Digestion Guide!

Here in modern America chronic health issues are running rampant. But high on the list of chronic health problems are gut disorders. Right now, an estimated 38 million Americans have a gut disorder. That compares with 2 million who are battling cancer and 15 million who are dealing with an autoimmune disease. Clearly there is something wrong with our guts.

Whether it be GERD, Crohn’s disease, IBS, Celiac disease, Gastroparesis, Diverticulitis, Ulcerative Colitis, food allergies, candida, diarrhea, constipation, bloating, gut dysbiosis, or SIBO; if you are one of the many struggling with a gut disorder, you know firsthand how debilitating it can be. These disorders can severely impact quality of life at a minimum and at their worst they can be life threatening. They are also raiding our pocketbooks and many that suffer with these disorders are passed from Doctor to Doctor; dismissed and downplayed. After years of trying to search for answers they are left discouraged, hopeless and confused and in no way get closer to improving their health after spending so much time and money. Surely there must be a better way.

All this talk about our guts isn’t simply trendy-our modern experience is affecting our gut biome in serious ways. The modern convenience-food diet is devoid of nutrition and ripe with preservatives and food additives. We no longer have the taste or time for using the “whole animal”, so we are not receiving the benefits of things like bones, marrow and organ meats. Our modern schedules do not allow for things like milling our wheat and letting our bread rise or fermenting to preserve fresh harvests. Our vegetables are grown thousands of miles away in soil that has been devastated by decades of monoculture farming, chemical fertilizers and pesticides. Gone are the days when vegetables were grown in nutrient rich backyard garden soil where billions of good bacteria teemed. Those vegetables were harvested and placed on the table that day, full of those good bacteria and dense nutrition (thanks to no transit time for nutrients to be lost and no sterilizing hygiene practices-those good bacteria in the soil were still hanging out on that lettuce!). The list goes on-our modern lives are full to the brim of gut destroying stress, toxins, and medications. Even the amount of time we take to make and consume our food is different in these hectic modern times. We often think of digestion as something that happens “down south” in the gut. But in truth, it begins up north—in the brain and mouth. When we see, smell, and taste food, our brain sends signals to prepare the stomach, pancreas, and intestines for what’s coming. Saliva begins to break down carbohydrates and moistens food for proper chewing and swallowing. Stomach acid ramps up to digest all food, but especially proteins. This stomach acid also kills harmful bacteria and other pathogens. Enzymes start forming to break down food and help with nutrient absorption. All these things are essential for proper digestion.

If we rush through meals, eat on the go, or multitask while eating, this “north-to-south” communication gets disrupted. The result? Bloating, sluggish digestion, and nutrient absorption issues. Do you want to have some simple things that you can do today to start working towards healthier digestions? Chewing our food, vagal nerve support such as humming and singing while we cook in the kitchen, offering a prayer of thanks for the bounty before us, taking a digestive enzyme like Pro-Enzymes or an all-in-one digestive support like DigestiPan or Zypan are all an easy place to start!

To dig a little deeper, take a closer look at the food you are eating. Ask yourself, what am I eating on a regular basis that may be hard to digest? Here are some ideas of things that you can start with. Minimizing or cutting these things out of your diet may be the first place to start.

· Sugar: Sugar promotes the growth of harmful bacteria and inhibits the growth of good bacteria. It also increases inflammation which can make intestinal lining more permeable.

· Pasteurized dairy: the pasteurization process destroys beneficial enzymes and nutrients that are essential for digestion.

· Unsoaked or unfermented grains: starch molecules and phytates rob the body of important minerals, are hard to digest, and can cause allergic reactions.

· Starch filled vegetables (potatoes, corn, peas), legumes or beans: there are many health benefits to these foods, but some have trouble digesting them because of their high fiber content, presence of certain carbohydrates, and proteins.

· Processed fats and oils (canola, soybean, vegetable oils, hydrogenated fats and oils): These fragile oils are frequently rancid due to the processing they go through. They can promote inflammation in the body and put strain on the digestive organs.

