Digestion is a complex and vital process that impacts our overall health and well-being. However, in today's fast-paced world, many people suffer from digestive issues due to poor lifestyle choices and increased stress levels. The good news is that there are several natural and effective methods to improve digestion. In this blog, we will explore how managing stress, practicing proper breathing techniques, chewing better, incorporating enzymes and probiotics, and utilizing hydrochloric acid supplements can significantly enhance your digestive health.
This first list are the more well known issues and remedies, below that, you will find some more esoteric approaches and considerations.
Managing Stress: The mind and gut are interconnected, and stress can take a toll on our digestive system. When we are stressed, our body goes into fight-or-flight mode, redirecting blood flow away from the digestive tract. This can lead to reduced enzyme production, slower digestion, and increased susceptibility to digestive disorders. By managing stress through techniques like meditation, yoga, and regular exercise, we can create a calmer environment for optimal digestion.
Breathing Techniques: Breathing exercises, such as deep diaphragmatic breathing, can have a profound impact on digestion. Slow, deep breaths activate the parasympathetic nervous system, which promotes relaxation and stimulates digestion. This practice helps to reduce stress, enhance blood flow to the digestive organs, and improve nutrient absorption.
Chewing Better: Chewing is the first step in the digestive process, yet it is often overlooked. Proper chewing breaks down food into smaller particles, making it easier for the stomach and intestines to digest and absorb nutrients. By chewing food thoroughly and savoring each bite, we aid the secretion of saliva, which contains enzymes that initiate digestion and support a healthy digestive system.
Enzymes: Enzymes play a vital role in digestion by breaking down carbohydrates, proteins, and fats into smaller, more manageable forms. However, factors such as aging, poor diet, and certain health conditions can lead to enzyme deficiencies. Supplementing with digestive enzymes can aid digestion, alleviate bloating and gas, and support the absorption of nutrients from food.
Probiotics: The gut microbiota, a diverse community of microorganisms in our digestive system, plays a crucial role in digestion and overall health. Stress, antibiotics, and an unhealthy diet can disrupt the balance of this microbial ecosystem, leading to digestive issues. Probiotics, beneficial bacteria, can help restore and maintain a healthy gut flora, aiding digestion, reducing inflammation, and improving nutrient absorption.
Hydrochloric Acid (HCl) Supplements: Contrary to common belief, low stomach acid (hypochlorhydria) is a prevalent condition that can impair digestion. Insufficient stomach acid inhibits the breakdown of proteins and the absorption of minerals and vitamins. This condition is over looked chronically in the medical world. I have seen countless cases of people who have burping, farting, constipation, and heart burn. The doctor only hears heartburn and prescribes an antacid or proton pump inhibitor without testing stomach acid levels. Here's why that is stupid as hell. Gas and constipation are signs of indigestion (not digesting). If you don't digest all your food, taking stomach acid away is like taking water away from a firehose during a building fire. What's happening is the bloating caused by undigested food, and gas creates pressure in the abdomen. This pressure causes the esophageal opening at the stomach to open and stomach acid pushes into the throat. Too much acid in the throat does not equate to too much acid in the stomach!! This is a lazy and negligent approach by GI and GP DR's who refuse to use the damn training they paid for! To see if you have low stomach acid, try this: first thing in the morning, drink 6 oz of water with 1/4 tsp of baking soda in it. If you do not belch within a few minutes, you have low acid. Also, if you eat until bloated, get gas, belch, and have acid reflux with prolonged bloating, you likely have low acid. Bloating, gas, constipation are all signs of reduced, absent or severely delayed digeston.....stomach acid is CRITICAL FOR DIGESTION, the medical industry really does do stuff this stupid. If that's the only thing keeping you from accepting this information, accept it now and move on to healing. Supplementing with HCl can help restore optimal acidity levels, enhancing digestion and reducing symptoms such as bloating, belching, and acid reflux.
