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Immunity Begins in Your G.I. Tract
by Nancy Hearn, CNC
Did you know that scientific research has found that about 80 percent of our immune system is actually found in the gastrointestinal tract?
Thus, improving your digestion, assimilation and elimination may be the first place to start if you want to improve your health and to prevent illness or disease.
Six Ways to Improve Digestion, Assimilation and Elimination
1. Chew your food more. Digestion begins with enzymes in the mouth. Thus the first step to better digestion is to slow down and chew each bite more thoroughly. Learn to chew each bite of food 30 to 50 times and when you drink a beverage, just hold the fluid in your mouth a little longer than usual.
2. Drink enough water to stay hydrated. I can’t stress the importance of drinking enough water. When the body is even slightly dehydrated, the G.I. tract will simply not function properly. Keeping your body hydrated means drinking at least half your body weight in ounces of water daily. In addition, drinking 12 to 16 ounces of water 30 to 60 minutes before each meal will ensure optimal nutrient utilization from your food.
3. Be relaxed when eating. Stress and anxiety can slow down or even shut off your digestive system. Thus, in most cases, it is usually best not to eat at all if you are stressed or in a hurry. If you must eat on the run or when emotionally challenged, I recommend drinking a fruit smoothie or fresh vegetable juice or just eating several pieces of fruit until you can sit down and have a relaxed meal.
4. Follow simple food combining guidelines. When eating poorly combined food, most people’s digestive systems becomes overloaded and unable to function properly. The food thus sits and rots in the digestive tract for long periods of time, compromising the effectiveness of the immune system. Poorly combined food will often make you feel uncomfortable, bloated and/or tired. Read more about food combining principles.
5. Eat natural fiber foods. Try to eat at least 8 to 10 servings daily of fresh fruits and vegetables, the best fiber foods for colon health. Smaller amounts of nuts, seeds, beans and whole grains such as oats, bran, and rice are also beneficial fiber foods. Avoid all processed, fried, canned and fast foods. And try to minimize all animal-based foods, such as meat and dairy products.
Following these five guidelines will usually resolve most weaknesses in the G.I. tract. If additional help is needed to improve digestion and elimination, a few key supplements are beneficial, including magnesium, probiotics, digestive and proteolytic enzymes, and natural fiber powders, such as psyllium, oats, and ground flax seeds, that can be added to cereal or beverages.
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