Did you know that many neurological and psychiatric disorders such as ADHD, autism, dyslexia, Alzheimer's disease, depression, bipolar disorder and anxiety are strongly linked to your digestive system? Or did you know that skin diseases such as acne, dermatitis, eczema and psoriasis are more than just superficial and can trace back to the gut?

Recently, scientists have begun to understand the importance of the gut to health and disease. Many researchers now believe that supporting gut health will become a primary focus of 21st century medicine.

Your gut plays an important role in your immunity and health. In fact, about 80-85% of your immune cells are in your digestive system. Looking closer, your gut is a huge ecosystem made up of a trillion bacteria. Of the bacteria in your belly, some are harmful while others are beneficial and help us digest and assimilate food and then transform it into nutrients. The "good" bacteria also help protect us from toxins. Without them our health would be at risk.

This bacterial colony is separated from the rest of the body by the gut wall. The main job of this wall is to let essential nutrients from your diet in and to prevent any harmful substances such as toxins and undigested food particles from entering the rest of the body.

Common bowel problems

Unfortunately, in recent decades, our gut health has been challenged by an increasingly poor diet, sedentary lifestyle and overuse of medications (antibiotics, antacids, birth control pills, NSAIDS, steroids). All of this has, for many, led to an overgrowth of bad bacteria andintestinal permeability, a condition known as "Leaky Gut." Here are some of the most common gut problems:

Stomach acid levels too low.

The likely causes of this problem are often due to chronic mental stress, which reduces stomach acid production. Overuse of heartburn medications, which neutralize stomach acid or suppress its production, may also be involved.

In a healthy situation, when your body can produce enough acid, the stomach acidifies in the presence of food. The pH goes down to 1 (1 being the most acidic and 14 the most basic) and stomach acid destroys most of the harmful bacteria in the food. But when you don't produce enough acid, the pH can go back up to 4 or 5 and this allows opportunistic bad bacteria to survive and grow in your intestinal tract.

Overabundance of bad bacteria in the gut flora

In a healthy gut, the number of "bad" bacteria is limited and strictly controlled by the "good" bacteria. But when this flora is weakened and damaged, the opportunists get out of control. The Candida albicans is one such opportunist and candidiasis is a direct result of an unbalanced gut flora. 

Common causes include excessive use of antibiotics (also found in commercially raised meat, milk and eggs), which have a devastating effect on good bacteria. Another example is a diet high in refined foods but low in fermented foods.

Leaky Gut

Most people with opportunistic gut flora overgrowth have some degree of gut permeability. The bad bacteria constantly produce toxic substances that are byproducts of their metabolism. These bacteria damage the integrity of the gut wall barrier and make it permeable to toxins. Once the toxins circulate in the bloodstream, they cause problems in various organs of the body, including the brain and skin. 

When the gut leaks, partially digested food also passes through the gut wall and into the bloodstream, where the immune system recognizes it as foreign and attacks it. This is how food allergies and intolerances develop.

Why is digestion important for a healthy gut?

The digestion process is important because your body needs the nutrients in food and drink to function properly and stay healthy. Proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, and water are nutrients. Your digestive system breaks down nutrients into small enough pieces for your body to absorb and use for energy, growth and cell repair.

The inability to digest food properly may indicate a lack of stomach acid and digestive enzymes. This is a common problem due to poor eating habits and high stress levels. When there is a shortage of digestive enzymes, your body draws enzymes from other parts of your body into the digestive organs that are essential for immune regulation and cellular processes. This can lead to enzyme depletion in other systems and processes that are not directly related to digestion.

Improving your gut and digestive function is one of the most important steps you can take to improve your health.

What to do for better digestive function

• Drink plenty of water outside of meals but avoid drinking too much when you eat. The digestive system, like the rest of the body, needs to be well hydrated, but drinking water around meals can affect digestive power and cause stomach upset. Drink water 15 to 30 minutes before eating and wait about an hour. You can also try drinking ionized water or water from a water cooler.eau hydrogénée, which has shown many benefits for your gut.

• Eat raw fruits and vegetables: this is a great way to getnatural enzymes and nutrients that might otherwise be denatured by the heat during cooking.

• Eat healthy foods: chemical food additives, artificial sweeteners, colors and preservatives, and processed grains could disrupt the digestive process. Eat whole, natural foods as much as possible.

• Take probiotic supplements if necessary: you can replenish your enzyme supply by supplementing.

• Avoid foods that can cause digestive problems: some foods can irritate your stomach and cause celiac disease, constipation, heartburn, inflammatory bowel disease and other common problems. 

  • Avoid spicy foods, wheat, cabbage, beans, fried foods, and dairy products (if you are lactose intolerant). 

  • Eliminate caffeine and alcohol from your diet. 

  • Choose lean meats and limit foods that contain a lot of fat, as they slow down the digestion process.

• Exercise regularly. The more you sweat, the more you flush out unwanted pollutants and toxins from your pores. Also consider a sauna session to detoxify. 

• Drinking hydrogenated water can be a great way to not only stay fully hydrated, but also to guérir votre corps During periods of rest.

• Eat properly: to improve your digestive health, it's important not only to choose the right foods, but also to eat them the right way. 

  • Avoid eating while watching television. 

  • Try eating four or five small meals instead of three large ones. 

  • Reduce your portion size. This helps to reduce stomach capacity and avoid overloading the digestive system.
    

Keeping your intestinal transit healthy is definitely paramount to living a healthier, more balanced life. So why not start today and keep your gut as healthy as possible?