Digestive Matters!!!

Digestive Matters!!!

It wasn’t until quite recently I found out that as we get older the amount of stomach acid we produce reduces.  So what I hear you say! It’s never something I’ve thought about.  How does it make a difference to my health?  Yahoo, more heart burn!!!

But I’m just going to share with you a few things I’ve found out. Along with a few questions it raised for me.

Why is stomach acid important?

In the human body, the stomach was designed to produce the acid that is necessary for proper digestion of food.  When functioning properly, cells called the parietal cells in the stomach secrete hydrochloric acid that brings the stomach pH to a range of approximately 1.5 to 3.0.  This acid is very strong. If it were to be dropped on a piece of wood, it would burn a hole through the wood. It will digest bone.

But our body is very well designed.  The inner lining of the stomach is protected from its own acid by a thick layer of mucous and epithelial cells that produce a bicarbonate solution (an alkaloid) to neutralize the acid. Although the acid does affect the stomach lining the mucous cells renew every few days protecting the lining.  Our stomach acid and its production is vital to our health in several ways. Here I’m just going to focus on the absorption of nutrients as tools for our bodies to maintain our health.

Our stomach acids allows for the absorption of beneficial nutrients and minerals and certain vitamins. These are more easily absorbed when stomach acids are available. The nutrients and minerals react with stomach acids which are then converted into salts that are more easily absorbed. Without this we’d be unable to absorb all the nutrients we need for optimum health. Some of the B vitamins, namely vitamin B6 (pyridoxine), B12 (cobalamin), and folate are especially dependent on acids in the stomach for their absorption into the bloodstream and tissues of the body.

The digestive enzyme called pepsin is incapable of working properly if there is not a sufficient level of hydrochloric acid available in the stomach at the time food enters the stomach. The problem is pepsin breaks down proteins. If proteins which are ingested are not broken down properly then larger pieces of the proteins can enter the bloodstream. These are equivalent to foreign objects entering the bloodstream and can lead to allergic reactions as our immune system sees it as an invader.

Besides calcium and vitamin D, our body needs silica in order to make our bones strong and prevent osteoporosis. Silica, which is an essential mineral is used in the formation of elastin and collagen.  It is converted into orthosilicic acid. The orthosilicic acid protects against the loss of bone density therefore preventing conditions such as osteoarthritis.  Without silica, humans would develop serious conditions such heart disease, osteoporosis, emphysema, and osteoarthritis. Because silica is used in the formation of collagen and elastin if we are deficient in it wrinkles could occur. That is the last thing we want. Nobody wants to look like a piece of chewed up meat!!!!

Research has shown that the amount of stomach acid normally starts to decline as we get older. Now if that is the case then it means we will be less able to digest our food properly. We will be unable to absorb the vitamins and minerals the body needs to repair and renew its self.  So here is a question. Is that why we start to age and wrinkle?  And why our bodies sort of wear out, we just can get the vitamins and minerals that we need? That was two questions sorry!!

The bottom line is; Hydrochloric acid (HCL) is naturally secreted in the stomach in order to digest food in order to be absorbed into the bloodstream. Many people have a deficiency of this acid, which can lead to other vitamin deficiencies and imbalances.  After the age of 50, the body’s ability to produce HCL begins to tail off.  Many of the nutrients that are necessary to prevent age-related symptoms and diseases depend on stomach acids for proper absorption. It’s really a vicious circle of lacking stomach acid, leading to larger declines in stomach acid, leading to a lower absorption rate of stomach acids forming the necessary nutrients which in turn leads to lower stomach acid formation.  What a nightmare!!!

So what does that mean?

So what can we do to support our stomachs?

• Chew foods thoroughly to stimulate digestive enzymes in the mouth. That is where digestion begins. It also breaks up foods into the smallest particles possible for better digestion.

• To help the body to digest animal proteins soak meats in acidic mediums such as lemon or lime juice, tomato juice or apple cider vinegar. Marinating meats is a good way to pre-digest them.

• Avoid overeating and snacking in between meals. This will allow time for your body to digest foods properly.

• Take juice of half a lemon, diluted with warm water (or totally undiluted) at the beginning of each meal.

• Try to avoid processed foods like, fast foods, genetically modified foods, foods with additives or dyes and artificial flavouring as they have zero nutrition value. So your body will be working hard to digest food for no benefit.

• Try to avoid eating proteins with carbohydrates/starches together as carbs hinder the production of HCL. Instead, eat protein with low starch veggies and carbohydrates with veggies.

• Try not to eat just before bedtime. If you eat too late the body struggles to complete the digestive process during the time it is naturally trying to rest (sleep). Again this is a time when the body repairs its self.

• Don’t lie down immediately after eating. How often when we’ve eaten a big meal all we want to do is lay down. If you must lie down, prop yourself up with pillows so that head and body are raised to aid the digestion.

If we do these few simple things then maybe it is possible that we can keep the wrinkles at bay for longer. I’m up for that.

I hope that was helpful. If you have any questions at all on what I have talked about, definitely reach out to me in the comments of this post and I will get back to you!