Continuing our series on leaky gut syndrome and working towards healing. I want to start with how different organs help our digestive tract work properly and getting stomach acids working again, if this is your issue.
Special Note: Please remember I am not a Naturopathic Doctor and all the details I provide is informational. Please consult your health practitioner before stopping any allopathic medication.
If you are taking the little purple pill for acid reflux, this post is especially for you. If you have taken antibiotics, eat a poor diet low in greens and beans, live in a high stress environment, or smoke / drink alcohol to excess, you also may be positively affected by this post. In fact, any acid reflux or stomach issues may see a positive impact with these changes.
Your digestive tract is sometimes called your second brain. Remember that the digestive system is how we get nutrients into the body and with poor nutrition all your organs and important systems will fail. Your digestive system works with the liver, gallbladder, colon, pancreas, and all your digestive tract parts and pieces. Each organ plays a very important role in proper digestion.
Liver. When food goes into your mouth and saliva is activated a message is sent to your liver to create bile. Bile breaks down the food in your stomach so that it can be processed in the intestines. The liver also produces albumin which is the blood protein that carries hormones and fatty acids through your body.
Recommended reading: https://ocrc.net/understanding-the-livers-role-in-digestion/
Gallbladder. Your gallbladder’s primary responsibility is to store and concentrate bile from the liver and then pass it to the stomach.
Recommended reading: https://www.drmalladi.com/how-does-my-gallbladder-aid-in-digestion/
Pancreas. In conjunction with the gallbladder, the pancreas releases enzymes to aid in breaking down sugar, protein, fats, and starches in the stomach. It also makes the hormones insulin, glucagon, gastrin, and amylin.
Recommended reading: https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/the-digestive-process-what-is-the-role-of-your-pancreas-in-digestion
Colon. Your colon can restart bile production when the liver is stressed or fatigued. Its main job is to remove liquids from the foods passing through the intestines. Additionally, the bacteria in the colon feed on the waste and break it down further. That bacteria can also reinitiate bile production when the proper foods are introduced.
Most people have a physical reaction to consuming beans and certain legumes. Some more than others. Beans are made up of fiber, starch, phenolic compounds, protein, and sugar. When consumed, the complex sugar needs to be broken down, as its parts ferment, gas is created – our physical response. Through this process, it aids in the creation of that good bacteria that restarts the bile production.
If you are not a fan of beans and legumes, there are other ways to get them into your system. If you are not a fan of the texture, grind them and add them to meals. If you don’t like the flavor, try them in a different fashion, e.g., hummus. Many people don’t like the skins, if you soak and rub them, you can remove these skins and prepare them as you like. Not all beans and legumes taste the same. For example, I love pea soup but I don’t like lentil soup. The lentils have a sour taste in my mouth, but I know they are good for me, so I mix them in with my peas when making pea soup.
Here are some options available to you that are out of the norm.
Recommended reading – making and using bean flour: https://www.littlehouseliving.com/making-and-using-bean-flour.html
More recommended reading – bean flour recipes: https://www.21stcenturybean.com/bean-flour-2/
More recommended reading – banza garbanzo bean pasta: https://www.eatbanza.com/
More recommended reading – simple sesame edamame hummus: https://streetsmartnutrition.com/simple-sesame-edamame-hummus/
More recommended reading – easy hummus recipe: https://www.themediterraneandish.com/how-to-make-hummus/
I must give a bit of personal preference to the links above. I LOVE Banza pasta. To me, it tastes the most like regular flour pasta. Secondly, I adore hummus. It is so easy to make and you can flavor it however you like. Try it… you’ll like it!
Blessings – E