Basic Info

Your digestive system includes your gastrointestinal (GI) tract, pancreas, liver, and gallbladder. The GI tract breaks down and digests food so nutrients can enter the bloodstream and solid waste can be separated and excreted. Your GI tract includes your mouth, esophagus, stomach, small intestine, large intestine and anus. The small intestine is a pivotal region of the GI tract where nutrients, such as amino acids, sugar molecules, vitamins, and minerals get absorbed into the bloodstream. If you unraveled and spread out your small intestine, there would be enough surface area to cover a tennis court. The large intestine contains an elaborate ecosystem of one hundred trillion bacterial cells. A healthy intestinal microbiome is incredibly important to the health of the entire body, supplying essential nutrients, synthesizing vitamin K, and preventing pathogens from entering the body through the digestive system. Research reveals changes in the intestinal microbiome may cause allergies, inflammation, diabetes, obesity, and even cancer. To protect your digestive system, eat a balanced diet of whole foods and avoid food additives. In addition, avoid excessive alcohol, sugar, and unnecessary antibiotics.

Latest
How to Heal Your Gut Naturally

How to Heal Your Gut Naturally

The gastrointestinal (GI) tract of a healthy mammal is home to a complex community of bacteria. This microbial community is often called “microbiota,” “gut flora,” or “beneficial bacteria.” These microbes have ...

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3 Breakfast Foods You Should Eat for Better Digestion

3 Breakfast Foods You Should Eat for Better Digestion

There's nothing worse than experiencing stomach pain, cramps, and gas during a morning meeting or on your commute to the office, and certain foods can definitely cause your belly to ...

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Doctor Explains When You Shouldn’t Fast, and When Chest Pains May Be Due to Stomach Problems
Leaky Gut: One of the Most Mysterious Diseases, Can It Be Prevented?

Leaky Gut: One of the Most Mysterious Diseases, Can It Be Prevented?

The topic of "leaky gut" has gained increasing attention in recent years. Some believe that it is the cause of many diseases, while others do not think the disease exists. ...

1183d
6 Tips to Relieve Constipation: Nutritionist

6 Tips to Relieve Constipation: Nutritionist

Anyone who has experienced constipation knows the discomfort it can cause. In hopes of swiftly resolving this matter, people may resort to using prescribed or over-the-counter enzymes and probiotics. However, ...

1184d
Celiac Disease Dilemma

Celiac Disease Dilemma

Since celiac disease prevents the intestine from absorbing nutrients, I’m wondering if I need vitamin shots. My son, age 12, and daughter, age 17, also have celiac disease. I’m concerned ...

1187d
Castor Oil Packs: A Useful Natural Remedy

Castor Oil Packs: A Useful Natural Remedy

The ancient folk remedy is gathering some research to support its traditional uses

1187d
4 Health Benefits of Black Fungus

4 Health Benefits of Black Fungus

Black fungus is an edible wild mushroom and a popular culinary ingredient in Asian cuisine. It is smooth and tender, and packed with health benefits. It's rich in antioxidants and ...

1190d
Heal Your Gut Microbiome With the GAPS Diet

Heal Your Gut Microbiome With the GAPS Diet

A 20-year-old protocol for severe autoimmune diseases offers different variations

1190d
Pumpkin Improves Vision, Weight Loss, Ulcers, and Prostate; the Best Ways to Prepare

Pumpkin Improves Vision, Weight Loss, Ulcers, and Prostate; the Best Ways to Prepare

Pumpkin is not only delicious, but it is nutrient-dense and linked to many health benefits. I am going to suggest several different ways to prepare it to help you lose ...

1192d
Meditation Increases Healthy Intestinal Bacteria and Reduces Risk of Cardiovascular Disease: Study

Meditation Increases Healthy Intestinal Bacteria and Reduces Risk of Cardiovascular Disease: Study

As a religious practice, meditation has been around for thousands of years in the East. It has also received widespread attention in modern-day medicine for nearly half a century and ...

1192d
Why We Need to Treat Whole Grains With Respect

Why We Need to Treat Whole Grains With Respect

How taking the time to soak or sour whole grains makes them easier to digest

1195d
A Simple, Free Way to Heal Your Gut—With No Side Effects
Norovirus Outbreaks Climb: Symptoms to Watch for, Home Remedies

Norovirus Outbreaks Climb: Symptoms to Watch for, Home Remedies

There are currently outbreaks of norovirus in several countries, including the United Kingdom, Canada, and the United States. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) data show 225 ...

