Digestion
You're not what you eat—you're what you digest and absorb. The most perfect diet is worthless if your digestive system can't break it down and absorb the nutrients.
The Digestive Journey
1. Mouth
Chewing breaks food down. Salivary amylase starts starch digestion. Most people don't chew enough.
2. Stomach
Acid (HCl) denatures proteins, activates pepsin, kills pathogens, releases minerals. pH should be 1-2.
3. Small Intestine
Pancreatic enzymes + bile complete digestion. Nutrients absorbed through intestinal lining.
4. Large Intestine
Water absorption, fermentation, vitamin production (K, biotin). Home to trillions of bacteria.
⚠️ Common Digestive Problems
Low Stomach Acid
Most people have TOO LITTLE acid, not too much. Causes reflux, bloating, mineral deficiencies. PPIs make it worse.
Bile Insufficiency
Without adequate bile, fats aren't digested. Leads to fatty stools, A/D/E/K deficiency, gallstones.
Enzyme Deficiency
Pancreatic insufficiency leaves food undigested. Bloating, gas, malabsorption.
Leaky Gut
Intestinal permeability allows undigested proteins, toxins, bacteria into bloodstream → inflammation.
Dysbiosis
Imbalanced gut bacteria—too many bad, too few good. SIBO, candida overgrowth, pathogenic bacteria.
Slow Motility
Constipation, delayed transit allows toxins to reabsorb. Often related to low thyroid or magnesium.
The Stomach Acid Problem
Conventional medicine often blames excess acid for reflux. The truth is the opposite—most reflux is caused by TOO LITTLE acid. Without enough acid, the lower esophageal sphincter doesn't close properly.
What Low Acid Causes
- • Reflux (paradoxically)
- • Bloating after meals
- • Undigested food in stool
- • B12 deficiency
- • Iron deficiency
- • Zinc deficiency
- • SIBO (bacteria overgrow)
- • Food sensitivities
What Depletes Stomach Acid
- • Aging (natural decline)
- • Stress (shuts down digestion)
- • H. pylori infection
- • Zinc deficiency
- • B vitamin deficiency
- • PPIs and antacids
- • Drinking too much with meals
- • Eating too fast
Bile: The Forgotten Digestive Fluid
What Bile Does
- • Emulsifies fats (breaks into droplets)
- • Enables fat-soluble vitamin absorption (A, D, E, K)
- • Eliminates toxins and cholesterol
- • Has antimicrobial effects
- • Stimulates gut motility
Signs of Poor Bile Flow
- • Greasy, floating, pale stools
- • Nausea after fatty meals
- • Pain under right ribcage
- • Gallstones
- • Fat-soluble vitamin deficiencies
- • Constipation
✅ Supporting Healthy Digestion
Chew Thoroughly
30+ chews per bite. Digestion starts in the mouth. Most people swallow too fast.
Eat in Parasympathetic State
"Rest and digest." Take 3 deep breaths before eating. No stress, no screens.
Don't Drink Too Much with Meals
Small sips only. Large amounts dilute stomach acid and enzymes.
Apple Cider Vinegar
1 tbsp in water before meals. Stimulates stomach acid production.
Digestive Enzymes
Supplement with protease, lipase, amylase if needed. Especially with age.
Bile Support
Ox bile, TUDCA, bitters, artichoke, dandelion root support bile flow.
Zinc
Required for stomach acid production. Most people are deficient.
Probiotics
Support beneficial bacteria. Fermented foods: sauerkraut, kimchi, kefir.
Fix the Gut Lining
L-glutamine, collagen, zinc, vitamin A support intestinal barrier repair.
Metabolic Connections
Stomach Acid
The foundation of protein digestion and mineral absorption
Bile
Required for fat digestion and fat-soluble vitamin absorption
Gut Health
Where 70% of immune function lives
Zinc
Required for stomach acid production and enzyme function
Vitamin B12
Requires stomach acid and intrinsic factor for absorption
Magnesium
Supports smooth muscle function throughout the GI tract