Intestinally Healthy
By Casey Adams, Ph.D.
Most of us assume digestion takes place in the stomach. Not true. While some carbohydrates and proteins are broken down in the mouth and stomach, and water is absorbed through the walls of the stomach along with a few minerals, most of our nutrients from food are broken down completely and absorbed through the upper intestinal tract.
The small intestines are made of three parts: the duodenum, the jejunum, and the ileum. The duodenum is short—only about 30 centimeters—but the jejunum runs about two meters long and the ileum is another three meters in length. The intestine is a contorted tube about two to three centimeters in diameter. Throughout the inside of the intestines are finger-like protrusions called villi. These villi are lined with blood and lymph vessels to absorb the nutrients.
Enzymatically and Probiotically
In between the villi are glands that secrete bile and bile salts from the liver via the gallbladder, and various enzymes from the pancreas. Together these biochemicals change the pH of the food mix from the stomach and break down the nutrients to be absorbed. Proteins are broken down to polypeptides (amino acids) by protease. Fats are broken down to glycerol and fatty acids by lipase. Lactose is broken down into glucose and galactose by lactase—just to name a few.
Should our pancreas be burdened or stressed, it will not produce enough enzymes. When the body is in stress mode, hormones and blood goes elsewhere, leaving the pancreas in low gear. For this reason, it is important to relax when we eat. Otherwise, our food might end up significantly undigested.
Enzyme production can decrease with age. For example, lactase production can slow down as our bodies get older. This is natural. However, this doesn’t necessarily mean we are lactose-intolerant. In fact, a recent study showed that most people claiming to be lactose-intolerant could drink at least one glass of milk a day without any problems. Prevailing opinion is that many suspect lactose intolerance simply because lactase production slows down a bit. Low lactase doesn’t mean we have to stop consuming dairy either. Cheese and yogurt also contain lactase and lactase-producing cultures.
For conditions related to cramping and indigestion, first consider not drinking fluids with meals. This will better concentrate the enzymes. Beyond that, enzymes and probiotic supplementation should be considered. Enzyme supplements are readily available in broad mixes, and should be taken with meals. Probiotics are microorganisms that live in between our villi. They help us break down and assimilate certain nutrients, also helping us defend against invading bacteria. They also secrete critical nutrients such as vitamin B12. The Lactobacillus, Streptococcus and Saccharomyces families are the more prolific probiotic inhabitants in the upper intestines. These are also readily available in supplement or live yogurts and kefir. Probiotics should also be taken with or shortly after meals.
The Gall
Our gallbladder stages and times the release of bile and salts from the liver into the intestines as needed—especially useful for fat digestion. Without the gallbladder, bile infusion doesn’t time with our meals. The liver produces bile as it recycles its filtered components from the blood and lymph. This means if the body has imbalanced calcium, cholesterol and other nutrient levels, the gallbladder may crystallize the excessive components into gallstones. The best way to prevent gallstones is to eat a well-balanced plant-based diet with plenty of fiber, and plenty of water in between meals.
Fiber is also extremely critical for proper digestion. This is because fiber regulates the absorption process. It does this by absorbing excess water, allowing enzymes to be more concentrated, while softening undigestables headed for stool. Without both soluble and insoluble fiber, starches will be broken down and assimilated quickly. As the glucose hits the bloodstream, it stimulates insulin production from the pancreas. This avalanche stresses the pancreas and the cells. This creates insulin and glucose insensitivity, encouraging obesity and type II diabetes.
Professional consensus suggests 25 grams of fiber a day at the bare minimum, but 40-50 grams per day is recommended with at least 50-75% soluble. The average American diet contains no more than about 12-15 grams of fiber. Great fiber choices include apples, oats, whole wheat, and vegetables. Every meal should have 5-15 grams of fiber. Low fiber meals stress the body’s resources, and increase the likelihood of obesity, heart disease, and blood sugar problems.
Healthy fats from nuts and seeds are also helpful in balancing glucose absorption. Because fats are broken down slowly, a meal with a little healthy fat will time release absorption, giving us a steady stream of energy instead of the roller-coaster insulin-glucose ride.
