After Christmas excesses this can be a good time to clean our digestive systems and lighten their load
The gut begins as a tube in the embryo, with mouth and anus either end. Buds develop along the tube and develop into 
the various organs like stomach, liver, pancreas, intestines, etc. The surface area of the digestive tract would cover two tennis courts.
The gut has its own brain or nervous system, with mostly the same neurotransmitters as those found in the head brain. The gut brain controls digestion and plays a vital role in our immune function. What we put into our mouths needs to be processed and then eliminated out the other end. Our bodies can often cope with a lot of the unhealthy things thrown at it before we develop discomfort, bloating, constipation, disease, and other gut disturbances. It is best to take care before symptoms develop.
Basically the small intestine absorbs essential nutrients from our food and the large intestine reabsorbs the water from the waste matter. There is a small valve between the small and large intestine called the ileo-coecal valve. This can get disrupted by over eating/drinking, the wrong food, too much/not enough roughage, parasites, viruses, fungus, bacteria and can even be affected by our emotional state. If it is not closing properly food will pass through the small intestine too quickly and you may not absorb enough nutrients from your food. If it is not opening properly food will stay too long in the small intestine and you may start absorbing waste matter, causing headaches, bloating, constipation, brain fog, etc.
The gut lining is filled with microflora, which are vital to keep us healthy and help metabolise nutrients, drugs, hormones, toxins, fatty acids and to activate the immune system protecting against germs. Lactobacillus acidophilus is important for helping digestion and absorption in the small intestine. It also encourages the Bifido bifidus to thrive in the large intestine and fight bugs and toxins. There are more bacteria in the gut than there are cells in the human body! When we need to take antibiotics it is important to remember that they kill the good as well as the bad bacteria and can leave us feeing bloated and out of sorts. The balance is also disturbed by unhealthy diet and lifestyle, robbing us of energy and vitality.
Proteins like meat, eggs and cheese spend around two hours in the stomach to be digested by stomach acid and enzymes. Carbohydrates and sugars pass through the stomach in around twenty minutes when eaten alone, but will need to hang around for two hours if eaten with proteins, and start fermenting.
The correct acid/alkali balance is important for proper digestion and health. Foods that form alkali in the body are brazil nuts, almonds, fruit and vegetables, most other foods form acid. Stress also makes our bodies acidic.
WAYS TO LIGHTEN THE LOAD ON YOUR GUT….
- start the day with a glass of water and the juice of half a lemon
- eat fruit half an hour before a meal to help clean the digestive tract, rather than afterwards
- eat moderate sized meals and eat lightly one day a week
- chew your food well, allowing important messages to reach your gut, aiding proper digestion
- eat proteins and carbohydrates separately to ease the load on digestion and minimise fermentation
- drink enough water between meals to help avoid constipation
- be moderate with alcohol, coffee, tea and avoid eating junk
- eat natural foods, including a variety of fresh fruit and vegetables
- take appropriate probiotics when necessary
- get professional advice to help with specific problems or for suitable products for gut cleansing
We are happy to advise you on health matters and good quality nutrients tailored specifically to suit you.
Lin Bridgeford DO KFRP MSCC ICAK (UK) MSc
Registered Osteopath & Kinesiologist & Yoga Teacher
Aether Bios Clinic
Saltdean Brighton
Tel: 01273 309557
Mobile: 07710 227038
