the nutrients our bodies need to survive it protects us from pathogens possibly consumed everyday.
Change your Body, Change your Brain series…..
Tara Palmer MS, Nutritional Biochemist
#2 Fix Digestion
You are what you eat. More important, “You are what you digest and absorb”!
Digestion is the process by which food and liquids are broken down into their smallest parts so the body can use them to build and nourish cells and provide energy. Most chronic diseases can be traced back to nutritional deficiencies. Without proper digestion and absorption of cell repairing nutrients the body (and brain) begins to deteriorate.
Digestion starts in your mouth
The mechanical process of chewing the food and mixing
it with salivary enzymes in the mouth starts the digestive process. My saying is, “drink your solids”. This simply means chew your food until it becomes a liquid. This also sends a signal to the brain to stop sooner, before you have a chance to overeat.
The Cement Mixer, stage 2
Ever seen one of those big huge cement mixers? Your stomach is performing the same action; rolling the food around, mixing it with digestive fluids (HCL), breaking down proteins, killing pathogens, before releasing the food into the small intestines. HCL, hydrochloric acid and pepsin are responsible for breaking large protein molecules into their smallest components called amino acids. Amino acids are the building blocks of life.
In addition, this highly acidic environment helps to inhibit the growth of many microorganisms that cause infections. (unwashed hands at a restaurant?).
“One of my simplest tools to assist HCL production is sea salt”. Sea salt provides the chloride fraction necessary to make HCL. In addition, I recommend supplements of HCL for many patients and any time you eat out! (the restaurant?).
Action step: Throw out the table salt and use only air-dried sea salt, freely.
(request my articles “The physiology of salt” & “Sea salt and your great health”)
Gallbladder and Pancreas
The third stage of digestion begins with the release of food from the stomach into the small intestines. In the small intestines the pancreas releases an array of digestive enzymes that break down proteins, carbohydrates and fats. The gallbladder releases bile, made by the liver, into the intestines to emulsify and dissolve fats. Much like detergent dissolves grease in a frying pan. Bile is very caustic, similar to bleach, and provides protection from pathogens just like HCL.
Elimination
“Death begins in the colon” is the saying. The main job of the large bowel is to reabsorb water. If the colon is reabsorbing water from feces that has been in there for 5 days; this is a toxic nightmare. You should have a minimum of 1 bowel movement per day.
Action step: Eat a serving of beets (canned is fine) and watch for them to come out.
This is called a transit test, which will indicate how long a food is in the digestive tract.
How do you know if you’re digesting your food?
Food that is incompletely broken down and remains in the digestive tract rots, ferments, promotes bloating and creates a fertile breeding ground for candida, parasites and destructive bacteria.
Some obvious symptoms you may not be properly digesting your food are gas, bloating, heartburn, belching, bad breath, diarrhea and constipation. You may also have other symptoms such as thrush, anal itching, bleeding gums, nausea after taking supplements, and food allergies.
The result of improper digestion
Resulting problems can range from food poisoning and fungal infections (jock itch, yeast infections, athlete’s foot, and nail infections) to chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, depression, psoriasis, eczema, asthma and much more.
Why is this happening?
#1 We are not engineered to eat cooked food.
The digestion of cooked food takes more energy from the body than any other activity.
You could run a marathon and still be walking and talking. However, after eating a Thanksgiving meal, guess what?... you’ll be asleep in an hour.
Every time you eat a meal of cooked food you use your enzyme reserves to digest that meal. Peak digestive enzyme synthesis is around age 18 and steadily declines with age. By 60, you could have less than 50% of the enzymes necessary for proper digestion.
Action step: include raw foods at every meal: vegetables, fruit, sprouts, nuts… Consuming fermented foods will also assist digestion: i.e., sauerkraut and Kimchi
#2 Prescription and over-the-counter medications.
Everyone has heard of antibiotics and “bad” bacterial overgrowth. But other chemicals routinely consumed can diminish and inhibit proper digestion: Antacids, anti-inflammatory drugs, birth-control pills, prednisone, inhalers and synthetic hormones -(#1 Optimize Nutrition- MOST animal products are injected with synthetic hormones).
#3 SAD- Standard American Diet.
I recently was at a conference and everyone submitted to an experiment on digestion. Without the testers knowing which country the individual lived in, ALL Americans performed poorer, (myself included), than the foreigners.
Sugar, processed food, hydrogenated oils, alcohol, GMO foods, bacterial and parasitically contaminated food all contribute to the nutritional diseases destroying our health.
