Alcohol could be a tonic or poison, depending on its dose. Moderate drinking can be healthy, but excessive drinking could facilitate various gut-related health issues. Let's take a closer look at how alcohol can affect your digestive health and what preventive measures you can take to maintain good digestive health. How Your Body Digests Alcohol Metabolism is characterized by a series of chemical reactions in the living cells that convert food into energy for life processes and normal ... [Read More]
digestive health
Is My Heartburn Severe Enough to Require Treatment?
Heartburn literally feels like burning in your chest. The burning is a result of stomach acids backing up into the esophagus. The lower esophageal sphincter (LES) should seal itself to prevent this from happening, but for those who suffer from heartburn, it relaxes and allows acid reflux to develop. Almost every person at one point will experience heartburn symptoms, and it is usually due to something they consumed that triggered it. Spicy, acidic, fried, and fatty foods and caffeinated ... [Read More]
Digestive Supplements for a Healthy Gut
According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, roughly 70 million Americans suffer from gastrointestinal (GI) tract conditions. Whether you’re a statistic or not, it pays to learn about how to best protect and improve your gut health. Besides making adjustments to your diet and lifestyle, boosting your intake of essential vitamins through dietary supplements can go a long way toward keeping your digestive system in tip-top condition. The only question now is, which ... [Read More]
How Probiotics Promote Digestive Health
You may have heard of the term “probiotics” but are unsure of what it is and how it can benefit you. If you have digestive issues, probiotics can promote better digestive health and possibly improve your symptoms. Probiotics are live bacteria and yeasts that are naturally found in the body, on the skin, and in the mouth, gut, lungs, urinary tract, and vagina. They are what's called "good bacteria." In your gut, probiotics have a large presence in your large intestines. Probiotics and ... [Read More]
Common Myths About Digestive Health
A key part of the human digestive system is the enteric nervous system (ENS), which is a large swath of many, many millions of nerve cells coating your esophagus all the way to your rectum. This is nicknamed the body’s “second brain” that works with, yet independently from, the central nervous system (CNS) – which comprises the brain and spinal cord. The process of digestion starts in the mouth, as saliva and the action of chewing begins to break down food. The enteric nervous system then ... [Read More]