Today’s Nutritional Therapy Tip…Digestion
Many variables can affect our digestion. are some of these main factors hampering your digestion?
Mindless eating
Believe it or not, the first step in digestion begins before we even put food in our mouths. The sight, smell, and even the simple thought of food initiate what’s referred to as the cephalic phase of digestion, which signals the release of stomach acid and certain digestive enzymes.
Insufficient chewing
The mechanical digestion process begins in the mouth when your food is exposed to your saliva, which contains enzymes that break down carbohydrates (salivary amylase) and fats (lingual lipase). Chewing, also part of the cephalic phase, triggers the rest of the digestive process, helps the digestive tract muscles work correctly, and signals the pancreas to release digestive enzymes.
Digestive enzyme production
As we get older, digestive enzyme production naturally declines. This is tremendously important because these enzymes break down the food we eat. As a result, digestion becomes less efficient, and digestive distress ensues.
Stomach acid production
Despite what you may have been told, many digestive-related issues (e.g., heartburn) may signal inadequate stomach acid production. I know that’s a shocker, but the truth is that the body secretes gastric acid (stomach acid) to help digest proteins and as a defense mechanism against “bad” microbes. With age, stomach acid production declines. On top of that, many people take acid blockers/reducers, which only compound the problems.
Vitamin and mineral deficiencies
Numerous vitamins and minerals are essential to ensure the digestive system works optimally. For instance, several B vitamins (Thiamine, Niacin, B6, Biotin, and B12) play important roles in digestion. What’s more, magnesium is a co-factor in over 300 enzymatic reactions, and it can improve gastric motility and enhance laxation. Meanwhile, manganese and copper are essential for properly breaking down proteins, carbohydrates, and fats.
Gut dysbiosis
The responsibilities of healthy gut microbiota (the vast community of microbes that inhabit the digestive tract) are multi-faceted and far-reaching. Of course, among the chief functions are digestion and absorption. Along those lines, in a state of “dysbiosis,” when the “good” microbes are unsuccessful at controlling the “bad” ones, gut- and digestive-related issues almost invariably ensue. However, it’s important to note that gut microbes (e.g., probiotics) play a much more limited role in digestion than enzymes. They are primarily responsible for breaking down some food we can’t digest (e.g., fibers).
Stress
Stress can do a doozy on digestion, which isn’t surprising given its seemingly limitless reach on all aspects of health. Stress activates the “fight or flight” branch of the nervous system, which can directly inhibit the body’s ability to “rest and digest.” What’s more, we now know that chronic stress can compromise the gut microbiota, contributing to dysbiosis and intestinal permeability. Have you ever noticed that digestive-related issues (e.g., discomfort, heartburn, constipation) seem to stockpile when you're stressed, hurried, or eating on the run?
