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How to build, improve and maintain your digestive health.

What is digestive health?

When it comes to overall well-being, few things are as crucial as your digestive health. Yet, it is often overlooked, rarely thought of, and even taken for granted. After all, we eat and drink, hopefully with some enjoyment, use up the food sources (calories) through activity or just living, eliminate the waste, and move on to the next round. We don’t think much about the very complicated process going on inside our bodies to make all that happen unless there is some disruption – stomach ache, bloating, constipation, diarrhea, nausea – which is usually temporary. If it is not, there may be some underlying, more serious medical issues which should be checked out by a medical professional. But in general, we don’t give much thought to our digestive system.
Digestive health is essentially the state of health of your gastrointestinal (GI) tract and multiple organs and systems, responsible for performing a variety of critical functions such as swallowing, digesting, absorbing nutrients and eliminating waste.
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The importance of digestive health

Your overall digestive system, and the gastrointestinal tract in particular, relies on a microbiome for healthy functioning. The microbiome is an ecosystem of microorganisms, like bacteria and fungi, that help with digestion, protect against harmful pathogens and even produce nutrients like vitamin K and B vitamins. When you have a healthy digestive system, your microbiome has the proper balance of good bacteria, so that your digestive system can break down foods and liquids into basic nutritional and chemical components – carbs, proteins, fats. This allows the body to absorb nutrients, use energy, and build and repair cells.

Research has shown that your digestive health also impacts your mental health and overall well-being. The connection and communication between your gut and your brain plays a critical role in mood regulation and mental health. Studies have found that approximately 90% of serotonin, which is known as the “feel-good” neurotransmitter, is produced in the gut.

How digestion works

Like so many of our bodily functions, the digestion process is amazing in how the number of organs and systems involved coordinate and perform their tasks with impeccable, life-supporting precision. There are lots of steps and several stops as food and liquid move through your digestive system. The process starts before you even put that first bite of food, or drink, in your mouth.
As most of us have experienced, simply seeing and smelling food activates the salivary glands to release saliva which acts on the food immediately when you start chewing. In fact, your salivary glands produce roughly 32 ounces (roughly a liter) of saliva every day. This is the first step in the digestion process.
  • As most of us have experienced, simply seeing and smelling food activates the salivary glands to release saliva which acts on the food immediately when you start chewing. In fact, your salivary glands produce roughly 32 ounces (roughly a liter) of saliva every day. This is the first step in the digestion process.
  • he chewed food then goes into the esophagus, where a series of wave-like muscle contractions moves the food to your stomach in a process called peristalsis.
  • Once in your stomach, acid and enzymes break the food down.
  • From there, the food moves into your small intestine in a semisolid form, and is turned into a fluid to absorb nutrients. The pancreas, liver and gall bladder contribute to the process with digestive juices and bile.
  • In the final stage, the small intestine sends the leftover food to the large intestine where it becomes waste (poop), and the digestion process is complete. Time for the next meal.

What digestion does for you

The digestive process of breaking food down into smaller molecules of nutrients provides the body with what it needs for energy, growth and cell repair. The blood carries the nutrients to cells throughout your body, where it is further broken down into the carbohydrates, proteins, fats and vitamins that are the essential components of nourishment needed to sustain life.
Carbohydrates – These consist of sugars, starches and fiber. Depending on their chemical structure, they are defined as either simple or complex. Simple carbohydrates include natural sugars, such as those found in fruits, vegetables, milk and milk products. They also include added sugars that come from food processing, and are generally considered less desirable as part of your diet. Complex carbs are the starches and fiber found in starchy vegetables (i.e. potatoes), legumes, cereals and whole grain foods.
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Proteins – Meat, eggs, beans and some grains are made up of large protein molecules which the body breaks down into smaller amino acid molecules through the digestion process. Your body absorbs amino acids through the small intestine, which the bloodstream then carries throughout your body.

Fats – Fats help the body absorb vitamins, as well as being a good source of energy. Corn, canola, olive, safflower, soybean and sunflower oils are considered healthy fats, although seed oils are suggested to be used in moderation. Things like butter, shortening and snack foods are even less healthy fats and should also be consumed in moderation. Your body breaks down fat molecules into fatty acids and glycerol during digestion. Glycerol is a sugar alcohol that also occurs naturally in the body. In the right balanced amounts, it contributes to metabolic function, liquid levels in the body and regularity.
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Vitamins – Vitamins are essential for metabolism and cell nourishment and repair. They are classified into two categories depending on the fluid in which they dissolve. Water-soluble vitamins include vitamin C and all the B-complex vitamins. Fat soluble vitamins include vitamins A, D, E and K. Your body stores fat-soluble vitamins in the liver and fatty tissues. Water-soluble vitamins are not easily stored, with excess being flushed out in urine. Water-soluble vitamins require regular replenishing.