We are the richest nation and we have some of the poorest health
#4 Acid reflux and GERD; you have been told you have too much stomach acid.
Acid reflux or GERD is commonly the result of TOO little stomach acid. What?!
The vast majority of those with an “acid stomach” suffer from not enough acid. You simply can’t digest what you’ve eaten and the food rots, producing lactic acid and the lactic acid creates a burning sensation just like HCL.
If you take an antacid, it neutralizes the lactic acid & HCL. Now the massive food is rotting from the stomach all the way to the anus and all if its waste products are released into the blood throughout the body.
The dangers of acid-blocking drugs
1. Food is not properly broken down and rots.
2. A greater risk of infections – food poisoning, Candida overgrowth, parasites.
3. Inability to absorb minerals- Calcium, magnesium, zinc, iron – osteoporosis.
4. Inability to absorb vitamins- B12 and most B vitamins are dependant on adequate hydrochloric acid for absorption.
5. Undigested food enters the blood stream and causes an inappropriate immune response – the simplest problem may be food allergies, it will get worse.
6. The gallbladder and pancreas have to work harder.
7. Rebound effect – in an effort to digest the rotting food your stomach produces more gastric acid and when you discontinue the pills there is an influx of acid which creates horrible pain – rebound effect.
They call it “purple crack” for a reason.
The natural function of the body is to digest, not neutralize food.
Return to Super Digestion
To ensure a healthy digestive tract, adopt the following healthy habits.
• Eat a diet rich in fresh vegetables and small amounts of whole fruits.
• Eat whole, non-gluten grains: brown rice, oats, quinoa…..
• Use air-dried sea salt.
• Do not eat meals past 7pm.
• Drink enough water between meals.
• Enjoy quality vegetarian proteins: sprouts, mushrooms, seeds and nuts.
• Eat your largest meal for lunch.
• Take digestive enzymes with animal protein and cooked foods.
• Regularly consume fermented foods.
• Eat with someone you love.
For more nutritional guidelines read #1 Optimize Nutrition.
Are You Starving to Death from Poor Digestion?
I offer a variety of strategies to resolve digestive issues. If you’ve tried “everything” else, maybe its time to let a professional nutritionist help you restore good digestion.
You won’t be able to do anything else without it.
Copyright 2010 NutritionalChemistry.net
Healthy digestion not only helps us absorb the nutrients our bodies need to survive it protects us from pathogens possibly consumed everyday.
Change your Body, Change your Brain series…..
Tara Palmer MS, Nutritional Biochemist
#2 Fix Digestion
You are what you eat. More important, “You are what you digest and absorb”!
Digestion is the process by which food and liquids are broken down into their smallest parts so the body can use them to build and nourish cells and provide energy. Most chronic diseases can be traced back to nutritional deficiencies. Without proper digestion and absorption of cell repairing nutrients the body (and brain) begins to deteriorate.
Digestion starts in your mouth
The mechanical process of chewing the food and mixing
it with salivary enzymes in the mouth starts the digestive process. My saying is, “drink your solids”. This simply means chew your food until it becomes a liquid. This also sends a signal to the brain to stop sooner, before you have a chance to overeat.
The Cement Mixer, stage 2
Ever seen one of those big huge cement mixers? Your stomach is performing the same action; rolling the food around, mixing it with digestive fluids (HCL), breaking down proteins, killing pathogens, before releasing the food into the small intestines. HCL, hydrochloric acid and pepsin are responsible for breaking large protein molecules into their smallest components called amino acids. Amino acids are the building blocks of life.
In addition, this highly acidic environment helps to inhibit the growth of many microorganisms that cause infections. (unwashed hands at a restaurant?).
“One of my simplest tools to assist HCL production is sea salt”. Sea salt provides the chloride fraction necessary to make HCL. In addition, I recommend supplements of HCL for many patients and any time you eat out! (the restaurant?).
Action step: Throw out the table salt and use only air-dried sea salt, freely.
(request my articles “The physiology of salt” & “Sea salt and your great health”)
Gallbladder and Pancreas
The third stage of digestion begins with the release of food from the stomach into the small intestines. In the small intestines the pancreas releases an array of digestive enzymes that break down proteins, carbohydrates and fats. The gallbladder releases bile, made by the liver, into the intestines to emulsify and dissolve fats. Much like detergent dissolves grease in a frying pan. Bile is very caustic, similar to bleach, and provides protection from pathogens just like HCL.
Elimination
“Death begins in the colon” is the saying. The main job of the large bowel is to reabsorb water. If the colon is reabsorbing water from feces that has been in there for 5 days; this is a toxic nightmare. You should have a minimum of 1 bowel movement per day.