1201d
Ancient Wisdom: Eating Local and Seasonal Food Is Better for Health

Ancient Wisdom: Eating Local and Seasonal Food Is Better for Health

When I was studying macrobiotic diet therapy, I said that we should eat food that grows within 31 miles (50 kilometers) of our vicinity. Food produced within this area is ...

1202d
What Are Electromagnetic Frequencies and How Do I Protect Myself?

What Are Electromagnetic Frequencies and How Do I Protect Myself?

The amount of electromagnetic frequencies (EMF) we are exposed to has skyrocketed in the past couple of decades. With 5G technology now fueling the internet of devices, our near-constant use ...

1204d
The Critical Link Between the Microbiome, Motivation, and Cancer

The Critical Link Between the Microbiome, Motivation, and Cancer

Research is revealing how a virtuous cycle between exercise and a healthy microbiome may be a key cancer treatment

1206d
When Is the Best Time to Drink Water? Doctor Shares Tips for Gut Health

When Is the Best Time to Drink Water? Doctor Shares Tips for Gut Health

Water consumption is essential for human survival and ensures the proper functioning of our bodies. Water transports nutrients throughout the body and regulates metabolism to enhance its resistance to diseases. ...

1208d
9 Tips to Get Rid of Stomach Pain, Flatulence, and Gastric Acid Reflux

9 Tips to Get Rid of Stomach Pain, Flatulence, and Gastric Acid Reflux

Modern-day living can often be hectic and result in abnormal eating and diet patterns. Coupled with stress from work, outpatient clinics often come across patients who seek treatment for diseases ...

1209d
With Large Injury Numbers, Is a Colonoscopy Even Worth It?

With Large Injury Numbers, Is a Colonoscopy Even Worth It?

? Sponsor OFFER: Get pure, easy to store American Elderberry extract at 20 percent off with code Health20 at WisconsinElderberry.com ----------- A colonoscopy is not a pleasant procedure. But the ...

1209d
Want to Lose Weight Without Regaining? Intermittent Fasting May Help

Want to Lose Weight Without Regaining? Intermittent Fasting May Help

Is your appetite thwarting your ability to lose weight? Studies have found that the desire to eat constantly may be due to an imbalance of the satiety center in the ...

1214d
The Medicinal Properties of Vanilla: From Ancient History to Modern Use

The Medicinal Properties of Vanilla: From Ancient History to Modern Use

Vanilla has a long history of diverse usage, both culinary and medicinal. Its medicinal benefits and applications are based on the chemical properties of vanillin and vanillic acid, vanilla's active ...

1215d
Martial Arts Instructor Shares Experience Reversing Stage 3 Colon Cancer With Intermittent Fasting

Martial Arts Instructor Shares Experience Reversing Stage 3 Colon Cancer With Intermittent Fasting

About four months after being diagnosed with stage 3 colorectal cancer, Fred Evrard was told by his smiling doctor: "Mr. Evrard, you are cancer free." A lot had happened in ...

1215d
More Than Just a Cup of Tea: Oolong Sharpens Your Senses, Calms Your Nerves, and Promotes Healthy Sleep

More Than Just a Cup of Tea: Oolong Sharpens Your Senses, Calms Your Nerves, and Promotes Healthy Sleep

A little-known Chinese tea has been associated with longevity, tranquility, and weight loss

1216d
Having Chest Pain? It May Not Be Caused by Heart Disease

Having Chest Pain? It May Not Be Caused by Heart Disease

Chest pain is one of the most frequent causes of emergency department (ED) visits in high-income countries. It is responsible for more than 8 million visits to EDs in the United ...

1216d
The Unexpected Connection Between Stress and Bloating

The Unexpected Connection Between Stress and Bloating

We all know the feeling of an expanded stomach after a particularly indulgent meal. But beyond the occasional bloating experience, nearly a third of the U.S. population experiences chronic bloating ...

1217d
Want to Burn Belly Fat? Eat More Fiber

Want to Burn Belly Fat? Eat More Fiber

Soluble fiber has essential roles in the body that can help you lose the most stubborn fat

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