Naperville Integrated Wellness

NAPERVILLE'S TOP RATED LOCAL® FUNCTIONAL MEDICINE FACILITY

banner_bloglayout

Problems with digestion are some of the most common health issues we work with in our Naperville office. There are many ways the digestive system can manifest imbalances; chronic vomiting, diarrhea, pain, constipation, poor appetite, etc. Underlying causes include malabsorption, nutrient deficiencies, inflammation, gut flora imbalance, food sensitivities and neurotransmitter insufficiency just to name a few.  If you are suffering with problems with the digestive tract it can be difficult, if not impossible, to achieve optimal health. In this article, I will explain the basic functions of the digestive tract and how we work with our patients to restore optimal function utilizing a functional medicine approach. The purpose of this article is to provide you with a good conceptual understanding of the digestive process and its significance in optimal health. Proper digestion is often considered the foundation of good health.

Food Preparation: Stomach

The primary function of your digestive tract is to take in food and convert it into a form that can be used by your body to carry out its functions. Food as you know it, is not in a form that is suitable for your body to use. It must be broken down into very small pieces so it can be absorbed; this process of breaking down food is so it can gain access to the cells of your body is called digestion. Absorption is the process of small food particles gaining access to your body and all the organs involved in this process are called the digestive system. The word digestion comes from the Latin word digestio meaning apart + to carry. So, you can think of digestion as the process of breaking food into very small pieces and making them available for the body to use.

Once food is consumed through the mouth it enters the stomach via the esophagus. In the stomach, this food is mixed with very concentrated acid as well as digestive enzymes. Inadequate stomach acid or digestive enzymes is a common problem with many of our patients. This severely impairs normal digestion because acid and digestive enzymes are necessary to break food into small pieces. If food is not broken down sufficiently, then the small intestines will have greater difficulty absorbing it. Other problems that can be caused by acid or enzyme insufficiency are poor mineral and vitamin absorption, leaky gut syndrome and SIBO. SIBO is condition where large numbers of bacteria exist in the small intestine (most of the bacteria in the intestinal tract should be confined to the large intestine and not the small intestine). For more information about SIBO see my blog page. Leaky gut syndrome is a condition where large food particles are permitted to be absorbed by the small intestine; this can lead to inappropriate immune system reactions and inflammation. GERD is yet another health issue that can be caused by low levels of stomach acid and digestive enzymes. When the stomach is struggling to make sufficient stomach acid, the food you have eaten must remain in the stomach for longer periods of time. When this happens, gases begin to build up and pressure in the stomach increases. To relieve this pressure, gas and partially digested food, mixed with acid and enzymes is permitted to move upward (against gravity) into the esophagus and possibly the mouth. I can’t emphasize enough, the importance of getting your food broken down into very small pieces so that it is in a form that does not lead to health problems.

Absorption: Small Intestine

Once food has been broken down in the stomach it is permitted to enter the small intestine where it is broken down into even smaller pieces. In the small intestines, stomach contents are mixed with digestive enzymes from the pancreas. Your pancreas releases liquid into the small intestines that neutralizes (reduces the acidity) acid from the stomach and this liquid also contains digestive enzymes. These enzymes further breakdown food into yet smaller pieces. As food moves through the small intestines, it is exposed to enzymes not only from the pancreas but also from enzymes produced by the small intestine itself. Ultimately, the food you have eaten is broken down into pieces that that can be effectively absorbed by the small intestine. Your small intestine contains many folds and finger-like projections called villi and these villi have many small projections called microvilli. This type of structure significantly increases the surface area of the small intestine; permitting very efficient absorption of nutrients. Conditions like celiac disease as well as leaky gut syndrome can damage these “digestive fingers” which significantly reduces the surface area of the small intestine and results in malabsorption issues. Food sensitivities can also cause significant problems for the small intestine. Testing for food sensitivities and removing foods from the diet is often required to restore healthy small intestine function.

The small intestine is where almost all your nutrition is absorbed and made available to the rest of your body. In fact, 90% of all nutrition is absorbed in the small intestine, with only 10% being absorbed in the stomach and large intestine.

Next week I will pick up with the large intestine and discuss probiotics, prebiotics and the importance of proper neurotransmitter production.

If you are looking for a functional medicine doctor in Orland Park, Frankfort or Aurora, please contact us today!

If you would like more information about healthy digestion and functional medicine or Dr. Sexton go to www.napervilleintegratedwelness.com

Do your own research, inform yourself and ask lots of questions. When collecting information you MUST consider the source. There is no shortage of false, misleading, outdated, profit-driven and utterly biased information in healthcare today; even from the most respected sources.

This approach is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, mitigate, or prevent any disease. Why is this? The FDA enforces its position that these words can only be used with drugs. This approach does not use drugs, it manages nutritional deficiency. Under FDA guidelines nutritional deficiency management cannot be said to treat, cure, mitigate or prevent disease.

CONTACT

Call: (630) 210-8391 or fill out the form below