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Dr. Bob says . . .

Digestion is the Key to Health

As far back as I can remember my father had difficulty with his digestion. After every meal he would stir something into a glass of water and drink it. When I asked him about it he said, “It’s only something to help settle my stomach.” That “solution” worked for a while . . . until his fatal heart attack. My father didn’t have a clue about how digestion works. He simply chewed and swallowed, thinking that was the end of it; which is far from the truth. Everything we ingest is “non-human” and must be humanized; which is a complex process.

Organs and Processes Involved in Digestive Process

·        Mouth: digestion begins with the teeth, tongue and salivary glands;

·        Esophagus: digestion continues as well-chewed food moved to stomach;

·        Stomach: digestion continues (digestive fluids: hydrochloric acid (HCL)

·        Pancreas: digestion continues (food-processing enzymes and bicarbonate); normalizing pH in digestive complex, including colon;

·        Small intestine (25-foot) - majority of digestion takes place;

·        Large intestine (5-foot bowel/colon) - completes digestive process, and eliminates waste.

There’s more: The liver processes proteins, carbohydrates and fat. Fat and blood waste products pass out as bile. The liver normally produces one and one-half liters (quart) of bile per day. If the liver becomes congested (toxic) it produces less bile, causing cholesterol to rise. If the pancreas becomes congested, it produces fewer digestive enzymes; seriously affecting digestion and little or no bicarbonate, which may result in duodenal irritation or ulcer and affect pH balance. Ionic coral calcium with wide spectrum major and trace minerals helps neutralize or buffer excessive acid and normalize body pH levels.

Causes of Incomplete or Faulty Digestion

·        Inadequate chewing and mixing of saliva with each bite

·        “Washing down” bites with too much fluid, especially ice cold

·        Eating too quickly or when emotionally upset

·        Overeating or “stuffing” to the point of discomfort

·        Overabundance of “heavy” proteins or sugary foods

·        Insufficiency of hydrochloric acid; which is essential life

Indications of deficient or non-existent HCL

·        Heart burn, also called GERD or gastro-esophageal “acid reflux” disease

·        Burping during or immediately after eating

·        Stomach distress shortly after eating

·        Abdominal discomfort several hours after eating

·        Chronic or nightly leg cramps, and/or other cramping

·        Deficient or incomplete digestion

·        Chronic constipation

·        Deficiency of calcium and other minerals

The bottom line: Though digestion is complex, a few simple precautions will simplify the process. Eat only when you are hungry and not under emotional stress. Eat slowly, taking small bites, thoroughly mixing each bite with saliva before swallowing. If you must drink take small sips of room-temperature fluid. Best exercise: push away from the table before tempted to overeat. Bon appetite!

                                                                                      Bob L. Owen, Ph.D., D.Sc.