God and the Gut: Both of them Create Movement and Conversion
by: Shannon McKeown, MS, LDN
You might not know this, but, the journey of food and beverage from mouth to anus (digestive system) takes about 30 to 40 hours. It varies depending on the meal and an individual’s gut health, but it takes approximately 4 to 5 hours for a meal to empty from the stomach into the intestines. Another 3 hours are added for absorption and other processes to take place within the intestinal tract. Finally, the transit through the colon completes the journey and can take up to 30 hours in total.
The gut has a surface area that is estimated to be the area of a football field. The immune system is a prominent part of the gut and digestive system. Intestinal bacteria serve to prevent the overgrowth of bacteria and micro-organisms from comprising immune health.
You should have normal rhythmical contractions of muscles in the walls of the stomach and small intestines that mix food mass with digestive juices, enzymes, and bile. Digestive enzymes are necessary to convert proteins to amino acids, carbohydrates to glucose, and fats to fatty acids/glycerol. These conversions must take place before nutrients can enter the blood stream.
If you are experiencing any kind of digestive disturbance…..its God having your body signal to your consciousness that it’s time to elevate your eating patterns and choices. I had this experience in my own life. My soul (God’s still small voice) said its time to elevate your eating to match your spiritual energy. Once I went gluten free and mostly whole food/plant based after eating a Meditterrean style eating plan – I no longer had any digestive issues or pain.
Hydrochloric acid, found in your stomach, is such a necessary component of digestion that the sale of antacid pills and preparations should be against the law. These medications taken even on a regular monthly basis can bring about demise for your stomachs ability to function properly. Stop eating the foods that are causing the digestion issue and eat more plants that are alkaline in nature such as: kale, cucumber, avocado, cabbage, peas, and coconut. If tomatoes bring on your acid attack….just know tomatoes are not acid. It’s probably the caffeine you have in your diet or another irritant.
Eating too much refined foods and foods that are salty can cause potassium deficiency. If you have received any cortisone treatments or take high blood pressure medication that has a diuretic effect you will probably also have a potassium deficiency. Without the proper amount of potassium in your body the contractions needed for digestion slow way down or may become somewhat paralyzed. This creates gas pains that become excruciating. In order to create a change for the good….you need to eat more plants (white beans, sweet potato, pigeon peas, and bananas-just to name a few).
If you are gassy all the time it is because your digestive system is NOT happy. When putrefactive bacteria are allowed to grow they produce histamine, which is an inflammatory reaction that can also cause allergy problems. Gas is the body’s sign that putrefactive bacteria are being fed instead of your body’s cells. Gas IS NOT a natural part of old age; unless you have made poor food choices most of your life.
I guarantee that if you get wheat and cow’s milk out of your diet, reduce refined sugars and increase the amount of fruits and vegetables….your gas will go away.Your gut is talking to you by Divine Intervention, although most choose to ignore the signs and symptoms, making excuses that gas and bloating are natural. What happens within this important system of your body determines weight issues, cancer, allergies, and many other secondary diseases you might not need to concern yourself with – if you just eat as God intended (mostly plant based).
About the Author
Shannon has both a bachelor’s and master’s degrees in foods and nutrition. She holds a state license as a professionally credentialed dietitian and nutritionist. Shannon utilizes a more natural and holistic nutritional model inspired from her employment with the Seminole Tribe of Florida, where she was drawn to the stories told by the medicine man about how the Seminoles were in tune with nature as their physician. Armed with this new inspiration, Shannon did extensive research during her graduate studies regarding heart disease and the many natural, therapeutic benefits of whole foods. Learn more about Shannon on her website http://www.mindurfood.com
(At the time of this publication, Shannon lived in Austin, Texas, but she has since moved our of our area. We wish her well!)