Well, next to our immune systems, I believe our digestive systems are equally important to our overall state of health and the prevention of illness. That is why I am eager to share here with you yet another article that once graced the printed pages of The Whole Food Journal newsletter.  And, here it is for you.

THE BENEFITS OF A NATURALLY HEALTHY DIGESTIVE SYSTEM

Your digestive system….that part of you that turns the food you eat into usable energy for your body….is known as the organs of your digestive system.  These organs include your stomach, pancreas, gallbladder and liver.  Your digestive system also includes your large and small intestines.

These days, too many seem to think we eat for only two reasons.  One for taste and pleasure, and the other simply to fill us up.  The true reason for eating though, is to nourish and nurture our bodies and the systems that actually run those bodies.  When we consume the foods of healing and sustenance….whole and live foods….our bodies are able to digest that food by extracting the nutrients.  In the process of digestion, the usable elements are absorbed by our cells, while those of no use are discarded.

The foods many of us have come to accept these days actually interfere with this process.  That’s why we can end up with things like constipation, bloating, gas, diverticulous and a thing called Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS).  IBS is also known by other names such as spastic colon, indigestion, colitis, intestinal neurosis and inflammatory bowel disease. You certainly wouldn’t choose to have any of these precursers to deadly illness, yet fifteen percent of the population suffers from IBS alone, caused in part by diet.

It should be noted here that digestive problems can also be caused by stress and imbalances in our bodies.  And, not surprisingly, it is known that body imbalances and stress are very often linked to diet.  In addition, this has an equally negative effect on the health of our immune system, who’s job it is to see that these digestive organs operate naturally and correctly.  It doesn’t take a genius to figure it out!

People who eat low on the food chain….as in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans and such…..have in their stomachs the plant enzymes necessary to pre-digest their foods naturally.  And, the liver is the workhorse of your digestive system, busy metabolizing fats, carbohydrates and proteins, and removing toxins.  As well, you liver’s job is to manufacture bile, an important component in the digestion of fat.

The job of your pancreas is to release enzymes that break large food molecules into smaller, water soluable ones that are digestible by our cells.  And, your gall bladder helps the liver by holding  bile.  Gallstones can be created when the liver tries to handle too much cholesterol.

Your small intestine, which is about twenty-four feet long, relies on enzymes from the other digestive organs.  Also, natural laxatives such as aloe vera and psyllium help eliminate toxins in the small intestines.

Without a doubt, the most discussed digestive organ today is the large intestine, the colon.  Our colon is about five feet long and is the place where the final stage of digestion takes place.  The colon’s main function is to concentrate, store and excrete food wastes.  The colon also contains bacteria which are known as “friendly flora”.  The job of friendly flora is to break down the remaining food from the small intestines.  Antibiotics are known to be detrimental to friendly flora, and the flora should be replaced.  Yogurt is a good choice.

When your colon is operating properly, it is eliminating the toxins and waste from your body naturally and easily.  When it’s not, wastes and toxins stay in the colon, causing a condition of “self-poisoning”.  Self-poisoning occurs when toxins are absorbed through the bowel wall and make their way back into the bloodstream.  It is this toxicity that eventually leads to diseases of the colon, including colon cancer.  Colon cancer is now one of the most prevalent diseases in the civilized Western world!  Sadly, it is largely preventable.

We can do much personally to keep our entire digestive system healthy by seeing to it that we eat nutritious whole and healthy foods.  You will not find the enzymes, fiber and other basic nutrients needed to keep your digestive system in proper running order in highly processed foods….. but in real and natural food.  Guess what?  An apple a day is a good way to start.  Apples are loaded with nutrition AND the two kinds of fiber that we need.  For maximum nutrition and taste go with organic.  Each of us is in control….we alone decide what passes through our digestive system each and every day.

SOME SYMPTOMS OF AN UNHEALTHY DIGESTIVE TRACT ARE:

Constipation             Bloating                      Fatigue                       Poor Skin
Poor Digestion          Depression                 Bad Breath                  Low Backache
Gas                           Body Odor                   Weight Gain

MOST COMMON CAUSES OF COLON TOXICITY:

Constipation             Poor Diet                     Lack of Water            Stress
Antibiotics                Lack of Exercise          Late Night Eating      Overeating

By the way, TWFJ is no longer a printed and snail-mailed newsletter.  We are proudly online at www.thewholefoodjournal.com.  Do visit!