Research has
illustrated that the healthiest mix of fats is about 10% saturated; 10% gamma
linoleic acid (GLA); about 40% long chain omega-3 fatty acids such as alpha
linolenic acid (ALA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid
(DHA); and 40% healthy omega-6 unrefined oils from nuts, sesame and sunflower
seeds, olives and canola. GLA is found in green leafy vegetables, spirulina,
borage and primrose oil.
The “Stitch”
The runner’s “stitch” is caused by our intestinal villi pulling blood from the surrounding abdominal muscles for nutrient absorption just after we eat. As blood is diverted, less oxygen and glucose gets to surrounding muscles. Other muscle groups in the legs and arms can also cramp for the same reason after a meal. The best way to relieve an abdominal stitch is to bend over and firmly push into and rub the painful area. This draws blood into that muscle group, relieving the cramp. Even better: work out on an empty stomach.
Intestinal Permeability and Irritability
For years, alternative practitioners described a digestive disorder called “leaky gut syndrome.” This idea was ridiculed by the medical establishment as anecdotal and non-existent. In recent years, however, research on drug absorption by the pharmaceutical industry has confirmed the lining of the small intestine is subject to alteration, creating permeability and absorption problems. This “new” disorder was named more technically “intestinal permeability syndrome” (or IIPS).
Increased permeability of the small intestine is thought to create many allergic and arthritic conditions. This appears to be the result of larger macromolecules—complex peptides, toxins and even invading microorganisms—getting into the bloodstream or lymph. Once these foreign macromolecules arrive in the bloodstream or lymph, the body may launch an inflammatory immune response. This can result in the dreaded autoimmune syndrome. Worse, an invasion of microorganisms through the abnormally permeable intestinal wall can infect joints and tissues. Bacteria have recently been found to be the culprits in multiple cases of rheumatoid arthritis, for example. Blastocystis hominis, found largely in the digestive tract, was one of the bacteria found in swollen joints. Overgrowth of Candida albicans elsewhere in the body has also been attributed to IIPS—as it is a normal fungal inhabitant in a healthy digestive system.
Macromolecules leaking into the bloodstream may also be a cause for the increasing occurrence of food allergies in western society. Should larger, undigested food molecules enter the bloodstream—even if from a food consumed for decades—the body’s immune system simply does its job of rejecting invaders and setting up antibodies for future invasions. This response is usually accompanied by sinus, skin or other inflammatory responses.
The epithelium of the intestinal tract functions as a triple-filter barrier that screens for molecule size, ionic nature, and nutrition quality. The villi are made up of smaller cells called microvilli, and between them are junctions that form a bilayer interface, controlling permeability. Should the intestinal wall mucosal chemistry become altered, its protective and ionic transport mechanisms become weakened, allowing foreign molecules to irritate the microvilli, causing a subsequent inflammatory response. This inflammation is not only seen in IIPS, but also in cases of irritable bowel syndrome. As the microvilli are altered by this changed chemistry, they not only let large molecules into the body, but the cells themselves may be marked as “foreign” by the immune system—causing inflammation and irritable, cramping bowels.
This alteration of the intestinal mucosal layer can be caused by excessive alcohol, smoking, pharmaceutical drugs (notably NSAIDs like aspirin and other pain medications), and foods with high arachadonic fatty acids such as fried foods, trans-fats, and animal meats. Toxic substances such as plasticizers, pesticides, herbicides, and food dyes are also suspected.
Fortunately, most of the epithelial cells of the small intestine are replaced within about a week. With probiotic supplementation, relaxing mealtimes, a high-fiber, nutritious diet with plenty of fresh foods, intestinal health can be regained in most cases. Botanicals helpful for stimulating intestinal digestion include papayas, pineapples, fennel, peppermint, licorice, black pepper, ginger, and anise. A light, circular abdominal self-massage is also helpful after a large meal.
© Copyright 2008, Realnatural, Inc.