| ......... “Through the lips and over the gums, look out stomach here it comes!” This battle cry is indicative of how most of us pay little attention to what actually happens once food enters our mouths. How mindful are we when eating? When Hippocrates said “Let thy food be thy medicine and thy medicine be thy food” he had it right. However it is more than just choosing high quality food over junk |
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.contributing factors. First and foremost is our dependence on r efined and processed foods add to that chlorinated drinking water, high levels of emotional stress and anxiety, drug and alcohol use, repeated use of antibiotics, poor liver function, ingesting toxins and chemicals and you have a number of irritants to the system. If you think about how our lifestyle and our eating habits have |
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food, it is also about establishing and maintaining a healthy digestive tract. When any one part of the digestive process is compromised we are less likely to be breaking down and assimilating all the valuable nutrients. This also brings about the opportunity for toxins to build up and wreak havoc in the system.
Proper digestion begins with the first bite of food. Thorough chewing is the essential first step in the process. We swallow and the food is channeled through the esophagus to the intestines which is the final sorting place before elimination. Along the way the stomach, liver, gall bladder and pancreas each play a role in the journey. If even one part of this system is lacking, it can place a great deal of stress on the whole.
The drugstore shelves are lined with various products to help with many of the digestive complaints common to our society. These products do little more than cover up the symptoms of an overburdened gastrointestinal tract. It is like putting a band aid on a bad burn. Even the slightest of seemingly innocent symptoms such as heartburn, acid reflux, indigestion and hemorrhoids may be an early indication that more serious distress is down the road. What many don’t realize is that as much as 80% of degenerative disease may be the result of a sluggish digestive system.
Digestive dysfunction can wear many hats and a common yet often overlooked condition is called leaky gut syndrome. This is basically an inflammation of the intestines which undermines the integrity of the intestinal mucosa. In short, the lining of the intestines becomes irritated and very porous. Proteins, bacteria, yeasts, and other toxins are then leaked into the bloodstream producing a wide range of symptoms including muscle aches, joint pain, depression, fatigue, allergies, rashes, abdominal disturbances, diarrhea, mood swings and much more. Some studies have even found a link between Autism and leaky gut syndrome.
Leaky gut syndrome is not likely to be an overnight occurrence. It may take years to develop from a number of |
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evolved over the last century and combine that with the rise in degenerative disease one could wonder how much of it can be reversed through healing the digestive tract alone.
Some simple changes in eating habits can help you heal and start you on the road to digestive wellness.
1. Chew, chew, chew! Food should be liquid before swallowing. Never eat when rushed or stressed. This inhibits essential digestive enzymes.
2. Choose high quality foods and do not over eat. Proper food combining can help a system already in distress. Keep the diet simple and wholesome and include plenty of high fiber foods.
3. Avoid coffee, alcohol, drugs and other stimulants.
4. Drink plenty of filtered water.
5. Establish friendly bacteria in the colon with a probiotic supplement including acidophilus. A good multi vitamin and mineral can help support nutrition. Fish oil supplements are beneficial in reducing inflammation. Supplementary digestive enzymes may help symptoms of gas and indigestion.
6. At least once or twice a year, follow a cleansing diet to help detoxify the liver, bloodstream and colon. A parasite cleanse is a good idea too. Your local health food store or natural health practitioner can help you find a program that works for you.
7. Meditation and exercise are great stress management tools. Find time each day for both.
It has been my experience that many people think that body aches and pains along with symptoms of feeling “not quite right” are just part in parcel of the aging process. Leaky gut syndrome may not be the most obvious cause of dis-ease within your body but it could well be linked to more than you are aware of. Be mindful of your eating habits and reap the benefits of renewed youthful energy and vitality.
Good Health to You! |
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