Digestive health is one of my favorite topics to teach and is one of the main reasons people seek care in our office. I am excited to say that we have helped thousands of our patients achieve more optimal digestive health.
In my previous article I talked about the number of Americans who struggle with the painful and often life altering effects of poor digestive health and the amount of money spent to (unsuccessfully) alleviate their tummy troubles.
Included in that article (see here) are the many different diagnoses that all boil down to one thing. Digestive problems. According to the NIDDK 60 to 70 million people affected by digestive diseases.
The facts are alarming!
First , lets quickly touch on digestion. Digestion is the breakdown of large insoluble food molecules into smaller water-soluble food molecules so that they can be absorbed into your blood plasma . It’s basically how you get nutrition and energy from the food you eat. Learn more here.
Why is digestion so important?
First of all, your digestive tract is a picture of your overall health. Unfortunately, your digestive tract takes on the most abuse in your body which can make it the baseline of disease. Essentially, if your digestive system is not healthy, you are not healthy.
Did you know that almost 70% of your immune system lies within your digestive tract?
If you have a weakened immune system, it could be because your digestive system is not healthy. Alternatively, if you have a weakened digestive system, it could be because your immune system is not healthy.
These systems are so closely related they can absolutely affect one another positively or negatively! So it’s common for people with digestive issues to suffer from colds, coughs, allergies, and various other illnesses.
It’s not the most pleasant subject to talk about but essential to aid in healthy digestion. You should have a healthy bowel movement each day to release toxins from the body. If these toxins do not get removed, they will build up in the system and will permeate through the skin and the joints. When that happens, you may suffer from inflamed joints and skin irritations. They can even be diagnosed with common issues like Rheumatoid Arthritis, Psoriatic Arthritis, Eczema, Dermatitis and/or other common inflammatory and skin diseases.
The Digestive System plays a huge role in digesting our food. From there, it transfers the food to the body and helps to absorb the nutrients to nourish our bodies. We need a healthy digestive system to have optimal health.
Next month, we are going to take a look at how digestion works step by step so you can better understand how to have a healthier digestive tract.
*Image courtesy of GetHealthAccess.com
Since 2006, Dr. Melissa Brennan and her husband, Dr. Jarrod, have focused on caring for your entire family. Dr. Melissa has certifications in Pediatrics, Pregnancy, Webster Technique, Acupuncture, and Nutrition Response Testing.
In 1997, Dr. Melissa was diagnosed with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus. After many years of being on medications and suffering from complications (such as kidney disease, arthritis, sun sensitivity, butterfly rash, and extreme fatigue), she was motivated to find a more natural approach to treating her disease. She became a Doctor of Chiropractic in 2004 which started her on the road to a healthier, drug-free lifestyle.
Today, Dr. Melissa’s lupus is in complete remission. She attributes her health to Chiropractic, Acupuncture, a Whole Food Diet, and Nutritional Supplements. She has taken what most consider an “unfortunate disease of lupus” and turned it into a huge blessing and wonderful opportunity to help others seek more natural ways to improve their health and maintain it for a lifetime.