If you didn’t already know, your digestive system is incredible! There are so many organs that work together to digest and release food that fuels your body with much-needed energy.
But there’s one main digestive organ I feel we all need to be taking better care of...
The small intestine.
In this blog I will teach you what it is, what it does, how it works, why you need to take care of it, and easy ways to do that.
Did you know?:
- Your small intestine accounts for 60% of the digestive tract - It’s where 90% of nutrients get absorbed - It’s 16 feet long - It has the largest concentration of immune cells - It’s very fragile and prone to more damage vs the large intestine
It may be called “small” but it is actually quite long, and our cells and mitochondria depend on this organ for optimal functioning.
During digestion, our small intestine creates enzymes that are necessary for breaking down the food we eat. Enzymes also help us absorb our nutrients which create the fuel for our cells so that our brain and body function.
When we have poor digestive enzymes production, it's typically caused by inflammation (which causes damage to the structure of our small intestine and can lead to infections of the gut, fungal overgrowth, bloating, gas, diarrhea, and constipation), bacteria overgrowth, gut infections, or leaky gut. So what can you do to make sure your small intestine is supported and is creating a healthy level of digestive enzymes?
DIET: Balance your nutrients by eating more healthy fats, focusing on low glycemic carbohydrates, and eat proteins that are high in omega-3s (wild caught fish and seafood, hemp seeds and other seeds, walnuts and beans.
HYDRATION: Consume less sugary drinks and alcohol, and drink more water every day to increase your overall hydration. Your small intestine LOVES being hydrated- and you’ll notice hunger diminishes when you consume at least ½ your body weight in ounces of water daily. (approx. 64-80 ounces).
MEDICATIONS: Be strategic when using antibiotics and taking medications. For example, before jumping to an antibiotic or medication, make sure that you are considering your dietary lifestyle. I get it, sometimes antibiotics are needed, but they are not always necessary when your dietary and lifestyle practices are surrounding whole food, increased activity, quality sleep, hydration and stress management. Try speaking to a professional about these interventions. I am here to help. Click on this link to set up a free meet and greet call.
STRESS MANAGEMENT: Stress goes straight to your gut, so find ways that you connect with to alleviate any chronic stress in your life. Walking outdoors, ground techniques, deep belly breathing, journaling, meditation, the tapping solution, yoga, even sex! There are so many more ways to reduce stress in the body.
SELF-CARE: Using different ways of self-care to heal any trauma that’s stored in your body directly impacts your gut health. For more information on how the body perceives stress and how to decrease that stress, CLICK HERE
TOXICITY LEVELS: Decreasing levels of toxicity in your life can make a HUGE difference. Look at your beauty care, cleaning products, sprays and perfumes, lawn/garden care chemicals, etc., See where you can use chemical-free solutions instead, like essential oils, vinegar and water with a squeeze of lemon, baking soda pumice. There are many terrific products out there. I use Beautycounter for my skin and make up and decided to partner with the brand two years ago to help bring clean beauty to more women. I clean my house with vinegar and water with lemon essential oil and diffuse essential oils into my home vs. using sprays with harmful toxic ingredients. For dryer sheet replacement I use natural re-usable sheets and again infuse with essential oils. I am here to help you make the shift to a chemical free lifestyle as well. :)
Incorporating these small changes into your lifestyle, creates intentional care of your small intestine and your whole body! Simple changes that make a BIG difference in how you feel on the day-to-day. Give them a try and let me know what differences you experienced!
Did you find this helpful? Want more information? CLICK HERE to join my Insider’s Club for more great holistic health information and education.
Marissa, BN
