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The intestine is our second brain... Is that true? How many times have we heard this phrase without knowing exactly what it means.
Digestive disorders such as abdominal swelling, heaviness or gas are the order of the day and we have so much information available that we don't know what to do to start improving our digestions.
Health empowerment begins with obtaining truthful and quality information. It is not about collecting information as hard as you can, but about reading and reflecting for yourself. To understand how your body works, you don't need to be a doctor or nutritionist, just go back years, to school, and review what we learned in natural sciences.
Today we will not talk about probiotics, super foods or magic tricks, but today's goal is learning.
In the small intestine we will absorb most of the nutrients with the help of our intestinal bacteria, our great allies. A large number of bacteria inhabit our intestine, we have the same number of bacteria as human cells approximately (1). And not only bacteria, we also share our body with viruses, fungi, parasites and archaea which, if they coexist in balance, will also help us to digest correctly and will boost our immune system, in addition to synthesizing other vitamins such as B vitamins, essential for multiple processes physiological.
Finally, vitamin K is manufactured in the colon , water and essential minerals are absorbed until, thanks to the migratory motor complex (our evacuation system), we will be able to expel the fecal matter once we have absorbed all those essential nutrients. For the proper functioning of this system, it will be key to consume enough water, fiber, magnesium, perform intermittent fasting and space meals at least four hours. Remember that going to the bathroom every morning is a sign of good health!
1. Introduction to gut health
The digestive process begins in the mouth, with chewing and the release of certain molecules called enzymes that our body makes available to us in order to better digest nutrients. Together with chewing, these molecules help to cut the food we eat into very small pieces, in order to be able to absorb them correctly, also extracting vitamins and minerals. This is an important point, because if we don't chew enough from the start, our body will have to make twice as much effort to digest it. That is why chewing 20 to 30 times before eating is one of the most important points in digestion. In the stomach , thanks to the extremely acidic environment, we secrete hydrochloric acid and more digestive enzymes to digest proteins. Stress, Helicobacter Pylori infections, gastritis or abusing medications such as Omeprazole can interfere with this process, since if the stomach is not acidic enough, we will have problems digesting food, especially raw foods and meats. For that reason it will not be a good idea to eat stressed or angry, because we will probably have worse digestion. Foods like aloe vera pulp, papaya, pineapple, lemon or chamomile can be good allies if we have slow digestions.
In the small intestine we will absorb most of the nutrients with the help of our intestinal bacteria, our great allies. A large number of bacteria inhabit our intestine, we have the same number of bacteria as human cells approximately (1). And not only bacteria, we also share our body with viruses, fungi, parasites and archaea which, if they coexist in balance, will also help us to digest correctly and will boost our immune system, in addition to synthesizing other vitamins such as B vitamins, essential for multiple processes physiological.
2. What are the causes that alter intestinal health?
Together with our bacteria, the bile produced in the liver, pancreas and intestinal cells will secrete more essential enzymes to absorb nutrients. That is why it is important to maintain a healthy liver in order to have proper digestion : being in a healthy fat percentage, doing sports regularly and avoiding harmful substances such as alcohol and tobacco will help you take care of your liver. Consuming too much water (more than a glass) with food or abusing cereals such as wheat can inhibit the action of these enzymes, causing bloating, gas, bloating or reflux problems . Digestive enzyme supplementation is a very interesting option when it comes to supporting your digestive system, especially in copious meals, when we suffer from reflux or gas after eating.
Finally, vitamin K is manufactured in the colon , water and essential minerals are absorbed until, thanks to the migratory motor complex (our evacuation system), we will be able to expel the fecal matter once we have absorbed all those essential nutrients. For the proper functioning of this system, it will be key to consume enough water, fiber, magnesium, perform intermittent fasting and space meals at least four hours. Remember that going to the bathroom every morning is a sign of good health!
Immunity Booster
In the next post, we will talk more specifically about the microbiota and why it is so important to maintain a strong immune system and optimal health. Bibliography 1- Sender, R et al. Revised estimates for the number of human and bacterial cells in the body. Doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/036103