What is the gut ? - Human & Disease

What is the gut ?


The Gut

The main function of the gastrointestinal tract the gut is digestion of food and absorption of nutrients. Most people are well aware of these activities, but the gut is also home to most of the adult immune system. It also assists the liver by eliminating toxins, produces vitamins and hormones, has an extensive nervous system of its own and is in constant communication with the brain.
The main function of the gastrointestinal tract the gut is digestion of food and absorption of nutrients. Most people are well aware of these activities, but the gut is also home to most of the adult immune system. It also assists the liver by eliminating toxins, produces vitamins and hormones, has an extensive nervous system of its own and is in constant communication with the brain.
The-Gut








When the gut is under stress, all these areas can be significantly disturbed. For example, even if you eat the right foods, if they’re not digested, and if the small intestine does not absorb nutrients, malabsorption can cause nutritional imbalances. This could create a problem identical to those associated with not eating the right foods.

Although a variety of supplements can help remedy intestinal dysfunction and it’s important to avoid the temptation to use the many products on the market from dietary supplements to drugs that claim to fix your gut. That’s because getting your whole body healthy can improve intestinal function often dramatically.
The main function of the gastrointestinal tract the gut is digestion of food and absorption of nutrients. Most people are well aware of these activities, but the gut is also home to most of the adult immune system. It also assists the liver by eliminating toxins, produces vitamins and hormones, has an extensive nervous system of its own and is in constant communication with the brain.
The-Gut








Symptoms of gut dysfunction are another epidemic in today’s high-stress, bad food society. Among the biggest sellers of drugs, both over-the-counter and prescriptions, are those that cover the symptoms of an improperly functioning gut. And it should not be a surprise to learn that many of these drugs, prescriptions too, are given to children (despite not being approved for them).

But the majority of gut problems can be significantly improved or eliminated by making some relatively easy changes in your food intake and controlling stress. These problems include issues in the mouth, such as cavities and other tooth problems, indigestion, ulcers, reflux and other chronic diseases such as Crohn’s and ulcerative colitis.
The main function of the gastrointestinal tract the gut is digestion of food and absorption of nutrients. Most people are well aware of these activities, but the gut is also home to most of the adult immune system. It also assists the liver by eliminating toxins, produces vitamins and hormones, has an extensive nervous system of its own and is in constant communication with the brain.
The-Gut









Among the common problems are inflammatory conditions those names ending in “itis.” From the mouth (gingivitis) to the large intestine (colitis),
inflammation is the end result of a chronic condition that includes an
imbalance of fats. Restoring fat balance is a
key step to eliminating inflammatory problems. In addition, ulcers
are specifically part of the inflammatory process; treating an ulcer begins with restoring a balance of fats.


The Mouth

We use it for talking, singing, screaming, kissing and even making odd noises. It’s the mouth, and it serves another important function that many people neglect helping us get more nutrients from our food and keep our gut working well. Many gut problems begin in the mouth, and many can be significantly improved by using the mouth
more. Gut problems can come from not chewing food, which may be due to problems with the teeth or jaw joint (TMJ), and low salivary pH. Most often, however, it’s due to rushing meals, poor eating habits or never having learned to properly chew your food.


Chewing

Russian physiologist Ivan Pavlov’s groundbreaking research into the importance of chewing and human digestion won him a Nobel Prize in 1904. After more than a century, physiologists continue building on
that understanding of the benefits of chewing.
The main function of the gastrointestinal tract the gut is digestion of food and absorption of nutrients. Most people are well aware of these activities, but the gut is also home to most of the adult immune system. It also assists the liver by eliminating toxins, produces vitamins and hormones, has an extensive nervous system of its own and is in constant communication with the brain.
Chewing









The taste receptors on the tongue detect extremely small concentrations of substances within a fraction of a second of tasting it one reason we love the taste of food. This stimulation elicits a variety of immediate responses throughout the body, including stimulating heat production and fat-burning, and improving digestion, absorption and even the use of nutrients from foods. Chewing our food,called the “cephalic phase” of digestion, can also help control blood sugar and control fluid and mineral balance.