Using Gas as a Sign of Low Stomach Acid: Gas and bloating are often associated with high stomach acid levels. However, they can also be indicators of low stomach acid. When the stomach lacks sufficient acidity, undigested food can ferment, producing gas and causing discomfort. If you frequently experience bloating or belching after meals, it may be worth exploring the possibility of low stomach acid and considering HCl supplementation.
Here are a few more less common considerations, but very effective for anyone.
Brain Wave States: We have 5 main brainwave states that we operate in, and depending on which state you spend most of your time, you will see either balanced or disrupted digestion. Beta brain waves are what we call monkey mind, or stressed mind. It is present between 14-30hz. In beta brain, we experience less clarity, creativity and overall sense of well being and safety. Using pure tone frequency or binural beats regularly will greatly mitigate the effects of excess stress from the brain. Alpha brain is where we find our peak flow of productivity and creativity, and that oscillates in the frequency of 8-12hz. Theta brain is 4-7hz and that is where we can find a sense of no mind, and subconscious begins to come to the conscious. This is the brain state to make the implicit explicit. Find pure tones or binural beats that match the frequency range you are seeking and dedicate plenty of time daily to create a new state of being in the brain.
Personality: As stated in previous blogs, our personality has it's own core motivations, biggest resistances and fears, which creates specific default states depending on the current level of personal integration. Each base type will be rather predictable on this, and shadows created will be much easier to target. If we're not aware of our true core motivations, then our false core can run our lives. The false core is the deep seated lie to self we implanted in adolescence. Examples include: I am...worthless, unworthy, unloved, unloveable, incompetent, inadequate, powerless, don't exist, imperfect, misunderstood. These false core's are like a pilot light to our ego, and when they are triggered, or we sense them manifesting, we create resistances and distractions which usually take the form of anxiety, anger, or sadness. The trick is to know the ways your false core is trying to lead you with fear, rage, or depression, and dismantling it. You can book a call with me, or read Way of The Human Volumes 1-3 by Stephen Wollinsky, and Wisdom of The Enneagram by Riso-Hudson. Do all the exercises in those books and have a trusted loved one help assess your conclusions as accurate representations of your life and outlook. Every single trigger created by a lack of awareness to our core motivations, and false core is a hit to our digestion.
Parasites, Fungus, Bacteria: We are full of these guys, and need them to function. However, when they get overgrown and take over, we can experience very uncomfortable symptoms. We open ourselves to being over run by eating processed foods, consuming excess alcohol, antibiotics, and medications or anything else that disrupts our gut biome.
Medications: RX and OTC medications can damage your intestinal walls, and lead to excess inflammation, leaky gut and leaky brain. This all adds to the mental stress and personality issues.
The digestive process: The process starts with chewing, which integrates our saliva and preps enzyme production for digestion. Probiotics aid digestion by helping to populate the gut and some strains kill bad strains in the gut. You can find them in raw plants, rare cooked meat, and in supplement form. Enzymes break down fats, proteins and carbs for assimilation, and they also are critical for energy production and cellular health. As we age, and/or introduce excess food and chemical toxins, we deplete our natural enzyme stores and deplete our telomeres. Eating raw, organic, and gently cooked foods should do the trick. Hydrochloric acid then enters the picture to break down the food. It is then dumped into the intestines so minerals can absorb into the blood. 3 days or so later, it is staged in the colon to be pooped out. In any of these stages, supplementation may be necessary. I recommend Bioptimizers brand enzymes, hydrochloric acid and probiotics. I've never seen results like I have with clients on any other supplement. Link below to shop their lineup.
Conclusion: Improving digestion is a multifaceted process that involves various factors, including stress management, breathing techniques, optimal chewing, enzymes, probiotics, and, in some cases, hydrochloric acid, enzyme and probiotic supplements. By addressing these aspects, you can enhance your digestive health, reduce discomfort, and optimize nutrient absorption. Remember to consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new supplements or making significant changes to your diet. Embrace these natural approaches to digestion, and embark on a journey toward improved overall well-being.
Peace, Much Love, Live Well
Coach Jerry
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