Being able to properly digest the food we eat is foundational to good health. Why?
Because being able to properly digest our food is how we get nutrients into the body. If our digestion is broken, we will not be able to extract the nutrients from the food and absorb them.
Our bodies require various nutrients to be able to not only carry out their daily metabolic functions but also for us to have good energy levels, emotional flexibility, and mental stability.
So why does someone’s digestion ever become broken in the first place?
Digestion can be negatively affected and potentially shutdown by:
- Stress
- Bacterial infections in the stomach
- Certain medications
- Improper eating habits
- Some common foods
Another potential problem with digestion not working well is that the food may not be broken down properly, so it tends to just sit in our stomach. Have you ever had that feeling when you eat a meal, and it feels like a rock just sitting there in your stomach? That’s a strong sign your digestion is compromised.
Think of a factory where goods are being brought in faster than they can be packaged up, sent out the door, and loaded onto trucks. The goods will start to pile up and cause problems for the workers in the factory trying to get their jobs done. It’s the same with digestion – the partially digested food will start to accumulate, creating an additional burden on our metabolic processes and energy levels. All the while, we run the risk of becoming nutrient deficient because the body’s access to the replenishing nutrients it would otherwise get from our food is now limited.
The undigested food that is accumulating in the body becomes like garbage that is not being taken out. It is easy for the body to become toxic at this point, which can set us up for other, more serious health conditions down the road. Not to mention a lack of energy to do the things we want to do because our body isn’t working the way it should.
Read more about the main players in digestion here.
The good news is all of this can be reversed. However, these issues won’t resolve on their own without a strategic plan. One that is customized to your unique digestive issues and monitors progress toward resolving the issues.
If you are dealing with a health condition or disease, it is even more important that any digestive issues you have are assessed, understood, and addressed. Poor digestion is a significant source of stress to the body and when you are trying to heal, you need as much energy and resources working towards healing as possible.
Digestion FAQs
How does someone’s digestion become compromised in the first place?
Poor digestion is very common in the Western world and can be due to things such as bacterial stomach infections, intestinal infections, chronic stress, consuming a lot of processed foods, chronic dehydration, the use of certain medications, or a combination of any of the above. Poor digestion can be corrected over time through the use of targeted supplements and diet & lifestyle modifications.
If my digestion was compromised, wouldn’t I know?
Not necessarily. Recurring constipation or diarrhea are obvious signs that someone’s digestion is not working properly. But even in the absence of these things, a person could still have less than optimal digestion. Just because food is going in and poop is coming out doesn’t mean a person is properly extracting, absorbing, and utilizing the nutrients from their food.