Chewing of foods with various tastes, textures and temperatures is an important oral stimulation for everyone, especially for the very
young and the elderly. Infants with increased oral stimulation grow better with fewer medical complications, and the elderly benefit with improved digestive function and better overall health. And, exercising the TMJ and other mouth and face muscles keep them fit and improve the vital circulation around teeth and in the gums for optimal oral hygiene.

All food should be chewed. But those that require the most chewing include concentrated carbohydrates bread and other starchy grain products, including pasta, rice and beans, all cereals, starchy vegetables such as potatoes and corn, and all sugars (the exceptions
are fruit and honey which don’t require chemical digestion).

An important enzyme in saliva starts digestion of these foods, and without it normal digestion of these carbohydrates may not occur, with the risk of producing gas, indigestion and other intestinal problems.

Keep it simple: Rather than counting each mouthful, just chew and enjoy the tastes and textures of the food you’re eating. Once it has turned into very small pieces and well moistened, swallow it and enjoy another bite. Rushing meals, eating while working and other poor habits makes it almost impossible to chew and digest well. Listening to music during meals in a relaxed environment can help all phases of digestion.


Oral pH

The environment of the mouth is an important part of its overall health, especially the acid-alkaline balance the pH of the saliva.
The pH can be measured with pH paper, available at a pharmacy,health store or online. The pH of the mouth should be slightly alkaline, in the range of about 7.2 to 7.6 (slightly higher in children). You may hear or read that the mouth should be an acid pH, but this is confused by the fact that most people have a mouth with a pH in the acid range 6.0, 6.5, 6.8, etc. (A pH of 7.0 is neutral; above is alkaline and below is acid ).

Here’s the procedure to test your pH:

1. Wait at least 15 minutes after eating or drinking.

2. Use a small strip of pH paper and thoroughly moisten it in your mouth for about five to 10 seconds.

3. Immediately compare the color on your test strip withthe color on the pH paper container to determine the approximate pH.

Initially, perform this test two or three times a day, then again a few days later to establish your average pH level, although it should not vary by much. If your pH is consistently too high (above 7.6), it may indicate a need to increase natural carbohydrates such as fruits and whole grains. But if your pH is too low it may indicate two things: You’re eating too much carbohydrate and you also need to add more protein and fat to the diet. After making the appropriate dietary changes, check the pH twice a week to follow progress as improvements in pH could take up to a month or more. In children and adults, low pH less than 7.0 promotes tooth decay. I noticed children (and adults) with proper pH did not get cavities, and those who had tooth decay almost always had low pH. (Low pH may also indicate reduced fat-burning, excess
stress or sometimes other nutritional problems).


The Stomach:

Of all the problems associated with the stomach, perhaps most are related to hydrochloric acid. This normal acid is a vital part of the digestive process. Without its action, nutrient availability may be greatly diminished due to poor digestion and malabsorption, and the risk of disease is increased. These problems are usually due to low levels of hydrochloric acid
(hypochlorhydria) or a lack of acid (achlorhydria).
The main function of the gastrointestinal tract the gut is digestion of food and absorption of nutrients. Most people are well aware of these activities, but the gut is also home to most of the adult immune system. It also assists the liver by eliminating toxins, produces vitamins and hormones, has an extensive nervous system of its own and is in constant communication with the brain.
The-Gut








Stress, illness and aging are the most common reasons for reduction of natural hydrochloric acid in the stomach. This results in diminished digestion of a variety of nutrients, from calcium and zinc, to iron, vitamin B12 and protein. Problems are not limited to the stomach, but throughout the gut. For example, hydrochloric acid in the stomach stimulates the production of pancreatic and other digestive enzymes in the small intestine without adequate stomach acid poor small intestine function follows. Another problem associated with low stomach acid is the presence of bacteria, viruses, parasites, yeast or fungus the
stomach should not contain any of these organisms and normal stomach acid is a defense against these organisms. 
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