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You Are What You Absorb

Ophelia Gherman, M.D.
January 31, 2016
You may be eating healthy meals and healthy food, but is your body fully absorbing all the nutrients available to it? We have often heard the repeated adage, “you are what you eat." A twist on the well-known proverb can be “you are what your body absorbs from what you eat.”

You may be eating healthy meals and healthy food, but is your body fully absorbing all the nutrients available to it? We have often heard the repeated adage, “you are what you eat." A twist on the well-known proverb can be “you are what your body absorbs from what you eat.” Sometimes, however, there are things which can prevent our body from consuming all the nutrients it should be.

 

Absorbing the full amount of vitamins, minerals, and nutrients found within our food depends largely on digestive enzymes and hormones such as insulin. We also have friendly bacteria, known as intestinal flora, and biliary acids that affect the way we absorb and process food. Our body’s ability to absorb and utilize every meal effectively varies based on our lifestyle and genetic make-up. Let’s take a look at what may cause digestive and absorptive problems affecting our overall health.

 

1. Overeating 

Overeating is harmful due to several reasons, one of which is that it overwhelms the small quarters of our stomach, which results in distending the stomach muscles, thus causing a stress load. Overloading the stomach is registered by our intelligent body as a “threat”. The imbalance between the volume of our food and digestive enzyme concentration halts digestion, leading to undigested food in the stomach, which leads to an altering in the beneficial components of the food. Overeating on a routine basis causes a chronic threat to the stomach through the ensuing inflammatory process. Chronic inflammation leads to cancer, heart disease, and other autoimmune disorders. It is best to keep your portions small, and your body will absorb more nutrients than you think!

 

2. Drinking with meals

Digestion starts in the mouth with an enzyme called amylase. So, drinking with your meals dilutes this primary digestive enzyme. Further in the digestive process, our food is housed in the stomach for 4-5 hours where digestive enzymes and bile acids further break down the food particles. The acidity of the stomach also acts as a barrier against bacteria, protecting us from harmful infections. Added liquids weaken this protective barrier as well. Try skipping water or other drinks with your meal, and substitute them with purposeful chewing instead. Your stomach will thank you!

 

3. Late-night meals  

Going to sleep after a meal can affect the nutritional absorption in several ways. Our body functions on a 24-hour biological clock called the circadian rhythm. This means our entire body is more active in the morning and throughout the day and slows down in the evening. Our hypothalamus, a portion in our brain, is usually responsible for releasing melatonin (a hormone that helps dictate our sleep cycles) through the pineal gland; melatonin is also found in the intestines. Eating late meals increases insulin levels at night-time, and insulin shuts down melatonin release. This disrupts the natural sequence of events.

 

When we do go to sleep, our metabolism is hibernating therefore digestion is delayed and food turns into fat. An overworked stomach also releases gaseous bacteria and chemicals that can lead to bloating, nausea, and an upset stomach. It is best to avoid eating 3-4 hours prior to bedtime. Your brain and body will feel more refreshed the next day.

 

4. Insulin Resistance

Diabetes Type 2 is caused by the body’s resistance to insulin. In adults, there are symptoms to diabetes, such as increased fat around the waistline, elevated blood pressure, increased cholesterol, and elevated blood glucose. Chronically elevated sugar in our bloodstream is highly inflammatory to our stomach and small intestine, causing a delay in transit and elimination of waste, and causes intestinal flora fermentation. Similarly, a meal overloaded with carbohydrates such as pastas, potatoes, rice, and breads releases a similar dose of inflammatory insult and should be avoided.

 

5. Celiac disease

Celiac disease, an autoimmune disorder, is a genetic intolerance to gluten. Gluten intake leads to an immune attack on the small intestine, which causes severe inflammation and changes to the lining. The lining has tiny projectiles, called villi, that are responsible for nutrient absorption. This inflammation leads to iron deficiency, anemia, osteoporosis, pancreatic and gallbladder disorder, and many vitamin deficiencies. If you generally feel worse after eating breads and pastas containing gluten, try a 7-14 day gluten-free diet and see if your symptoms improve.

 

6. MTHFR mutations 

These are enzymes and genes. A mutation in MTHFR can lead to folic acid deficiency, which may produce fetal abnormalities. In an adult, an MTHFR mutation inhibits the processing of proteins and absorbtion of dietary nutrients such as folic acid (the synthetic version of folate) and vitamin B12. This mutation leads to an elevated level of homocystein which can be a predicting factor for coronary artery disease, regardless of your cholesterol levels. Being tested for MTHFR can not only improve your nutritional status but may change your overall health!