· Processed foods (processed meats, white bread, fast food, etc.): these lead to gut microbiome imbalance and inflammation.

 

Ok, enough of the negative! Let’s talk about all the delicious food you can eat that not only tastes amazing but will work wonders in healing and promoting the future health of your gut!

· Anti-microbial saturated fats (grass fed butter, coconut oil): these combat yeast overgrowth, fungi, parasites and viruses. They also promote healing in the gut lining!

· True bone broth: this is high in collagen and gelatin which are crucial for a healthy gut lining. It is also rich in nutrients that reduce inflammation and improve digestion.

· Soaked or fermented grains: the soaking and fermenting process breaks down anti nutrients while making nutrients and minerals more available to the body. They are rich in antioxidants, break down gluten and make complex proteins more easily absorbed.

· Pastured meats: these animals are not only much happier but more nutrient dense! As they graze on diverse pastures they accumulate phytonutrients. These enhance the flavor of the meats and offer anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects.

· Wild caught cold water fish: These fish are high in omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin D and other nutrients when compared with farmed fish. They also generally contain lower levels of contaminates.

· Organ meats: these are powerhouses of vitamins, minerals, and nutrients that support digestive health.

· Lacto-fermented foods (yogurt, sauerkraut, etc.): these foods are high in enzymes and beneficial bacteria that inoculate the gut, restore the intestinal lining, and help with digestion of fat.

· Raw dairy products: these contain vital nutrients more that protect against pathogens and promote a diverse biome in our guts.

Our diet is obviously a major player in promoting gut health. But are there other things to address in our lifestyle? Let’s look at 3 big lifestyle topics that are common instigators of digestive problems.

1. Chronic stress. It is the human experience to have stress in our lives and some stress we face is unavoidable. But are there things in our life that we can either take out or add in that would lower the stress load we carry?

· Are you taking on unnecessary burdens? Burnout isn’t necessarily from taking on too much, it can often be from taking on burdens that you aren’t meant to bear. Could you step back and ask yourself what is truly necessary and beneficial to both you and those in your world?

· Could you carve out even one day a week that is protected as a day of rest? We were made to be humans, not machines-a need for rest is woven into the fabric of our makeup.

· On the positive side could you add things to promote rest in your life? Prayer, solitude, exercise, time outside, reading real paper books, firm boundaries with your phone and face to face time with people you love and who love you, can all go a long way in lowering stress levels.

2. Sleep! We all know so much about how important sleep is and yet so many of us struggle with it.

· Some of you have true sleep problems, make getting help with this a priority!

· Turn off all phones and TV an hour before bed and curl up with a good book instead!

· Stop eating 3 hours before bed so your digestion won't disrupt your sleep.

· Get outside during the day so your circadian rhythm is in sync with the sun!

· Take these supplements to help support a good night's rest:

Restful Mind Support, Magnesium, Sleep Formula, Somni-Mint Rosmarinic Complex, Valerian, and CBN.

3. Get outside! We were not made to be confined in four walls and concrete jungles. Getting out in nature will improve your mood and stress levels. What's even more amazing is that microbes from plants, animals, soil and the air come in contact with our skin and respiratory system and promote microbiome diversity! So, don’t be afraid to get dirty-dig in the dirt, plant native plants in your yard, go to the mountains and breathe deeply!

To look at all of this might feel overwhelming. Don’t feel like you need to tackle every issue with your diet and lifestyle right away. Choose one thing to start with and make habitual. Then add another. Even a tiny drop of water, if persistent, can carve the hardest rock. Take your health in your capable hands and start swimming upstream. We are here to support you on this journey!

References:

 

Sugar’s Link to Poor Gut Health | Centre for Gastrointestinal Health

What's So Good About Fermented Foods? - The Weston A. Price Foundation

Milk: It Does a Body Good? - The Weston A. Price Foundation

Fats & Oils - Eugene Chapter, Weston A. Price

The Surprising Benefits of Fermented Grains: A Nutritional Breakthrough - Fermentation

How To Restore Digestive Health - The Weston A. Price Foundation