How to help your stomach work better
When we say "functioning stomach", we usually mean the whole digestive system. And it starts in the mouth and continues all the way down through the intestines. The gut is a world of its own, with millions of bacteria that need to be kept in balance.
When we eat and need to absorb nutrients from our diet, our body needs to break down the food in order to absorb energy and nutrients. This job is done with the help of enzymes that help break down carbohydrates, proteins and fats. The work begins in the mouth and continues through the stomach and down into the intestinal system.
The good environment in the gut
The intestinal flora, the bacteria in the large intestine, is very important for our health and is almost like an organ in itself. The large intestine contains about a hundred billion bacteria, which is more than the number of cells in the body and is equivalent to more than 1 kg of bacteria. The bacteria in the large intestine help to break down undigested food but also have a number of other important functions in the body. The gut bacteria make vitamins, process bile acids and break down toxic substances. The gut flora also protects against the growth of disease-causing bacteria (pathogens) that can otherwise cause an infection. The natural gut flora is important for the maturation of immune cells, not only in the gut but also in other parts of the body.
The intestinal flora consists of both beneficial and pathogenic bacteria living in symbiosis. When the balance between these is disturbed, the gut is in so-called dysbiosis and that's when you can get stomach problems. The intestinal flora can be normalised by adding live beneficial bacteria to restore the balance in the intestine. It is also important to eat high fibre foods that feed the good bacteria, also known as prebiotics. Examples of foods rich in prebiotic fibre include asparagus, Jerusalem artichokes, onions, lentils, almonds, bananas and pulses.
Regular "transport away"
Just as important as the proper breakdown of our food, so that we can absorb the benefits, is the removal of the residues. This is done by the movement of the intestines, known as peristalsis. At the beginning of the intestinal system, this happens almost all the time, while the body is absorbing the nutrients. But in the large intestine, the residues are collected and accumulated. For this process to work, the large intestine is only active about four times a day. It is during these active periods that we get the signal that we need to go to the toilet.
