Digestion is more than our ability to break food down, and begins even before we put a food in our mouth.
Phases of digestion
1. Digest –
Selecting a food that is biocompatible (compatible with the cells of our body) is the first stage of digestion. Our genes dictate the types, ratio, and amounts of food that our body runs best on. They are passed onto us from our ancestors to help ensure our survival, and research shows that genetic code changes only 0.1% every 100,000 years. So genetically we are very similar to our distant ancestors, and we run best on the organic whole foods (meat, vegetables, fruit, grains) that they ate. If we eat a food that is not biocompatible it will stress many of the systems of our body.
2. Metabolise –
One of the primary functions of digestion is the provision of energy to each cell (metabolism), but if we provide too much energy (often sugar) then we will have problems with controlling blood sugar balance, and suffer with symptoms like energy highs and lows, headaches, inflammation, inability to heal, and hormonal imbalances.
3. Assimilate –
If the food is not recognised by the cells of the body then it can’t be assimilated (included), and it has to be dealt with by our immune system, just as it would any invader (like a virus, or bug). Our immune system tries to surround it, bind it up, and then eventually kill it, but this causes inflammation, and many other symptoms like fatigue, muscle and joint soreness, and swelling and bloating.
4. Eliminate –
The waste products (toxins) must be released from the body on a daily basis in order to detoxify. Chronic constipation can cause our body to become toxic, and cause symptoms like dizziness, fatigue, skin disorders, and other autoimmune disorders.
The process of digestion literally provides life and recreates all our cells, not only fuel, and building blocks, but it provides the fats and proteins for the production of hormones, that make our very thoughts and feelings a reality in our body. Each food emits a frequency of energy that our bodies cells seeks to harmonise with, but processed foods, additives, refined sugar, flour, salt, pasteurised milk will not harmonise and will cause stress in our body.
If you are interested in learning more, I will be running a series of workshops at The Therapy Room in Cambridge entitled- Own Your Health.
I will show you how to observe and assess your own health, and cover the four vital principles for your good health and vitality – Diet, sleep, movement, and thought.
For more details and to book your place please phone 01223 315400 or email damien@dcintegratedhealth.com
[...] We really are what we eat – well what we can digest, anyway! [...]