Diet Tips� Limiting your intake of processed foods

can have a positive impact. These foodsgenerally have little nutritional value andoften contain large amounts of saturatedand trans fats, salt and preservativesthat can be harmful to the body.

� Monitor your fat intake to ensure yoursaturated fat intake is at the appropriatelevels, while still obtaining vital omega-3s. A diet high in fat can makethe digestive system sluggish and maycause or aggravate diseases of thedigestive system.

� Don’t overeat - eat moderate portions toavoid putting too much stress on thedigestive system. Eating too much cangive you heartburn as the pressure in thestomach increases.

� Eat regularly, as this will preventovereating due to hunger and preparesthe digestive system for regular meals.

� Eat breakfast every day. It is the mostimportant meal of the day. The digestivesystem is most active in the morning, soyour body will be able to digest thenutrients more efficiently then.

Lifestyle Tips� Avoid Stress

Stress is linked to many conditions in the body, and digestion is no different. An upsetstomach at times of stress is an indication of stress-related digestive distress. Stress canslow the process of digestion, causing bloating, pain and constipation. It can also havethe opposite effect, causing frequent bowel emptying with loose and watery stools.Managing stress levels can improve symptoms of conditions such as peptic ulcers andirritable bowel syndrome.

� Regular ExerciseEnjoy regular exercise to help strengthen themuscles of the abdomen. This also reducessluggishness by stimulating the intestinalmuscles to push digestive contents throughyour system.

� Sleep in ComfortWhen you lie flat, it’s easier for stomachcontents to reflux into the oesophagus. If youfind this is a problem for you, you can combatthis by using pillows under your back to helpyou sleep with your head up at a 30- to 35-degree angle.

� Record Digestive ProblemsIf you are having digestive problems regularly,it may be a good idea to seek medical advice.Keeping a diary of your symptoms is a usefulway to help the doctor understand and treatany problems. This diary should include arecord of foods eaten, stress levels and signsof other sickness, and can help reveal whenand why your problems arise.

�The old saying “You are what you eat” is asimple way to sum up the importance of thedigestive system. However, the health of thegastrointestinal tract (GI) or digestive systemis dependent on the nutrition your bodyreceives and is able to process efficiently.When we eat such things as bread, meat andvegetables, they are not in a form that thebody can use as nourishment. Digestion is theprocess by which food and drink are brokendown into their smallest parts so that thebody can use them to build and nourish cellsand to provide energy. When things arerunning smoothly, digestion goes unnoticed. Itis when there is an imbalance that problemsstart to arise. There are many factors thatinfluence your digestion, and having a goodunderstanding of what these factors are canhelp you achieve optimal digestive health.

WHAT ARE THE SIGNS ANDSYMPTOMS OF DIGESTIVEPROBLEMS AND WHAT CAUSES THEM?

The most common signs and symptoms areabdominal pain, constipation, diarrhoea,nausea, heartburn and vomiting.

At one time or another, we’ve all experiencedthe discomfort of digestive problems. Suchproblems are very common and can rangefrom inconvenient to debilitating. While thesesymptoms can be an indication of anunderlying problem, poor diet and stress areoften causes for the more acute, mildproblems. And of course, the food you eat hasan impact on digestive health. Overeating,indulging in rich and fatty foods and noteating enough fresh produce can all causedigestive upset.

Avoid the pitfalls of modern life, and yourdigestive system should cause you no more harm!

NEWSYOUCANUSE

DIGESTION:an introduction

NEWSYOUCANUSE Issue 1/2007 Page 1

Issue 1/07

Page 2 NEWSYOUCANUSE Issue 1/2007

1. MouthThe digestive journey begins here, where food isbroken down into smaller pieces so it canprogress further down the GI tract. The crushingaction of the teeth, with the mixing of food andsaliva creates a substance that is able to passeasily down the oesophagus. The action of

chewing stimulates the chemical breakdownprocess by releasing salivary amylase, a substance

in the saliva that breaks down starch.

A guide to a...�HEALTHY DIGESTIVE SYSTEM

The following diagram illustrates

the functions of the main structures

in the digestive system.

Diet Tip� Take your time �

Many people eat on the run regularly.

This is a bad habit to get into as you

often end up eating too quickly. It

takes the brain about 20 minutes to

realise the stomach is full, so slow

down while eating. This will help

prevent overeating.