Back in the days when The Whole Food Journal was but a printed newsletter I wrote the following article about the immune system.  It was intended then, to help you understand how the most important system in your body works and how to protect it.  I hope you find it just as interesting and useful today. 

THE MIGHTY IMMUNE SYSTEM

Perhaps the most important system in your body, and the one that can actually determine your state of health or illness, is your immune system.  The immune system is simply your body’s defense system.  It’s job is to fight off disease, germs and bacteria that can and do enter our bodies.  Through our white cells, the immune system directs antibodies to attack and destroy disease carrying bacteria and germs.  We are all exposed to these villains each and every day.  If our immune system is weak, they take over and we get sick. Our susceptibility is determined by the strength of our own immune system.

A healthy, well functioning immune system, on the other hand, is capable of protecting our bodies from the effects of a number of enemies.  Among them are fatigue, infections, colds, flu, antibiotics and the chemicals in our food, and in the air we breathe.

Even though our immune system is so vital to our basic health, few of us understand how it works, not to mention what or where it actually is in the body.  Our immune system is made up of the white bloods cells and proteins in the blood.  These are known as antibodies.  Three organs…..the thymus, spleen and liver….oversee, replenish and organize the immune process.  Our immune system also includes the lymphatic system and it’s own vessels which run parallel to the blood vessels.

When foreign invaders enter our bodies, or a cell becomes cancerous, our immune system acts in two ways.  White cells attack the invader.  And, antibodies can damage the invaders directly, or direct the white cells to attack.

The components of a healthy immune system (and there are eight) do everything from destroy bacterial infections and cancer cells to cleansing the system after infection, and even releasing histamine to help battle allergies.  You should know that the use of antibiotics and other drugs can suppress your body’s own defense system with fewer antibodies produced, and white blood cells less active.  This leaves the system less able to cope naturally.

Other things known to impair your immune system include stress, obesity, excess sugar, insufficient rest, and the most frequent cause…….undernourishment!  Undernourishment is simply the inadequate consumption of whole, nutritient rich foods including vegetables and fruits, beans and legumes, and whole grains.  It is widely believed that this undernourishment stems from the typical Western diet which is extremely high in fat, sugar and excessive protein.

Even though all our body systems operate synergistically (and preferably in good harmony and balance), the functioning of our immune system is of primary importance.  This is because a weakened immune system prevents the healthy functioning of the other systems and organs in our bodies.

Personal effort to remove, or reduce stress from our lives…and that is a personal decision…is a huge first step in achieving a healthy immune system.  And remember, many foods can cause stress.  This is another very good reason to avoid foods high in sugar, fat and additives.  Not only do the highly nutritious whole foods nourish your immune system….they nourish your other body systems as well.

For added nutritional boost, consider supplementing with Vitamins A & C, and also Zinc and Beta carotene.  The herb Echinacea is a proven immune defender, with components that activate resistance to infection.  Another effective herb is Goldenseal, which contains Berberine.  Berberine has been shown to jump start the cells that destroy viruses, bacteria and the cells of tumors.  Interestingly, German researchers found that the white cells of vegetarians were TWICE as powerful as those of meat eaters.

Foods that help build and strengthen your immune system include all kinds of fruits and vegetables, especially those that are deep green or deep orange in color.  Garlic acts in much the same way as the herb Echinacea.  Even yogurt and the Asian shitake mushroom are effective.  Where possible, opt for organic foods, as they are more nutrient rich, and free of chemicals and additives as well.

It is possible to get through the cold season with out “catching” a cold.  It is possible to avoid and even prevent the many chronic and degenerative diseases linked to nutritional deficiency.  These can include mental and emotional illnesses, and behavorial problems as well.  It all begins with the nutritional health of our own immune system, enabling that system to keep us healthy and strong.  It’s THAT important!