Digestion is your body’s way to break down food to small molecules which can further be absorbed into your body and the waste is excreted. The nervous system commences digestion by preparing the body for food. Chewing and saliva breaks down the food in the mouth and it reaches your stomach through the esophagus. Strong acids help in the procedure and small molecules are absorbed in the small intestine. The leftover is passed over to the large intestine where water and waste is further passed for excretion.
When the process is so simple, why do people get digestive problems?
You have a lot of causes for poor digestion and it includes coeliac disease, pancreatitis and lactose problems. But the common causes are bad diet and nutrition.
Too much sugar is very common in Kiwi diets. Large quantities of carbs especially GI carbs leads to higher levels of insulin which leads to high levels of digestive enzymes, pepsin and gastrin and fall in the production of stomach acid. The proteins fail to get digested and leaving to gut impairment.
Eating less protein, any food allergy or sensitivity may also impact digestion.
What is the impact of poor digestion?
A lot of symptoms occur such as acid reflux, heartburn, acidity, bloating, abdominal pain, constipation or diarrhea.
70% of the immune system lives in the human gut so these symptoms work as an alert sign that your digestion isn’t functioning properly. Poor digestion can cause inflammation in your gut wall and may make it leaky so the undigested proteins get absorbed into the blood. The body may fall to recognize the protein and fight them with the immune system leading to an inflammation. It can cause asthma, sinus, acne, arthritis or eczema.
With poor digestion, your ability to absorb nutrients may fall. Some minerals need your gut acidity to get absorbed and this may lead to deficiencies which can cause anemia, thyroid issues, fatigue and osteoporosis.
How to improve your digestion?
The first thing to consider is your diet and sensitivities to food. Swap for low GI foods and increase your fibre and protein intake. Get rid of bad fat for good one to reduce inflammation. It may be a major change by going for salmon rather than steak, brown rice rather than white. You can also choose digestion friendly products from pharmacies online. They improve your symptoms and make your gut ready to digest everything well.
Also make sure you chew your food properly and sit up straight while eating. Imbalances in bacteria in your gut can be rectified by using probiotic and natural anti-inflammatory products such as omega-3 and other medicinal items. You should also improve the acidity of your gut by consuming digestive enzymes. NZ Online Chemist is an online store to get all these products delivered at your doorsteps in New Zealand at the best price.
However, if your digestive problems don’t get resolved or worsen with time, then you should seek help of a health professional instantly for instant guidance.