Digestion is the mechanical and chemical breaking down of food into smaller components that can be absorbed into a blood stream. This allows your body to get the nutrients and energy it needs from the food you eat. Food and drink must be changed into smaller molecules of nutrients before they can be absorbed into the blood and carried to cells throughout the body. Digestion is the process by which food and drink are broken down into their smallest parts so the body can use them to
build and nourish cells and to provide energy.

Digestion involves mixing food with digestive juices, moving it through the digestive tract, and breaking down large molecules of food into smaller molecules. Digestion begins in the mouth, when you chew and swallow, and is completed in the small intestine.

Saliva produced in the mouth contains an enzyme that begins to digest the starch from food into smaller molecules. An enzyme is a substance that speeds up chemical reactions in the body.

The stomach lining produces stomach acid and an enzyme that digests protein.

After the stomach empties the food and juice mixture into the small intestine, the juices of two other digestive organs mix with the food. One of these organs, the pancreas, produces a juice that contains a wide array of enzymes to break down the carbohydrate, fat, and protein in food. Other enzymes that are active in the process come from glands in the wall of the intestine.

 

The second organ, the liver, produces yet another digestive juice—bile. Bile is stored between meals in the gallbladder. At mealtime, it is squeezed out of the gallbladder, through the bile ducts,
and into the intestine to mix with the fat in food. The bile acids dissolve fat into the watery
contents of the intestine, much like detergents that dissolve grease from a frying pan. After fat is dissolved, it is digested by enzymes from the pancreas and the lining of the intestine.

 

Food is a very complex mixture of different types of very large molecules-the proteins and some carbohydrates; mid-range sized molecules-such as fats; and a wide variety of smaller molecules
including vitamins, minerals, small carbohydrates like sugars, and other phytonutrients, which are protective substances found in plants (phyto = plant). Most foods you eat are a mixture of all of these different molecules, and since you need a variety of types of nutrients, your body
must be able to digest these varied types of molecules in food.

 

 

Proteins Provide Amino Acid Building Blocks For Growth and Repair

In order to make the protein your body needs, it must obtain the protein building blocks, the amino acids, from the proteins in food. Although vegetables and grains do provide some protein, you get most of your protein from nuts, legumes, eggs, fish, meats, and dairy products. When you eat these protein-containing foods, your body must take the large protein chains in them and cut them down to either individual amino acids or dipeptides (two amino acids, di=two, peptide=amino acid) before
you can absorb them. Once absorbed, the amino acids are transported through your bloodstream to the tissues that need them, such as muscles. Then, your body uses these amino acids to reconstruct its own proteins in the forms you need to support your tissue's growth and repair.
Your body produces enzymes called proteases to help break down the proteins in food to the amino acids. Proteases cut proteins between specific amino acids to produce the smaller peptide chains. Proteins are denatured in the stomach, with the help of the stomach acid (hydrochloric acid), the mixing action of the stomach, and the protease pepsin.

There are many different types of fats, but only a few are essential, which means your body cannot create them internally, so you must take them in through your diet. These essential fats include an omega-6 fatty acid (linoleic acid), and an omega-3 fatty acid (linolenic acid), and are found in the highest amount in nuts, seeds, and fish. As well as being a necessary part of your diet, during digestion, fats also act as carriers of the fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, and K) and the carotenoids, thus enabling their absorption.

Digestion begins in the mouth with the chewing of food. When the food enters the fundus and body of the stomach, the lining of the fundus (called the gastric fundal mucosa) produces hydrocholoric
acid (HCl). This acidic environment is critical for destroying toxins in foods, such as bacteria, as well as for untwisting the complex three-dimensional protein chains, a process called denaturation of the
proteins.

Effective digestion:
Chew thoroughly.
Promote adequate amount of stomach acid.
Identify and eliminate food allergens.

Glutathione, a small peptide found in the highest concentrations in fresh vegetables, fruits, and lean meats is also beneficial to the small intestine, since it can directly act as an antioxidant in the
intestinal tract and help decrease damaging molecules that may be produced during inflammation. Vitamin C, from citrus fruits, and vitamin E, found in whole grain cereals and nut oils, are important
antioxidants for the small intestine and work with glutathione to support intestinal healing.


Support the growth of probiotic bacteria.

