Digestion is the most important part of how our body fights disease. Most people think of digestion in the stomach but it actually starts in the mouth and continues until everything is released through our stool. Digestion, simply put, is our body’s ability to use enzymes to extract the nutrients and break down fat, carbohydrates and protein into smaller molecules to feed our cells. These nourished cells make up all of our organs and organ systems and allow them to work at their optimal levels.
In today’s busy world we often eat on the go, or rush through meals. When you are going 90 miles an hour and eating while on the phone and working, your body is not getting the signal that it is time to eat so in turn it does not tell the body to make enzymes to properly digest your food. If instead we would practice the model of “rest and digest” we would see a difference. “Rest and digest” means sitting in a calm environment and taking time to smell your food and chew it slowly, enjoying the process. When this happens, our body is triggered to release enzymes which in turn support digestion by breaking down the food that we consume.
When we eat on the go, which is a common habit many of us have, the result is that food is left sitting in the stomach possibly causing it to bloat. When this happens, the body is triggered to produce excess acid to break down that food and push it through to the intestines because it can’t sit in there forever. This then results in heartburn and ultimately inflammation of the stomach lining and esophageal lining because that acid is intense. Without those enzymes there to break down the food, the body is unable to get all the nutrients the food had to offer. Then the food isn’t broken down small enough so when it gets into the intestines, it aggravates the intestinal lining. This feeds the bad bacteria in your system and causes the lining of the intestines to break down which contributes to food sensitivities and ultimately causes leaky gut. When this happens over time your gut gets so disrupted that it starts affecting your immune system and also your mental health, leading to many diseases. So you can see that forming a good habit of sitting down to “rest and digest”, while seemingly a simple thing, can really make a big difference!
Now we have a certain amount of enzymes we are born with. These actually develop in babies when they are in the womb during the 9th through 12th weeks of gestation! If something detrimental occurs during this time, such as the mother getting the flu, it is possible that the development of sufficient enzymes in the baby can be affected. Interestingly enough, babies that are vaginally delivered get support for their digestive tract during that process as well. Additionally, breastfeeding supports enzyme development. Now I understand that vaginal deliveries and breastfeeding are not always an option for everyone, but they do put the baby at an advantage. If these two factors aren’t in place, other measures can be taken to support healthy enzymes in a baby.
Another place where we can use up our enzymes and mess with the digestive tract are when foods are given too early to children. The enzymes first available to newborns are the ones that help digest mother’s milk. Babies are actually unable to properly digest carbohydrates until 18 months so it is optimal to wait until then to start feeding them adult food. However, in our culture typically we start feeding our babies food at around 6 months. Because this is the case, I suggest supplementing their diets with digestive enzymes to help their digestive system breakdown the foods they are eating, such as baby cereal, fruits and vegetables. Also, babies are unable to properly digest sugars until 36 months (3 years) of age, so it is important to feed children nutrient dense whole foods. We also need to take into consideration processed food, pesticides and lack of relaxed eating, these all affect digestion and enzymes and negatively affect our sensitive digestive tract. This is why we are seeing disease in kids younger and younger. It is important to remember that children’s digestive and immune system are not finished developing until puberty and their teenage years.
The things I mentioned before just continue to compound and compound as we get older. Our digestive system needs support so it can work for many many years. Our digestive enzymes also deplete after the age 50 so it is especially important in the elderly to be supporting digestion. I support digestion with enzyme support and probiotic support. There are also certain enzyme blends that help detox and support the body’s system that I use to help heal disease. I always start with an anti-inflammatory whole foods diet, then I support the digestive tract with enzymes and probiotics. If you want me to work with you and help you with your digestion, which will ultimately help other health issues you are experiencing, then contact me and I would love to help you get your health back on track!
+ For more information, check out this link to a video by Dr. DicQie Fuller-Looney
+Information taken from the book “The Healing Power of Enzymes” the revised edition by Dr. DicQie Fuller-Looney