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!
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