What Happened to the Food I Ate?

Okay, what happens to that meal you just ate? An average meal takes 2-4 hours to pass through your stomach and up to another 6 hours to get through the small intestine. By the time you are finished digesting you have, more than likely, moved on to your next meal. You, typically should have 4 meals in your entire intestinal tract. When you eat your 5th meal the first one (meal less nutrients) should be moving out of  your bowel. When you consume your 6th meal the 2nd meal should be going through the elimination process. The 7th meal should trigger meal number 3 to be eliminated and meal number 8 should cause the 4th meal to be eliminated. This process ensures proper digestion. Digestion, actually, starts as soon as food enters your mouth and your teeth and saliva start breaking it down into smaller pieces.  From there, food gets passed on into the small intestine, which converts it into nutrients.  One last trip to your liver for more processing and then your blood distributes the nutrients all over your body.  Any leftovers that your body doesn't need travels through the large intestine to the rectum and anus for disposal. An efficient body will take what it needs and throw the rest away.

The human intestinal tract is the natural habitat for a large and active community of bacteria. The intestinal tract needs a proper balance of flora so your body can absorb all of the beneficial nutrients you have consumed. Supplementation of these beneficial bacteria are necessary for optimum absorption. A good gastrointestinal probiotic should contain a mixture of prebiotics and probiotics that can have a positive affect on your health by improving the survival and growth of beneficial bacteria. Probiotics are live bacteria that help promote gastrointestinal health when provided in adequate amounts. Bacteria from the species Bifodobacterium longum, Bifodobacterium breve, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus rhamnosus, Lactobacillus plantarum and Streptococcus thermophilus should be included in your daily supplementation plan. Prebiotics are non-digestible food ingredients which provide nutrients to help support the growth and metabolism of the beneficial bacteria present in your colon. Intestinal bacteria are important because they promote gastrointestinal health and also helps to maintain a health immune system (70%+ of your immune system resides in the digestive tract).

Stress, aging, and the consumption of an unhealthy diet that is low in fiber and high in fat can lead to an imbalance in the gastrointestinal tract. Daily supplementation with a standardized gastrointestinal probiotic will keep your digestive tract healthy, which in turn can keep your entire body healthy.

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The human digestive system is a series of organs that perform many important functions. Its primary role is to process the food and drink we consume, absorb all the nutrients our cells can use, and expel any leftover matter as waste. Our bodies are extremely dependent on their ability to process these nutrients. Science now believes a significant amount of our immune function is located within the "gut", therefore, the digestive system is obviously a major contributor to overall health. It serves as the front line of defense against harmful bacteria and pathogens and also provides the body with a place to effectively flush out things like toxins that can accumulate in the body.

How well this system functions relies on several factors that, for the most part, are directly related to the quality of our diet. So quite literally, it relies on specific nutrients from the very food it processes to operate efficiently. The breakdown of this system can lead to the breakdown of many other systems in your body. So  you must ensure that your body receives the raw materials it needs.