If I were to ask you where is the source of most digestive issues, what would you say?

If you’re like many people, you’d probably say your stomach.

Nope.

It's your small intestine.

And considering the HUGE role that it plays in digestion and your overall state of health from head to toe, there's nothing "small" about it!

Here’s what I mean.

Tennis anyone?

Here are some fun facts for you:

The small intestine is only called small because the "tube" is not as wide as the large intestine (colon).

End to end your small intestine is about 20 feet long! (Versus your "short" 5-foot large intestine.)

The inside wall of it is covered with thousands of little finger-like structures called villi and each villi is covered with hair-like microvilli--this is where your nutrients get absorbed. 

And if you opened it up and spread it out flat with all the little villi and microvilli laying individually on their sides it would cover the surface of an ENTIRE tennis court!

Where the action is

The small intestine is where the real digestive action is. 

Although your mouth and stomach are responsible for the initial breakdown of foods, the crucial point is just after this.

The two vital functions of your small intestine are to:

• Finish the digestion of your food and 

• Absorb nutrients

Here's the impressive process it carries out to do that:

When your food leaves your stomach, ideally it should be broken down to a thick, pea soup-like mass called chyme--pronounced 'kime.'

As the chyme drips out of the stomach and into the duodenum (the upper section of the small intestine), digestive enzymes are secreted by your small intestine, plus bile from the liver (thanks to the gallbladder) and digestive juice and enzymes from your pancreas.

Talk about a team effort!

At this point proteins are broken down into their amino acids, fats are reduced to fatty acids and carbohydrates become simple sugars.

In other words, your food is ready to become YOU--nutrients that your body can use for cell energy and growth.

Then your small intestine absorbs the nutrients through tiny blood vessels in its microvilli.

The small intestine is a genius--it knows what nutrients you need the most and absorbs those first. Then it will take up any remaining carbs, proteins, and then fats last.

The nutrients are put into your blood, sent off to the liver to have toxins filtered out, and then transported all over your body.

After this is done, what’s left of the food (which is now just some fiber, waste and water) moves to the large intestine where fiber is broken down, water is absorbed and...

Your next BM is created!

Don't screw up a good thing

This is a magnificent process that is vital to your health and life. Your body needs nutrients to function and, well, to even exist at all.

So why would anyone mess up this crucial process?

But that's what millions of people unknowingly do every single day!

Our typical modern meals put a tremendous strain on all of your digestive organs and can lead to illness, disease and death.

Here’s how:

The domino effect of disease creation

When your stomach struggles to break down what you've eaten, it has to repeatedly secrete acid. This is how it attempts to jump-start digestion that has been halted or slowed.

All that acid production causes many of the nutrients in your food to be destroyed and can lead to acid sliding up your throat—a common cause of heartburn.

That also means that your chyme is not broken down into the "pea soup" that it should be when it leaves your stomach. That causes instant stress on your small intestine and pancreas to pick up the slack.

This can result in wastes that don’t move smoothly through the intestinal tract like they should. (Hello there, constipation.)

It also means that your body's ability to produce enzymes is pushed to the limit, since so many are being used up trying to digest the mess inside you.

The large amount of acid and toxins in your chyme also impacts nutrient absorption because the microvilli become inundated with the toxins, which then move on to your liver.

So now your liver gets stressed out by filtering more toxins than it's supposed to. It can only do so much, and eventually toxins end up staying in your blood and getting transported everywhere.

That leads to inflammation all through your body. And you become the perfect home for sickness and chronic disease to flourish.

Keep things running smoothly

It's essential to keep ALL of your digestive organs running smoothly, especially the all-important small intestine.

Here are the two most important steps you can take:

1- Eat foods that are easily digested together. 

2- Give your body a little enzyme help if necessary.

Here’s the deal on both of those:

The food piece

As far as your meals go, the most difficult meals combination from your system’s perspective is animal proteins and starches. These two foods require opposing digestive enzymes (acid vs. alkaline) and when they are eaten together, the catalysts may weaken or neutralize each other…

Throwing your digestion out the window!

But you can easily overcome this by simply pairing meats OR starches with vegetables and/or a tossed salad! I know it sounds almost too simple but trust me—it will make an enormous difference.

If you need more guidance, check out my Great Taste No Pain health system. I’ll also give you meal suggestions and a collection of delicious recipes. 

A little help for your friends

If you're someone who has had a typical American diet, then chances are excellent that you’ve taxed your enzyme-making ability, and your body may be running short.

This also applies to people who are over age 50 or have had gastric or gallbladder surgery.

But never fear because Digestizol Max enzyme formula can help give your digestive system a much-needed enzyme boost.

Digestizol Max's 15 plant-based enzymes help to break down all the various foods you've eaten and conserve your body's enzyme supply (or pinch-hit if your enzyme making ability is already impaired).

Another idea! Use a natural digestive remedy

Note that there still may be times when you might face digestive issues, especially around the holidays with all the different types of foods tempting you.

But you don’t have to rely on drug store remedies like Tums, Rolaids or Pepto-Bismol—instead, embrace the power of Nature’s herbs with Gastro BeCalm Blend!

Gastro BeCalm combines four well-proven effective, effective herbs—mastic gum, licorice root, ginger and marshmallow—that can help naturally and safely soothe an inflamed GI tract and ease heartburn.

To your health and comfortable digestion,

Sherry Brescia  

PS: Please see the update on our holiday hours later this month and next: 

HOLISTIC BLENDS HOLIDAY HOURS & SHIPPING DATES