Learn how to deal with stress effectively. Research has shown that the intestine responds negatively to stress, during which the intestinal lining becomes leaky, absorption is less effective, and your body is unable to selectively take up the nutrients it needs.


http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=faq&dbid=16

Views: 13237

Reply to This

Replies to This Discussion

Thanks Pat :)

Reply to Discussion

RSS

Newsletter

Adrenal Fatigue?

New eCourse: You can feel better. You will feel better!

 

 

Start Here...

                Master Tonic 101

          14 Steps for Healthy Guts

   The Beet Test (stomach acid)

                Healthy Poop 101

Overwhelmed? Where To Start?

                      Candida 101

Signs and Symptoms of Magnesium Deficiency


        Nettle Leaf Infusion 101

            10pm Bedtime Club 14-Day Green Smoothie Challenge

        Sharing Starter Cultures

               Probiotic Selection

       Water Kefir vs. Kombucha         Natural Remedies for Flu

Latest Activity

Kristalina Georgieva updated their profile
Jan 17
Profile IconHollie Ilene Smith, Aisha Al Mazrouei, Stella Abud and 5 more joined Heal Thyself!
Nov 25, 2021
Shelly Robison updated their profile
Jul 9, 2021
Rev W-W updated their profile
Feb 3, 2021
Profile IconMara Stova, Trickels and Lisa Lane joined Heal Thyself!
Dec 11, 2020
Theresa B. Kinscherf updated their profile
Nov 5, 2020
Profile IconChantelle Trudeau, lesley kramer, Stella Abu and 5 more joined Heal Thyself!
Oct 31, 2020
Kelly B updated their profile
Oct 18, 2020
Rhonda is now a member of Heal Thyself!
Sep 25, 2020
Valerie A. Handleton is now a member of Heal Thyself!
Sep 18, 2020
Pat Robinson updated their profile
Feb 15, 2020
Profile IconKailani Fox and ELLEN M. CORNIA joined Heal Thyself!
Feb 1, 2019
Tiffany Compton updated their profile
Jan 17, 2019
Marlis Ahmed updated their profile
Jan 8, 2019
Profile Iconmark mlinaric, Pamela Roberts, JoAnne Wajer and 17 more joined Heal Thyself!
Jan 4, 2019
Profile IconEileen Ortiz, Claudette Russell, Pam Bulluck and 12 more joined Heal Thyself!
Oct 5, 2017
Profile IconDesiree Turner, Elena Reed, Debra Montenegro and 30 more joined Heal Thyself!
Jul 25, 2017
Alisha Kapoor posted a blog post
Jul 25, 2017
Edward Kendal joined Shannon's group
May 24, 2017
Meg Bennett shared a profile on Facebook
Feb 28, 2017

Videos

  • Add Videos
  • View All

Disclaimer

Wellness is an active process of personal accountability.

This list shares personal experience and information only and should not be taken as medical advice. All opinions and information shared are the views of the individual member.

Everyone must use her own discretion and judgment to determine whether you are comfortable or need to seek professional assistance. We are not your doctor.

The information contained in these pages is not intended to take the place of your health professional's advice. It is derived from our personal experience and research, and may shed light on your health complaints. In case of serious ailments which may not respond favorably, please seek the counsel of a qualified health professional.


"What do you expect the doctor to do? He can only prescribe something that will mask the symptoms until you heal yourself. He can not heal you."~ Gitti

Heal Thyself!

“Let thy food be thy medicine and thy medicine be thy food.” --Hippocrates (460-377 B.C.)

Blog Posts

Homemade Beauty Tips to Enhance Beauty Naturally

Posted by Alisha Kapoor on August 12, 2016 at 1:19pm

Cancer Vaccines Are Profitable Business

Posted by Pat Robinson on May 5, 2015 at 5:00pm — 1 Comment

Vaccine Safety and the CDC

Posted by Pat Robinson on March 29, 2015 at 7:30pm

I certainly don't fear the measles.

Posted by Pat Robinson on January 23, 2015 at 10:59am — 3 Comments

Gluten-Free Snacks

Posted by Pat Robinson on May 26, 2014 at 8:30pm

Cholesterol 101

Posted by Pat Robinson on May 20, 2014 at 8:00pm

Safe Detox Protocol

Posted by Pat Robinson on May 4, 2014 at 9:00pm

Ella’s Story

Posted by Pat Robinson on April 19, 2014 at 12:00pm

Naturally Sweetened Treats

Posted by Pat Robinson on February 25, 2014 at 7:30pm

© 2024   Created by Pat Robinson.   Powered by

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service