Lets face it, we live in a fast paced and highly competitive world and our food has become just as fast. Today the vast majority of food in Westernized societies is highly processed and/or refined.Typically most people don't think twice about that boxed 'mac and cheese' or Sunny D styled drinks and how it affects numerous aspects of our bodies but more specifically our digestion.
Highly processed/refined foods are foods that have been stripped down to their barest components and most likely have artificial ingredients added to them chiefly to extend shelf life. Unfortunately our bodies are not designed to efficiently digest these marginal food products. Take white flour for example. The wheat that it is made from has been stripped of almost all minerals, vitamins, and fiber. Even enriched flour has synthetic minerals and vitamins added to them in an attempt to make them seem nutritious that are not digestible. This makes white flour products nutritionally void and without the fiber that was stripped out it can not pass through our bodies easily rendering our digestive systems sluggish and causing constipation among other things.
Refined sugars including High Fructose Corn Syrup (more on High Fructose Corn Syrup in later posts) also contribute to sluggish digestion and constipation. These refined sugars are broken down easily in the stomach even in someone who has slow digestion. These simple sugars are then feasted upon by unfriendly gut bacteria and candida (fungal infestation). As unfriendly bacteria grow and candida over growth ensues due to the buffet in the sluggish gut digestion is further hindered. This is because the bacteria and candida compete with the body for resources. The body must also fight the respective infestations at the same time leaving you malnourished, constipated, and susceptible to many kinds of illnesses.
By the way, the more constipated a person is the longer food sits in the stomach. If food is there too long it begins to putrefy and your body is forced to activate your immune system to aid in digestion. This is a bodily defense mechanism so that rotten food doesn't send a person into toxic shock. The immune system is not designed for digestion and while it is distracted with digestion your body is open to attacks because the defenses are down. Yet another reason to strive for a bowel movement at least once daily.
Whole foods and perhaps a fiber supplement, if necessary, is the way to go. A properly functioning digestive system frees the body from chronic constipation and allows your immune system to remain on its primary task of policing pathogens trying to disrupt the body. Next week we will wrap up with how combining certain foods causes slow digestion and cover what to watch for in fiber supplements (they are not all equal or healthy for you). Go in peace.
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