Action step: Eat a serving of beets (canned is fine) and watch for them to come out.
This is called a transit test, which will indicate how long a food is in the digestive tract.
How do you know if you’re digesting your food?
Food that is incompletely broken down and remains in the digestive tract rots, ferments, promotes bloating and creates a fertile breeding ground for candida, parasites and destructive bacteria.
Some obvious symptoms you may not be properly digesting your food are gas, bloating, heartburn, belching, bad breath, diarrhea and constipation. You may also have other symptoms such as thrush, anal itching, bleeding gums, nausea after taking supplements, and food allergies.
The result of improper digestion
Resulting problems can range from food poisoning and fungal infections (jock itch, yeast infections, athlete’s foot, and nail infections) to chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, depression, psoriasis, eczema, asthma and much more.
Why is this happening?
#1 We are not engineered to eat cooked food.
The digestion of cooked food takes more energy from the body than any other activity.
You could run a marathon and still be walking and talking. However, after eating a Thanksgiving meal, guess what?... you’ll be asleep in an hour.
Every time you eat a meal of cooked food you use your enzyme reserves to digest that meal. Peak digestive enzyme synthesis is around age 18 and steadily declines with age. By 60, you could have less than 50% of the enzymes necessary for proper digestion.
Action step: include raw foods at every meal: vegetables, fruit, sprouts, nuts… Consuming fermented foods will also assist digestion: i.e., sauerkraut and Kimchi
#2 Prescription and over-the-counter medications.
Everyone has heard of antibiotics and “bad” bacterial overgrowth. But other chemicals routinely consumed can diminish and inhibit proper digestion: Antacids, anti-inflammatory drugs, birth-control pills, prednisone, inhalers and synthetic hormones -(#1 Optimize Nutrition- MOST animal products are injected with synthetic hormones).
#3 SAD- Standard American Diet.
I recently was at a conference and everyone submitted to an experiment on digestion. Without the testers knowing which country the individual lived in, ALL Americans performed poorer, (myself included), than the foreigners.
Sugar, processed food, hydrogenated oils, alcohol, GMO foods, bacterial and parasitically contaminated food all contribute to the nutritional diseases destroying our health.
We are the richest nation and we have some of the poorest health
#4 Acid reflux and GERD; you have been told you have too much stomach acid.
Acid reflux or GERD is commonly the result of TOO little stomach acid. What?!
The vast majority of those with an “acid stomach” suffer from not enough acid. You simply can’t digest what you’ve eaten and the food rots, producing lactic acid and the lactic acid creates a burning sensation just like HCL.
If you take an antacid, it neutralizes the lactic acid & HCL. Now the massive food is rotting from the stomach all the way to the anus and all if its waste products are released into the blood throughout the body.
The dangers of acid-blocking drugs
1. Food is not properly broken down and rots.
2. A greater risk of infections – food poisoning, Candida overgrowth, parasites.
3. Inability to absorb minerals- Calcium, magnesium, zinc, iron – osteoporosis.
4. Inability to absorb vitamins- B12 and most B vitamins are dependant on adequate hydrochloric acid for absorption.
5. Undigested food enters the blood stream and causes an inappropriate immune response – the simplest problem may be food allergies, it will get worse.
6. The gallbladder and pancreas have to work harder.
7. Rebound effect – in an effort to digest the rotting food your stomach produces more gastric acid and when you discontinue the pills there is an influx of acid which creates horrible pain – rebound effect.
They call it “purple crack” for a reason.
The natural function of the body is to digest, not neutralize food.
Return to Super Digestion
To ensure a healthy digestive tract, adopt the following healthy habits.
• Eat a diet rich in fresh vegetables and small amounts of whole fruits.
• Eat whole, non-gluten grains: brown rice, oats, quinoa…..
• Use air-dried sea salt.
• Do not eat meals past 7pm.
• Drink enough water between meals.
• Enjoy quality vegetarian proteins: sprouts, mushrooms, seeds and nuts.
• Eat your largest meal for lunch.
• Take digestive enzymes with animal protein and cooked foods.
• Regularly consume fermented foods.
• Eat with someone you love.
For more nutritional guidelines read #1 Optimize Nutrition.
Are You Starving to Death from Poor Digestion?
I offer a variety of strategies to resolve digestive issues. If you’ve tried “everything” else, maybe its time to let a professional nutritionist help you restore good digestion.
You won’t be able to do anything else without it.
Copyright 2010 NutritionalChemistry.net
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