If your immune system is down and seems to fall sick quite often, you should check your gut health. Gut health and proper digestion are inextricably linked to overall health and proper functioning of the immune system.
70% of the immune system dwells in the digestive tract. Therefore, it is crucial that you maintain a balance digestive health to achieve good overall well-being.
Digestive tract
It starts at the mouth and ends at the anus. It is responsible for breaking down food into smaller molecule for easier absorption and expels the undigested waste. It defends against harmful bacteria and infection from entering into the blood and lymphatic system.
Immune system
It is a combination of special cells, protein and tissues. The immune cells are constantly patrolling around the gut environment. The internal microflora of the digestive tract is the first defense in preventing overgrowth of harmful bacterial. It forms a barrier on the intestinal wall and prevents harmful bacteria from entering into the blood and lymph.
Therefore, maintaining healthy digestive system will improve your immune system.
How do you improve gut health?
1) Choose your food wisely
Choose high quality, fresh organic food whenever possible. Raw food has it’s own digestive enzyme, which is important when the body is healing and may be low in enzyme.
High fiber food shorten the transcend time of undigested waste in the colon. Fermentation of fiber produces a fatty acid that helps to condition the gut lining.
2) Chew your food thoroughly
Carbohydrate digestion starts in the mouth when saliva is secreted. The saliva also attacks harmful bacteria. Not chewing thoroughly makes the food more difficult to digest.
3) Digestive enzyme
The pancreas produces produce digestive enzyme to digest protein, carbohydrate and fat. When your body lacks digestive enzyme, digestion is not complete leading to constipation, bloating, gas and discomfort.
Eat food is naturally high in enzymes to increase the digestive enzymes in the body. They are legumes, pineapple, banana and grains. Fermented food such as miso also provide enzyme to the digestive system.
4) Stomach acid (Hydrochloric acid)
Stomach acid does not really digest food. It triggers the production of pepsin, which is the enzyme for digesting protein. Hydrochloric acid destroys bacteria, parasite eggs and larvae.
Aging, poor diet and lifestyle habit cause the blood to be acidic. And when the blood is acidic, the stomach thinks that it does not need anymore acid and slows down the release. So, food cannot be digested properly
5) Prebiotic and probiotic
Prebiotic foods provide nutrients that nourish the good bacteria in the gut, hence aid in digestion. The key ingredient is frutooligosaccaride and inulin. These ingredients are readily available in onion, garlic, leek, legume, banana, asparagus and apple cider vinegar.
Probiotics are supplements of live bacteria naturally occurring in the gut. Lactobacillus and bifidobacterium are the common one, which you can find that are commercially available.
6) Drink water
Water helps to flush out toxins, softens the stool and prevents constipation. Dehydration saps body energy. Do not drink too much water during a meal as it can dilute the digestive enzymes and slow down digestion.
Avoid or minimize soda and coffee as they dehydrate the body. Go for filtered water, organic herbal tea and probiotic liquids.
7) Cleanse and detox the gut
Undigested waste and toxins from digestion accumulates in the colon. These toxins can be absorbed into the blood stream if the transcend time is long. This causes auto-intoxification (self-poisoning) of the body.
You can cleanse and detox your digestive system naturally with herbs. Releasing toxins from the gut allows the liver to release even more toxins from the body.
Hippocrates said more than 2000 years ago “ All diseases begin in the gut” holds true till today. So, take care of your gut health and it will improve your well-being.
Are you doing these ways to take care of your gut? Share with me in the comment box below.
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