6 ways to support your digestive health

Supporting and maintaining your digestive health will also contribute to your overall general health. And as with most things that support or improve your overall health, it includes the basics, like hydration, diet and exercise, along with some additions specifically geared toward gut health.
Stay hydrated. How much water (liquids) you need depends on factors such as your size, activity level, environment and metabolism. Depending on these things, guidelines will generally recommend 1 to 2 liters per day. The importance to digestion is that water helps the foods you consume flow more easily through your digestive system, helping to keep it actively healthy.

Diet. The main dietary component that aids in digestion is fiber, which allows digested matter to pass more easily through the intestines. Fiber is classified as soluble or insoluble. Soluble fiber comes from things such as barley, oatmeal, beans, nuts, and fruits such as apples, berries, citrus fruits, and pears. Insoluble fiber is found in whole grains, wheat cereals, and vegetables such as carrots, celery, and tomatoes. If you find it challenging to get enough fiber-rich food, there are many over-the-counter supplements that can help.

Exercise. One more of the many benefits of exercise is that it has been proven to benefit your digestive system. Physical activity is associated with reduced inflammation, improve gut bacteria and a better mindset. The CDC recommendation is for around two-and-a-half hours of moderate activity per week, including muscle strengthening work 2 days a week.

No alcohol or smoking. It is highly recommended to either eliminate or at least, greatly reduce drinking alcohol and smoking. It’s kind of a no-brainer for your overall health, and how it relates specifically to your digestive health is that alcohol increases acid in the stomach, which can lead to heartburn, acid reflux and ulcers. And smoking nearly doubles the risk of having acid reflux.

Emotional and stress management. There is a proven connection between your gut and your brain. Certain emotions like sadness, anger, nervousness and fear are often felt in the gut. This can cause irritation in the gastrointestinal system, and can also affect the central nervous system, triggering mood changes. Stress also contributes to issues like constipation, diarrhea and irritable bowel syndrome.
Add probiotics. Probiotics are healthful bacteria increase the number of good bacteria in your microbiome, helping the 100-plus trillion bacteria that live inside your digestive system. Adding probiotics to your diet can improve immune system functioning, reduce inflammation and help maintain regular bowel function. Probiotics are found in fermented food sources like yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut and miso. Probiotics are also supported by prebiotics which come from non-fermented food sources such as beans, whole grains, garlic, bananas, onions and asparagus.

Oral dissolving strips for digestive health

A new innovative oral dissolving strip from Riize has been specifically designed to enhance and aid digestive health. Riize Digestive Strips dissolves in seconds and quickly provides relief for a variety of digestion-related issues like upset stomach, gas, and bloating, as well as providing multiple other benefits.
The ingredients in Riize Digestive strips have long been used traditionally as natural remedies in Ayurvedic medicine:
  • Emblica Officinalis is powerful antioxidant that helps balance stomach acidity, supports healthy digestion, and strengthens the gut lining. It also has anti-inflammatory properties.
  • Foeniculum Vulgare has been used as both a spice and an herb that soothes the stomach and reduces bloating.
  • Carum Carvi relaxes the muscles of the digestive tract and relieves gas and bloating.
  • Coleus Ambonicus Lour helps with regularity, as well as calming the stomach, reducing gas and easing fullness.
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By compounding these ingredients for oral delivery on a dissolving strip, Riize Digestive strips offer a quick, convenient way to get digestive relief and support digestive function.

SOURCES

https://www.biofiredx.com/blog/why-digestive-health-important/

https://ibdclinic.ca/what-is-ibd/digestive-system-and-its-function/why-is-digestion-important/

https://bgapc.com/facts-about-your-digestive-system/

https://www.emedicinehealth.com/four_main_functions_of_the_digestive_system/article

https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/body/7041-digestive-system

https://www.health.harvard.edu/topics/digestive-health

https://www.health.state.mn.us/people/sexualhealth/definitions.html

https://www.ashasexualhealth.org/sexual-health/

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