We did our best to inform you about your digestive system, and how it absorbs nutrients from the foods you eat.
We wanted to make you aware of things that could impact your digestive system. Knowledge is power, after all, so we want you to be as powerful as possible when it comes to diagnosing any digestion issues you might face.
We’ll start where digestion begins—at the mouth.
Chew, chew, and chew some more.
On average, how many times do you typically chew each bite of food? If your answer is a number less than 30, experts say you aren’t chewing it enough. That’s because poorly chewed food results in too-large food bites working their way through your digestive system. This can lead to gas, bloating, an upset stomach, indigestion, and more. Also, chewing slowly can help you eat fewer calories, because you are more intentional and mindful at mealtimes.
I’ll have seconds, please.
What is the #1 issue most of us deal with at Thanksgiving?
Overeating.
And why do we overeat? Well, partly it’s because the food is so delicious. But, mostly it’s because we typically eat way too fast. We’re guessing you’ve heard it said that it takes 20 minutes for your brain to tell you that you’re full. By then, the damage has already been done. You’re stuffed… Why, oh why, did you eat that second piece of pumpkin pie?
So, chew more slowly, and eat at a more leisurely pace. That way, you’ll enjoy your dining experience even more, and you’ll know before it’s too late that you’re full. Thus, you’ll eat less, and you might even lose weight!
What else can impact the stomach?
We learned last week that gastric juice is made up of water, hydrochloric acid, and pepsin (among other substances), and is essential to the digestive process.
Sometimes, a person can suffer from low stomach acid. When that happens, watch out! Stomach aches, nausea, heartburn, acid reflex, and many other ailments can result.
You can improve your stomach acid naturally by simply chewing your food more, which stimulates digestive enzymes. Next week, we’ll share our favorite supplements and digestive aids that address low acid, tummy aches, nausea, and even constipation.
Are there disorders of the small intestine?
Are there disorders of the small intestine? The short answer is yes. Sometimes, abdominal pain, bloating, diarrhea, constipation and vomiting may merely be symptoms of issues with the small intestine.
Crohn’s disease, celiac disease, irritable bowel syndrome, and gluten disorders are just some of the issues you might experience related to your small intestine.
The good news is that many treatments are available to help treat these problems. And, next week we’ll tell you about Dr. Cole’s best products for helping to alleviate your symptoms and get you feeling better quickly.
What might affect the colon’s ability to work properly?
It’s not unusual to experience abdominal cramping and bloating after a large meal. Those symptoms may be temporary, or they may be chronic symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome, also known as IBS. IBS is a problem that affects the large intestine. It’s no fun…but, it does not harm the intestines. And better still, you can control the symptoms with diet, stress management, herbal remedies, and more. Stay tuned for more information.
Constipation is one of the most frequent gastrointestinal complaints in our country. According to the Cleveland Clinic, each year at least 2.5 million people see their doctor because of constipation. This condition happens when your colon absorbs too much water from food waste, caused because the waste is moving too slowly through the digestive tract. Next week, we’ll share effective natural remedies to get your digestive system moving when it’s “stuck in neutral.”
And, finally…
Did you know that stress can have a major impact on your digestive system? If you think about it, you probably did know. Whenever you’ve had butterflies in your stomach—you were about to take a test, you were experiencing in-flight turbulence, you were making a public speech, you were having a difficult conversation, or life was just stressful in general—your digestive system likely was reminding you it was there…and overreacting.
Yes, your digestive system is an amazing thing…but it needs your TLC to stay finally tuned and working well.