Digestion :: Health and Disease

Digestion
by author Sandra Tonn, RHN

What do weight problems, skin conditions, allergies, fatigue, insomnia, arthritis, headaches, depression, yeast infections, constipation, and cancer have in common? These and dozens of other conditions may all be caused or worsened by poor digestion.

We have heard the phrase “You are what you eat.” This is true, but nutrition is not just what we eat, it is what the cells of the body actually receive–and the cells only receive what is broken down through the process of digestion. Therefore we may also say, “You are what you digest.”

Digestion is a topic that stretches far beyond the stomach. Poor digestion affects the intestines, pancreas, gallbladder, liver, blood, and lymph and immune systems. Poor digestion also affects hormone balance and the functions of the brain.

When we consider the 30-foot tube–the intestine–that runs through the body, we can begin to understand why it should be a major consideration in any type of health issue; digestion is key to obtaining and maintaining overall health and well-being.

Learn at Home

Recognizing and answering the need for a better understanding of health and digestion, the alive Academy of Natural Health has created a distance education course to guide interested students through the gastrointestinal tract with steps to better digestion and, in turn, better health.

Digestion: Your Inner Path to True Health lessons are designed to inform all levels of students, from the general public and layperson to the health professional who wants a deeper understanding of digestion. Lessons include quizzes and self-marked tests to enhance the learning process. Information covered includes an easy-to-understand explanation of the digestive process along with practical advice about what, how, and when to eat.

Additional topics include the many factors affecting digestion, common digestive disorders, and larger health links to digestion such as allergies, fatigue, hypoglycemia, and diabetes. Finally, the course provides 15 steps to better digestion and describes many natural digestive remedies.

By properly digesting nutritious foods, every cell in the body is fed exactly what it needs to be truly healthy. The digestive process really is your inner pathway to true health.

For more information about Digestion: Your Inner Path to True Health, contact the alive Academy of Natural Health toll-free at 1-800-663-6580, ext. 331.

Facts to Chew On

Did you know that stress shuts down the digestive process? No matter how healthy your food choices are, if you eat while stressed, preoccupied, or in a hurry you will not digest well. According to the Journal of Gastroenterology, chronic constipation is one of the most gastrointestinal complaints.
More than six million Canadians suffer with the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).
Did you know that poorly digested proteins may be directly linked to all types of allergies?

Sandra Tonn, RHN, is a registered holistic nutritionist, natural health writer, and the educational advisor for the alive Academy of Natural Health.

Source: alive #273, July 2005

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