Lester A. Mitscher and Victoria Toews
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 THE DIGESTIVE TRACT
The digestive system is composed of several parts that all work in concert to digest and absorb food. The digestive system can be thought of as a tube approximately sixteen and one-half feet long extending from the mouth to the anus. It includes the esophagus, stomach, small intestine, pancreas, gall bladder, liver, and large intestine. Most of the mechanical and chemical breakdown of food to make it absorbable occurs in the gastrointestinal tract, which consists of the stomach (gaster in Greek) and the intestine. |
Michael T. Murray and Michael R. Lyon
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 WEIGHT-LOSS SUCCESS HABIT #2: TAKE YOUR TIME WHEN EATING
Before you eat, your digestive system speaks to your brain through nerve and chemical signals to increase your feelings of hunger. When you eat, your digestive system continues to carry on a dialogue with your brain, eventually leading to a sense of fullness and a termination of your meal. But unfortunately, it can take a full twenty minutes for your brain to get the message that you've eaten enough food. |
Dr. Edward F. Group III, DC, ND, DACBN
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| Since mucous serves to protect your digestive system, it's not unusual to find increased amounts of mucous when you're suffering from constipation or diarrhea.
When Does the Presence of Mucous Indicate Trouble?
If you experience mucous only occasionally, you shouldn't be too concerned about it. If you produce mucous for more than a few weeks or if it's accompanied by a foul smell or bleeding, you should consult with a healthcare professional as soon as possible. These additional symptoms may indicate a serious health problem. |
Peter h. Fraser and Harry Massey
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 The other half of the cells in your body are bacterial cells, most of which are beneficial and inhabit your digestive system. To get a true count, you will need to decide if you want to include the cells of the 100 trillion microorganisms that call your eyeballs, mouth, nose, ears, skin, and other areas of your body home. Our bodies are actually vast ecosystems for these organisms, many of which we could not live without because they contribute to the vital functioning of our bodies.11
It only makes sense that with so many trillions of cells in our bodies, cells are indeed tiny things. |
Jonny Bowden, Ph.D., C.N.S.
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 ALOE VERA JUICE EASES INTERNAL INFLAMMATION
The juice is also believed to have anti-inflammatory action in the digestive system and is often used for heartburn and to ease constipation. Aloe vera juice can be effective for treating inflammatory bowel disease, according to a study in the Journal of Alternative Medicine. Ten patients were given 2 ounces of aloe juice, three times daily, for seven days. After one week, all patients were cured of diarrhea, four had improved bowel regularity, and three reported increased energy. |
Ron Garner
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 It must be noted however, that after years of eating mostly cooked food, it may take the body's digestive system a little time to adjust to a raw food diet. The following story, told by Michael O'Brien, illustrates the rejuvenating effects of a totally raw food diet beautifully.1
The Japanese Army Officer
Perhaps the best story I could tell illustrates how the human body is capable of responding when it is fed as nature intended it to be. It is able to reverse its condition to one of youthful vigor and achieve a state of sensitive oneness with its environment. |
| Due to our typical diets, virtually everyone has a digestive system that is stressed and underfunctioning, an intestinal tract with a diminished store of flora, congested underfunctioning organs of assimilation, and an overload of toxins entering the system on a regular basis. We eat the wrong foods, which do not supply the nutritional needs of our bodies. Commercially-produced fruits, and especially vegetables, are now deficient in vitamins and minerals due to the overfarm-ing of soils and the use of chemical fertilizers. |
| By avoiding offending foods for a period of time, taking appropriate supplements to correct excess acid conditions, using digestive enzymes with meals, and improving intestinal flora, the digestive system is able to heal and strengthen to the point where these foods can be gradually introduced into the diet again. Many people are experiencing fairly rapid improvement with just adding green smoothies to their diets.
PRODUCING BALANCED HORMONES
Good health results from healthy lifestyle practices. When properly nourished, the body naturally produces hormones in balance. |
| The body is trying to tell us that the food or combination of foods we have eaten is wrong and is causing stress, or that the digestive system is weak. But, do we listen and then work with the body? Typically, we do not. We take antacids, and because they are advertised everywhere and are used by so many people, we think of it as normal. Using antacids is harmful to the body in the long term. As long as we continue to ignore the body's symptoms, we continue to stress it. And, as mentioned earlier, it is stress in its various forms that causes disease and the breakdown of our bodies.
