Digestion starts where?
Just about every picture of the digestive system that I see is missing one key organ. Can you guess what it is?
It’s the brain!
A great example of how the brain is involved in digestion is how our mouths start to water when we think about, smell or see food. After receiving this sensory input, the brain tells the salivary glands to produce saliva to make swallowing food easier and to deliver the enzymes that start the digestion of carbohydrates.
North to South Cascade
Digestion is a North to South process. This means that steps further along in the process are impacted by the events further North. The brain is the furthest North organ of the digestive process.
Any dysfunction along the digestive cascade will lead to more dysfunction further along. So, if we eat mindlessly or don’t chew our food properly, this can lead to digestive issues all the way along the gastrointestinal tract.
How we eat can be just as important as what we eat!
Rest to digest
Digestion is also a parasympathetic process. Simply put, this means that you need to be relaxed to digest your food properly. People often say, “you are what you eat”, but it really should be “you are what you eat, digest and actually absorb”.
Stress reduces our ability to produce stomach acid. Insufficient stomach acid will mean that we can’t fully digest our food.
Incomplete digestion can lead to nutritional deficiencies, food sensitivities, increased intestinal permeability and microbial imbalances in the large intestine. Prolonged digestive dysfunction can lead to serious health conditions.
Simple steps to improve digestion
Turn off any devices and remove distractions
Take the time to really appreciate the sight and smell of your food before eating
A gratitude ritual (during family meals we each say 3 things we are grateful for that day)
Take a few deep, relaxing breaths
Chew your food thoroughly and put down your knife and fork between bites
Don’t drink too much liquid with meals
If you think you have low stomach acid, some apple cider vinegar or a quality HCl supplement with meals may be helpful (symptoms of heartburn and reflux are often due to low stomach acid, not too much!)