?A high intake of garlic and onion was associated withsignificantly reduced risks of many digestive system andother cancers, according to a large study from Italy.People with a high intake of garlic had an associatedrisk reduction of 88 per cent for oesophageal cancer.

Source: American Journal of Clinical Nutrition November 2006,Volume 84, Number 5, Pages 1027-1032 “Onion and garlic use and human cancer” Authors: C. Galeone, C.Pelucchi, F. Levi, E. Negri, S. Franceschi, R. Talamini, A. Giacosa and C. La Vecchia.

2. OesophagusOnce swallowing occurs, the involuntary part ofdigestion starts. Waves of muscle contraction,called peristalsis, push the food (known at thisstage as the bolus) down the 20cm of theoesophagus. At this point, the bolus reaches thejunction between the oesophagus and stomach:the oesophageal sphincter, which stops acidicstomach contents from rising up.

3. StomachAfter the oesophageal sphincter allows the bolus to

pass through, the stomach begins its work. Firstly,it must relax and expand to accept the volume offood and drink. Then, bolus is further brokenapart through a process of churning. It isthoroughly mixed with a hydrochloric acid-based digestive fluid and other digestiveenzymes to further break down proteins. The

third task of the stomach is to empty its contentsslowly into the small intestine via the pyloric

sphincter (this happens after food has been in thestomach about two to four hours).

Diet TipLooking for a natural way to

improve your digestion by

stimulating your body’s

hydrochloric acid

production? Drink some

lemon juice mixed in warm

water before you eat.

DID YOU KNOW...

? DID YOU KNOW...A new Swedish study has shown that consumption ofcarotenoid-rich vegetables is associated with a lower risk ofstomach cancer. Eating three or more servings a week ofgreen leafy vegetables or root vegetables could reduce the

risk of stomach cancer by between 35 and 57 per cent. Source: NutraIngredients Carotenoid-rich vegetables linked to less stomachcancer. http://www.nutraingredients.com/news/ng.asp?id=71232

NEWSYOUCANUSE Issue 1/2007 Page 3

6. EliminationAfter processing by the large intestine, faeces are stored in therectum. When the faeces are ready to be expelled, they pass through the anus.

Aloe vera’s laxative effects are attributable to agroup of chemicals known as anthraquinones. Ithas been shown to relieve the symptoms ofulcerative colitis, a type of irritable bowel disease. Astudy showed 47 per cent of participants who tookaloe reported an improvement in IBD symptoms,compared with only 14 per cent of those given placebo.

Source: Langmead L et al. “Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of oral aloe vera gel for active ulcerative colitis.”Aliment Pharmacol Ther. 1;19(7):739-47, 2004.

DID YOU KNOW...?

5. Large IntestineThe large intestine is home to good bacteria, which live off foodresidue and maintain health by keeping bad bacteria at bay. It is herethat water is reabsorbed, and some nutrients are absorbed. Oldercells that have been shed from the mucosa, as well as things thatcannot be absorbed, such as dietary fibre, are stored in the largeintestine. Fibre helps to keep the foodmoving through the GI tract. Thefood that cannot be brokendown is called faeces.These materials arepropelled into the colon(a part of the largeintestine), where theyremain, usually for aday or two.

Diet TipThe two vital and symbiotic

components to large intestinehealth are probiotics (good

bacteria) and fibre. The goodbacteria in the gut need fibre tosurvive and create by-productssuch as vitamin K that improve

our nutrition and health.

Diet TipPapaw is a useful digestiveaid, as it contains papain.

This important enzyme helpsthe body break down and

digest proteins.

4. Small IntestineThe food mixture (known at this stage of digestion as chyme) is mixedwith bile, pancreatic juice and enzymes and intestinal enzymes todigest food. This makes it available to be absorbed through the smallintestine’s walls to enter the blood to be used by all cells. The smallintestine is where most of the nutrient absorption occurs.

DID YOU KNOW...?

Research shows probiotics plus fibre can lead to a marked decrease in coloninflammation in people with ulcerative colitis. This combination led to remission orimprovement in symptoms in 77 per cent of study participants, and no adverse effectswere reported.

Source: Bibiloni,R et. al. “VSL#3 Probiotic-mixture induces remission in patients withactive ulcerative colitis.” The AmericanJournal of Gastroenterology 100 (7),1539–1546, 2005.

Greg & Nancy DohertyHighest Quality Health & Fitness Ltd0800 552 8789 1800 552 8789P +64 9 478 2111 F +64 9 478 9111info@hqh.com www.hqh.com