1. Proper Digestion is Essential for Good Health
You need food to survive, but did you know that proper digestion requires mindfulness to activate your parasympathetic nervous system? Through proper digestion, food is converted into nutrients and energy. A healthy digestive system is crucial for nutrition, energy, and cell repair.
2. Your Stomach Does Not Play an Essential Role in Digestion
While the stomach starts the digestion process by churning the meal and breaking it down with digestive enzymes (mechanical digestion), the small intestine handles most of the digestive work. It uses enzymes and absorbs nutrients for the body’s absorption.
3. It is Possible to Eat Upside Down
Gravity is not required for food to reach the stomach. The muscles in your esophagus constrict and release, creating a wave-like motion called peristalsis that propels food to the stomach. While challenging, eating while standing on your head is feasible.
4. The Large Intestine Does More Than Waste Elimination
The large intestine converts liquid waste into solid stool and absorbs any remaining nutrients and water the body requires. It handles undigested dietary components and aged cells from the gastrointestinal tract.
5. Mucus Secretion Protects the Stomach from Its Acid
Hydrochloric acid, the primary digestive fluid produced by the stomach, is highly corrosive. A thick coating of mucus lines the stomach, serving as a protective barrier. Without this coating, the stomach acid would digest the stomach itself.
6. The Small Intestine Has a Large Surface Area
The average adult’s small intestine measures around 22 feet in length. The numerous folds and villi (finger-like projections) increase its surface area significantly, which is crucial for absorbing nutrients from meals.
7. Stomach Growling Can Occur Even When You Aren’t Hungry
Stomach rumbling is the sound of your stomach and small intestines working together to complete the digestion process. When your stomach is empty, you can hear this sound more clearly, but it does not necessarily indicate hunger.
8. Your Colon Absorbs Water from Food
Meals account for a significant portion of your water intake. The colon plays a crucial role in digestive health by preventing excessive water loss during digestion.
9. You Feed Your Beneficial Gut Bacteria
The good bacteria in your digestive tract need nutrition to function correctly. Soluble fiber, found in vegetables, fruits, cereals, seeds, and nuts, provides nutrients to beneficial gut flora, maintaining colon health.
10. Fiber is Beneficial to the Digestive System
Fiber aids in the movement of food through the digestive tract, and certain types of fiber help maintain regularity. Soluble fiber feeds beneficial gut bacteria, which are essential for maintaining excellent digestive health.