The U.S. |
| Other liver enzymes detoxify and render harmless: wastes
ANUS
Figure 3.1 digestive system from dying cells, chemical pollutants, and non-foods that may have been taken into the body. These are filtered out of the bloodstream by the liver and sent to the colon for elimination from the body. Chlorine and alcohol are particularly harmful to the liver's health.
The basic building blocks, or starter hormones, for the endocrine system are also manufactured in the liver from complete amino acids, which are only supplied from raw protein in the diet. |
Elaine Magee
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 If beans bother your digestive system, try canned beans. Rinse them well in a colander to remove any gas-producing substances. The over-the-counter product Beano contains an enzyme supplement that breaks down problematic substances. accomplish both? Eat vegetarian more often. Substituting dishes with plant protein for meals with ample animal protein will typically bring down the overall amount of saturated fat while boosting the fruit: and vegetable totals!
MEATLESS MEALS FOR THE CHRONICALLY CARNIVOROUS
Curious to see what vegetarian meals can do for you? |
Dr Ron Roberts
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 The fat content and density of red meat place a strain on the digestive system, as it is difficult for the body's enzymes to break it down, but red meat is a great source of iron. For good health, though, limit the overall amount in your diet, eat small portions, chew well and always remove the fat. White meat such as fish and chicken is more digestible, but do get rid of the chicken skin first—it contains too much fat.
Do yourself a favour and throw out the frying pan. Grilling will reduce the fat content in your diet. |
Peter h. Fraser and Harry Massey
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| When you think of Energetic Integrator 7, think hemoglobin (in addition to motor cortex and digestive system). There are two important cardiovascular correlations here: blood pressure regulation and hematopoietic stem cell activity as related to white and red blood cell production. This Integrator does not link bioenergetically to actual cells but instead is concerned with the virtual aspect of blood formation, the bioenergetic influences on immune function and disease resistance. |
Dr Ron Roberts
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| Vitamins A and D also improve the digestive system, stimulate bowel function and help rid the body of any build-up of toxic matter. These vitamins are easily absorbed in the form of cod liver oil. Cod liver oil, along with castor oil, was claimed in the past to 'help oil the joints', and will no doubt conjure up some childhood memories for the more mature readers of this book. They were cure-alls used by mothers earlier this century. |
| They are assimilated directly from the stomach into the bloodstream without undue strain on the digestive system. They aid the body in purifying the blood, help in neutralising waste products, assist in building new tissue and have a revitalising and rejuvenating effect on the body's organs and glands.
Raw fruit and vegetables have a particularly high Vitamin C content, which oxygenates the blood, destroys foreign bacteria, clears cholesterol, builds resistance to disease, speeds up the healing process and is a powerful boost to the immune system. |
| He determined that when the muscles are in good working order, so is the body, and his research further discovered that each muscle group related to particular parts of the body—the heart, lungs, digestive system, glands, bones, circulation and so on.
Muscles are reliant on good supplies of blood and lymph—the body fluid which drains the tissues via the lymphatic system, carrying away toxins and substances to be excreted—to keep healthy. Kinesiologists try to enhance the blood flow to the muscles and balance the lymphatic system by stimulating appropriate pressure points. |
Mehmet C. Oz., M.D. and Michael F. Roizen, M.D.
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 Plus, perhaps no other system influences how you feel as much as your digestive system, especially when conditions such as reflux disease and constipation are as common today as reality TV. Serving as your body's second brain because of similar body chemistry (your intestines house the majority of your body's feel-good neurotransmitter, serotonin), your gut is where swings in food lead to swings in mood.
And that's why getting a good handle on the area between your love handles is important. |
Lester A. Mitscher and Victoria Toews
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| The whole digestive system starts to work as soon as a bite of food enters the mouth. The process of chewing mashes the food into smaller, more manageable pieces. Meanwhile, an enzyme called amylase, contained in saliva, begins the chemical breakdown of carbohydrates into simple sugars. If you chew a piece of bread or other starchy food long enough, you'll notice a sweet taste when the starch is turned into sugar by the amylase. Next, the food is swallowed; that is, it travels down the throat and the esophagus, a tube that connects the throat to the stomach. |
| Gastrointestinal tract. The digestive system, including the stomach and the intestines.
