Digestive Health

The digestive system takes the food you eat, breaks it down into nutrients your body can use for energy, growth, and repair, and then eliminates what you don’t need.

It is the pathway that runs from your mouth to your anus.  The upper digestive tract (mouth, esophagus, stomach) begins the process. Its job is to chew, mix, and use stomach acid (HCL) to prepare food so the rest of the system can do its work. When this step isn’t strong—such as with low HCL—everything further down has to work harder.  

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The lower digestive tract (small intestine, large intestine, colon) takes what the upper tract has prepared. Here, nutrients and water are absorbed into the body, and what remains is formed into waste for elimination.

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When both parts work well together, your body can fully nourish itself and release what it doesn’t need.

There are many factors that can weaken the digestive system over time. The foods we eat — and how we eat them — play a major role. Highly processed foods, too much sugar, eating on the go, or skipping meals can all make digestion harder.  ​Lifestyle habits also have an impact. Dehydration, lack of sleep, and a sedentary routine slow down digestive function and keep the body from repairing itself properly.

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Emotional strain and chronic stress are often overlooked, but they directly affect digestion by reducing stomach acid causing reflux, slowing gut movement, and throwing off the balance of healthy bacteria.  This creates the perfect environment for candida, parasites and other pathogens to thrive. 

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When stresses build up, the digestive system can no longer keep up with the demand, leading to symptoms like bloating, indigestion, irregular bowel movements or even chronic autoimmune disease.

Issues can show up in many different ways.  ​A key player is the microbiome — the community of good and bad bacteria living in your gut. When it becomes imbalanced, it can lead to issues such as leaky gut, inflammation, weight changes, food sensitivities, autoimmune reactions, ulcers, parasites, and yeast or bacterial overgrowth. If left unchecked, these problems often ripple outward and affect other body systems.

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The upper digestive tract often struggles first. Imbalanced HCL can contribute to heartburn, bloating, fullness after meals, gas, nausea, ulcers, and infections like H. pylori. You may also notice an irregular appetite.  The lower digestive tract can present with conditions like IBS (Irritable Bowel), IBD (Crohn’s disease, Ulcerative Colitis), or Diverticulitis. These can cause constipation, diarrhea, abdominal pain, or unpredictable bowel movements.

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Ongoing digestive weakness can contribute to concerns such as fatigue, sleep issues, brain fog, arthritis, blood sugar imbalances, heart disease risk, and even mood changes.​