fbpx
Generic selectors
Exact matches only
Search in title
Search in content
Post Type Selectors

What Exactly is your Gut?

Share This Post

Believe it or not, your gut is one of the most important group of organs in the body. In addition to being responsible for digestion, absorption and utilisation of nutrients, it’s also our first line of defence. The gastrointestinal system is very exposed to the external environment – what goes into our mouths can be helpful or harmful. Contaminated food and drink, toxins, infections – our gut needs to cope with those things too. In fact, the gut represents 70% of our immune system. That’s why the health of our gut is so important.

Poor gut health can express a wide range of effects on the body. While some of us experience these symptoms from time to time, others may suffer from them constantly – compromising the health of the gut and potentially leading to deficiencies and impacting our vitality and optimal health.

That’s why it’s good to understand how our digestive system works, and how tuning in to our gut feelings and gut reactions can be so important to the health of the whole body.

In 400 BC, Hippocrates said, “Death sits in the bowels” and “bad digestion is the root of all evil.”

GI Tract Diagram

The Digestive System

1. The mouth and teeth break food down into tiny pieces and mixes these with saliva, which starts the digestive process.

2. The oesophagus is the channel between the mouth and the stomach. Swallowing initiates powerful muscular contractions that push food down into the stomach.

3. The stomach secretes acid and peptic enzymes which further dilute and break up the food, digesting proteins, killing off the majority bacteria. It usually takes about 1-5 hours for most of a moderate sized mixed meal to be emptied from the stomach and into the small intestine.

4. The pancreas is a digestive gland that secretes an alkaline juice, containing powerful enzymes that break down protein, fat and carbohydrates. It is also the source of the hormone insulin.

5. The liver receives blood from the gut, filters it, removes toxins, metabolises drugs, stores nutrients and synthesises bile.

6. The gall bladder stores and concentrates bile, and after a meal squeezes it into the small intestine, where it helps to digest fat.

7. The small intestine is a narrow tube and is about 6 metres long. Here the major food groups, protein fat and carbohydrate are broken down into amino acids, sugars and fatty acids, which are then absorbed into the blood stream. It can take between 2-4 hours for a meal to be processed in the small intestine.

8. The colon or large intestine salvages unabsorbed material from the small intestine. It extracts salt and water from the solidifying contents, while the trillions of colonic bacteria ferment unabsorbed sugars, starches and proteins to short chain fatty acids, which may be utilised as a source of energy.

What can affect the gut?

The gut is a very sophisticated and interconnected system – it even communicates with our brain. Consequently, many factors can affect its performance. Stress, what we eat, illness, exercise, medications, even getting older can have an impact on our gut and lead to appetite issues, abdominal pain, bloating, nausea and vomiting, indigestion/reflux, constipation, diarrhoea and flatulence (wind).

Send Us A Message

More To Explore

Gut health

Gut Healing Carrot Salad

Ingredients (4 serves):• 500g carrots, grated. (Ideally organic)• ½ red onion, finely sliced• Zest & juice of 1 lemon• 2 tsp toasted cumin seeds• 2cm

Read More »

What Exactly is your Gut?

Share:

More Posts

40 周年慶宣傳片

观看由创办人 Ian Brighthope教授为大家回顾了 Nutrition Care 的历史,並向大家保证将会继续坚持纯自然和更专业的理念,为世界人们提供高质量的保健品。

Read More »

Nutrition Care 40周年庆-自然更健康

            2018年4月26日,Nutrition Care在墨尔本举办庆典庆祝品牌创立40周年。 Nutrition Care是澳洲著名的保健品生产商,其创立于1978年,40年来一直致力于减少药品的使用。而此次40周年庆典的主题——自然更专业,也是他们长久以来希望传达给消费者的理念。26日下午1点半,Nutrition Care的40周年庆在墨尔本的Crown正式拉开序幕。                      (著名主持人李维嘉,品牌创始人Ian Brighthope,澳洲名模Lauren Vickers) 此次庆典上,Nutrition

Read More »

NC首次冠名全澳大学生华语辩论赛

5月13日,Nutrition Care首次冠名全澳大学生华语辩论赛——NC纽新宝杯决赛于墨尔本市政厅成功举行!              本次辩论赛由澳洲著名保健品品牌NC纽新宝独家冠名,活动到场嘉宾有中国驻墨尔本总领事馆教育组杨智勇领事,本次评委阵容亦相当强大,其中就包括《奇葩说》著名辩手陈铭与胡渐彪 。 决赛双方分别是莫纳什大学中文辩论社和墨尔本大学中华辩论社,双方就【消费主义是当代灵魂的良药还是毒药】这一辩题,站在不同的角度,深度剖析。  最终,莫纳什大学代表队的表现获得了评委们的一致青睐,夺得本届全澳辩论赛中冠军。                 比赛结束后,胡渐彪评委深入浅出解读【良药】【毒药】的定义,给辩手和台下观众们带来更深层次的思考。徐卓阳评委更是以赞助商NC纽新宝在台上的养胃粉为例,幽默而又直观地对话题进行了概括,通俗易懂,却又发人深思。Nutrition Care品牌创始人Ian Brighthope虽不能亲自到场,但特意录制了一段祝贺视频给参赛选手们。视频中Ian教授感谢选手们的付出,在母亲节这样特殊的日子里,他提醒远离家人的留学生们,要注意自己的身体健康,因为健康对他们而言,是在异乡追逐人生梦想最重要的急事之一。 最後,NC纽新宝为嘉宾、评委们以及每一位前来参加活动的观众准备了养胃小礼物,让大家在观 看辩论赛时感到暖心暖胃。 

Read More »

Send Us A Message

en_AUEnglish