Gingivitis. Inflammation of the dental gums, the beginning stage of periodontal disease.
Glucose. A particular sugar that occurs widely in nature. The term is often used to refer to the sugar commonly found in the blood, in which case it is a synonym for blood sugar.
Glycogen. A carbohydrate polymer composed of glucose units. It is the main form in which carbohydrate is stored in the body. The liver produces glycogen from glucose and stores it until the muscles need it for energy.
Gram-negative bacteria. |
Mehmet C. Oz., M.D. and Michael F. Roizen, M.D.
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| Of course, there aren't too many things you actually want to put directly into your eyes, but that doesn't mean you can't pull the ol' end around: through the digestive system. By getting the right nutrients, you can make sure that enough of them are diverted to your orbs. Our recommendations:
ţ Lutein: Found in spinach, leafy green vegetables, and corn, lutein seems to improve the health of your eyes by preventing oxidative damage to your retina. You can also take it in supplement form at 6 to 30 milligrams daily. |
Ron Garner
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| This can be due to a lack of digestive enzymes, overeating and the consequent overloading of the digestive system, or a lack of friendly flora in the bowel. Chronic diarrhea can actually be a form of constipation, with the accumulation of old feces adhering to the walls of the colon in such quantities as to be actively irritating. Thick mucus then sticks to the intestinal wall and cannot be expelled. |
Dr. Sharon Moalem
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 Just as they do in the digestive system, probi-otic friendly bacteria act as naturally occurring helpful bacteria and create a barrier effect that inhibits the growth of vaginal yeast. One of the reasons some probiotics are friendly has to do with their taste in metals. Remember how almost every form of life on earth needs iron to survive? Well, one of the exceptions is also one of the most common probiotics, a bacterium called Lactobacillus, which uses cobalt and manganese instead of iron—which means it's not hunting yours. |
Tom Bohager
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 By maintaining this delicate balance of immune function, microflora in the intestinal tract, and the proper pH of the digestive system, you will be well on your way to that new path leading to additional energy, vitality, and health.
CHAPTER THREE
MAINTAINING THE DELICATE BALANCE
Enzymes relate directly to the working of the immune system, and though enzyme supplements have been shown to improve overall health, more needs to be done; balance must be achieved. |
| Often stores place these types of products with enzymes since many detoxifiers and cleanse products are directed toward the digestive system.
The key in choosing the appropriate enzyme supplement for you is to know what you are looking for. Each enzyme, whether from a plant source or an animal source, serves a unique purpose. |
| Since food allergies can compromise the integrity of the digestive system and exhaust the immune system, the nutritional support of these two major systems is essential. In addition, soothing the mucosal linings and removing of toxins helps. Enzymes can be used to achieve these goals and also reduce mucus production and inflammation that results from allergic reactions. |
| Therapeutic considerations for poor or restricted blood circulation should include daily exercise and using enzymes to support the digestive system and optimize the digestion and absorption of nutrients. Optimizing blood flow and maintaining the integrity of the cardiovascular system are essential, and enzyme therapy can support these goals. |
| Recommendations include avoiding prolonged exposure to sunlight, lifestyle modification to reduce stress, promoting sufficient rest and sleep, and dietary changes to lower fat and salt intake, as well as enzyme supplementation to support the kidneys, digestive system, and immune system. Enzymes can also be used to treat inflammation and balance the pH levels to support overall health. |
| Glucose availability was increased fourfold in the "perfect" digestive system and by seven times in the impaired digestion model. Proteins were twice as bio-available in the impaired digestive process. The activity of any digestive enzyme supplement in the small intestine "presupposes that the enzymes survive the acidity of the stomach."
While there are enzymes that are sensitive to acid and can be denatured in the acid part of the stomach (pyloric section), it is safe to say the vast majority are not. |
Hyla Cass, M.D.
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 Will break down properly and release its ingredients in the body, instead of passing through your digestive system without dissolving.
• Has been made according to good manufacturing practices (GMP).
The USP is independent and non-profit, and its standards can be enforced by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). You can find a list of USP-verified supplements at www.usp.org/USPVerified/dietarySupplements/supplements.html.
Also, look for supplements that have websites and an 800 number you can call with questions or concerns. |
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