Digestion - the key to good health

The journey to good health all begins with digestion.  You often hear the adage 'you are what you eat' but this statement is unfinished because it should state 'you are what you eat, assimilate and excrete'

The best diet in the world could offer very little in terms of nutrients, etc if your body is not producing the required stomach acid and bile from the gall bladder to break down the proteins, fats and carbohydrates contained in the food and extract the vitamins, minerals and amino acids required to sustain good health.

Digestion begins from the moment you think of food or you experience hunger pangs and think of what to eat.  Just thinking of what to eat can start the digestion process by stimulating the very important production of saliva and stomach acid.  The process of cooking & smelling the food is also very important for preparing your body to receive food.  It is also important to take time to:

  • Practise Mindfulness when eating, focusing completely on the food and the company you are enjoying your food with.
  • Chew your food well as digestion begins in the mouth, especially for carbohydrates which is broken down by amylase contained in saliva.  
  • Avoid drinking for 30 mins before and 60 mins after meals to prevent diluting the much needed digestive enzymes and stomach acid.
  • Take time to relax afterwards to maximise the the digestion process. 

The digested food, chyme, moves into the duodenum where it meets the bile from the gallbladder.  Bile is a fluid that is made by the liver and stored in the gallbladder. Bile helps with digestion by breaking down fats into fatty acids and also alkalising the chyme to make it safe to travel through the digestive tract.  If bile production is inhibited it can cause the chyme to remain acidic and be fast tracked through the digestive tract and result in diarrhoea.  If the chyme is too alkaline, from low stomach acid, this can often result in constipation.

The chyme continues through the digestive tract and is assimilated and digested further by the bodies gut bacteria and assimilated into the blood stream.  The remaining matter travels through the large intestine and is excreted.  It is important that the bowel moves regularly, at least once a day, a very healthy bowel will move after each meal.  Anything less is inadequate and involves toxins, bacteria, etc being retained in the body for too long and possibly reabsorbed. 

The testing that I offer, includes a comprehensive analysis of the digestive system through Live Blood Analysis, Dried Blood Analysis, pH testing of urine and saliva, blood pressure monitoring and blood glucose monitoring and together with all the data that the testing gives, I will put together a Health Plan unique to you and your health needs. 

Don't hesitate, book a consultation today and begin your Health Journey.